The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader Part 13

"Now give way, lads, for your lives," cried Shafto.

The water around them became violently agitated, and the huge ice-rock swayed to and fro. Shafto cast an anxious look behind him. Its tall summit seemed to be bending over. Where was the other boat? No one could tell. There was little time for thinking of their friends; their own probable fate absorbed all their attention. The men bent to their oars, looking up with horror in their eyes towards the ma.s.s which seemed about to come down and crush them. The ice on which they had lately stood disappeared. Large ma.s.ses of frozen snow came hurtling down, falling with loud splashes into the water on either side of them. One such ma.s.s would have been sufficient to send their boat to the bottom; but only a few small fragments fell on board, and no one was hurt. Then came a cry of terror from many a usually stout heart. The summit of the ice-mountain bent over more and more. What chance had they of escaping from beneath it? Down, down it came with a terrific splash into the hitherto calm sea, throwing up the foaming waters, which dashed over them in dense showers, while the wave raised by the fall of the berg, as it rolled after the boat, seemed as if it were about to break on board and swamp her. The crew needed no urging to put forth all their strength. The boat's stern rose high as it pa.s.sed under her, and then on she glided, away from the danger. They were saved! Narrow, indeed, was their escape.

"But where is the cutter?" exclaimed w.i.l.l.y, looking around. She was not to be seen.

The weather, which had hitherto been so calm, had been changing rapidly while they were engaged in killing the seals. A thick mist had rapidly swept over the ocean, and shut out even the huge ma.s.s of the overturned iceberg, which still floated upon the water. They shouted loudly, hoping that those in the cutter, if she was still above water, might hear them; but no answer came.

"G.o.d's ways are mysterious," observed Mr Morley. "He has thought fit to preserve us while our poor companions have perhaps been allowed to perish. To Him our thanks are due."

The doctor and Captain Twopenny fired their rifles several times, but still there was no reply, and Harry reluctantly continued his course. A light breeze had sprung up, the sails filled, and the "Ranger's" launch glided rapidly over the water. The doctor at once lighted the stove, and having melted the ice, filled all the water-casks. How eagerly did those who had for so many days tasted barely sufficient water to moisten their throats drink down large draughts of the pure liquid. A plentiful repast of seal cutlets and steaks was served out, and a small quant.i.ty of spirits to those who wished for them. All, however, felt very sad at the loss of their companions. "Poor Peter Patch!" sighed w.i.l.l.y; "I little thought, when he was joking with me this morning, that I should never see him again."

For several days the boat ran on, the breeze having freshened considerably. The charts showed some rocks in their course. Harry kept a bright look-out for them. He was anxious to make them, if possible, at the same time that he dreaded running on them during the dark hours of night. Once more the wind fell, and by this time their water was again getting low. All the ice had been melted, and a good deal of the seal blubber burnt up. What remained was becoming far from pleasant, but the doctor insisted that it was too valuable to throw overboard.

Numerous birds were seen at different times, and several came near enough for the captain and doctor to get a shot at them. Several petrels and Cape pigeons were killed; but it was necessary to haul down the sails in order to pick them up. Though Harry did not like the delay, they were too valuable an addition to their larder to be lost.

It was wonderful all this time how Mrs Morley and her daughters bore up under the trials to which they were exposed. Poor Mrs Twopenny was the only invalid, she constantly requiring the doctor's attention. Thus day after day pa.s.sed away, Paul Lizard in vain trying to catch a porpoise or dolphin, or some other fish. Their dark backs were frequently seen as they swam by at a tantalising distance, and sometimes a whole shoal would appear, by the curious way in which they rose and sank as they darted forward near the surface, making it seem as if they were performing somersaults in the water. w.i.l.l.y could scarcely believe that they only rose to breathe, and that their backs but slightly moved out of the horizontal position, their peculiar shape giving them the appearance of diving. Whales, too, frequently appeared close at hand, sending forth from their blow-holes a column of foam-like breath--the spray which they forced up falling round in graceful jets. The doctor explained that the white spout which appeared was the warm breath of the animal, and not, as the sailors often suppose, a ma.s.s of foam forced from its nostrils. The whales were, however, too formidable antagonists to attack, even had one come near enough to allow Paul Lizard to send his harpoon into its back.

"No, no," he observed; "I know what I am about. We should get but little change out of one of those creatures if we interfered with it.

Much more likely to have the boat capsized or sent by its flukes to the bottom."

The doctor had now again recourse to his still to obtain a supply of water. One of the casks was always left full, in case of emergency, should bad weather come on, and it be impossible to keep the stove alight. Again they were on a short allowance of food; the wet flour had become perfectly mouldy, and the biscuits were in very little better condition. Starving people only could have eaten them.

One evening, as the sun was setting, a blue hillock appeared rising out of the eastern horizon. At first it was so faint that few on board believed it to be land. Harry hoped that it might prove one of the rocky islets of which he was in search. All he could tell from the chart was its existence. Nothing was said about its size or height. He stood towards it, but the wind was light, and little progress was made.

The last pieces of seal blubber had been expended, and but one small cask of water remained. There was charcoal only sufficient to cook breakfast for the next day. Every one was suffering more or less from thirst.

"Cheer up, friends," cried Mrs Rumbelow, whose throat, though she did not say so, was as if a hot iron had been thrust down it. "Yonder is the land, and we there may hope to find water and provisions of some sort."

The night was very dark, and anxious as Harry was to get on sh.o.r.e, he was afraid of running on some unknown reef, or pa.s.sing the rock, should he continue his course. He therefore hove the boat to, and, as many sailors have had to do, longed for daylight. w.i.l.l.y, that night dreamed of home more than he had done before, and of the loved ones there.

Sometimes, too, thoughts of his late shipmates came into his head, and they appeared to perform a fantastic drama before him. "Harry," he exclaimed, starting up, "what has happened? You don't know what dreadful things I have been thinking about."

Harry tried to calm his agitation, but it was no easy matter to do so.

The hardships and anxiety he was going through told on the young boy's nerves, well-strung as they were; as also on those of many others aboard. Poor Mrs Morley struggled bravely; her daughters, feeling their situation not the less keenly, exerted themselves to the utmost to console her. The launch was still a considerable distance from the rocky island when daylight appeared. Harry, now once more easing off the sheets, stood towards it, proposing to go round, and stand in on the other side, knowing that on the weather side landing would be difficult.

As they approached, several parts of the rock were seen covered with white patches, and on drawing nearer, these patches appeared to be moving.

"Why, I believe, those are birds!" exclaimed w.i.l.l.y. "See, there are hundreds of them. They appear to me to be arranged in rows one above another on the higher ledges of the rock."

"They are penguins, I have no doubt," exclaimed the doctor. "Though they themselves are not very palatable food, their eggs, if any remain unhatched, will afford us some substantial meals. We shall not starve if we can get at them."

The sun was very hot, and there was a great demand for water; but the doctor would only serve out half-a-gill to each person. He knew full well that in a short time the last drops would be reached, and that then their suffering, hitherto but moderate, would be greatly increased. The wind fell, and once more the oars were got out. As the rock was approached, it was evident that too much surf was breaking on it to allow of landing on that side. The boat was therefore rowed round it; and after coasting along the sh.o.r.e for a short distance, a small sheltered cove was found, into which they gladly ran. For the first time for many a day the wanderers at length stepped on firm ground. The ladies were first a.s.sisted to land, but they could with difficulty walk, after being cramped up for so long a time.

"I am afraid the island will afford but short rambles," observed Harry; "but we need fear no savages or wild animals."

"The first thing to look out for, boys, is water," exclaimed the doctor; "though, by the appearance of these rocks, it may be a hard matter to find."

While the females of the party preferred remaining near the little cove, the rest rambled away in search of the much-desired fluid. The doctor had taken his rifle, and w.i.l.l.y, by his direction, carried an axe in his belt, and a spar sharpened at the end.

"You observe, Dicey," said the doctor, "if we come upon any soft place, we shall, by driving this spar into it, more readily ascertain whether water is below."

They had not gone far, however, before they saw how slight was the probability of discovering water. There might be some trifling rivulet formed by the melting snow, but hitherto not a trace of moisture had been seen on the hard dry rock. They were climbing the rocks when, having pa.s.sed a deep fissure, they saw before them a vast array of strange-looking birds perched on the crags above their heads.

"Come, w.i.l.l.y," cried the doctor, "we must have some of these fellows at once."

Directly they were seen, the birds set up a loud concert of squeaking, squalling, and gabbling. The doctor shouted to w.i.l.l.y to come on, but so overpowering were the cries that he could not hear what was said. Each bird appeared to be endeavouring to out-squall and out-gabble its neighbour. Undaunted by the noise, the doctor climbed on, and was soon in the midst of the feathered colony. w.i.l.l.y followed close at his heels, when the birds fearlessly commenced attacking them, snapping at their legs, seizing hold of their trousers, and showing their anger in every possible way.

"I say, Dicey, we must put a stop to this," cried the doctor, beginning to jump about as the birds dug their beaks into his calves. w.i.l.l.y, for the same reason, was skipping here and there, in a vain endeavour to avoid them. "Give me your axe, and defend yourself as you best can with your stick," cried the doctor; and saying this, he laid about him with the weapon, and a number of hapless penguins were soon brought to the ground. In a short time, upwards of a hundred were killed; the remainder still continuing gabbling and squalling as loud as ever. In some places there were old birds with their young, in others nests on which the hens were still sitting. In some of the nests, which were formed of dry seaweed, or frequently only placed without a lining in the hollow of a rock, was one egg, in others two. The eggs varied in size, some being as large as those of a goose, others not larger than a hen's egg, with a slight tinge of green. The nests were about two feet apart, and generally one old bird was found sitting on the nest, the young ones endeavouring in vain to nestle themselves under her wings. They were very like goslings, covered with a dark thick down. The parent birds were about twenty inches in height, with a white breast, and nearly black back; the rest of the body being of a dark, dun colour, with the exception of the head, which was adorned on each side with four or five yellow feathers, three or four inches long, forming graceful plumes.

Thus the birds, when seen standing erect in rows, had very much the appearance of a company of soldiers.

"These will be a welcome prize to our poor friends," exclaimed the doctor; "so load yourself, Dicey, with as many eggs and birds as you can carry, and we will send the men up for the remainder." Saying this, the doctor, tying the legs of a number of birds together with his handkerchief, fastened them round his neck, and then filled his hat full of eggs. w.i.l.l.y did the same.

"They will take us for a couple of feathered bipeds of some new species," said the doctor, laughing. In truth, except their heads, nothing was to be seen of the doctor and w.i.l.l.y but ma.s.ses of feathers.

Now and then some of the birds, who had only been stunned, began fluttering about, and sticking their beaks into the bodies of their captors, who, climbing down the steep rocks, were but ill able to defend themselves. In spite of this, they succeeded in reaching the cove in safety, where their appearance, as they expected, created no little astonishment. Mrs Rumbelow, with some of her companions, quickly relieved them of their burdens, and instantly began plucking out the feathers of the birds, while the doctor and w.i.l.l.y again hastened off to continue their rambles. After making their way over the hill, they came, as they neared the beach, upon a large family of seals basking on a small strip of sand in a little cove below them. The doctor was delighted at the sight. "Now, w.i.l.l.y," he exclaimed, "we must have some more of these phocae." The doctor in his eagerness was hurrying on, rifle in hand, when his foot slipped, and he went sliding down a steep rock. The rifle exploded, the bullet pa.s.sing very near w.i.l.l.y's head.

w.i.l.l.y cried out, dreading that the doctor would be killed. Still he continued his downward course, w.i.l.l.y making his way by a more circuitous path as rapidly as he could towards him. At length the doctor reached the bottom of the cliff, where he lay without moving. w.i.l.l.y hurried towards him, expecting to find every bone in his body broken. Happily, the sand was soft where he had fallen.

"Help me up, Dicey," he said, in a faint voice. "Where is my rifle; we must do battle with the seals notwithstanding."

w.i.l.l.y soon a.s.sisted his friend to get on his feet; but when they looked round for the seals, not one was to be seen; the sound of the rifle and the doctor's and w.i.l.l.y's voices had put the whole family to flight. The worthy doctor, after shaking himself, discovered, to his infinite satisfaction, that no bones were broken, and in a short time was able to scramble up the rocks again, to continue his search for water. Their worst antic.i.p.ations were realised; not a spot was found which gave the slightest indication of there being water below it. The rock had been searched throughout, and all hands returned to the cove with the same report. They came, however, laden with as many penguins as they could carry, and all the eggs that could be collected. There was now no fear of suffering from starvation. The great difficulty was how to cook their abundant supply of provisions. No other seals had been seen; and it was feared that those on the little beach, frightened away by the doctor, would not return.

"If so, the sooner we get away from this barren spot the better,"

observed Harry. "If the fine weather continues, as I hope it may, we can expect to reach the Auckland Islands in three or four days."

"I think we should not give up all hopes of catching a seal or two,"

observed the doctor. "As they have been only once disturbed, the herd we saw are pretty certain to come back before long; and if we can conceal ourselves and watch for them, we may shoot or knock some on the head before they can again escape."

This proposal was agreed to, and Harry resolved to wait a few hours longer, in the hopes of success. One of the men also stated that he had seen some pieces of timber apparently, thrown up into a shallow cavern at the north end of the rock, and a man with him had in vain tried to get down to them; but he thought, with the aid of ropes, they might be reached.

"Then let us get hold of them at once," said the doctor; "they will serve as fuel, and fuel can procure us water--no time to be lost."

Two lengths of rope, and three blocks to form a tackle, were therefore procured from the boat; and Harry, taking a party of men with him, under the guidance of the seaman proceeded to the spot. From a projecting point they could look into the cavern, where was seen a considerable amount of broken planking and timbers, the remains, apparently, of a large boat or small vessel One of the seamen volunteered to be lowered down to the spot. The tackle was secured to the rock overhead, and in a short time, to the doctor's great satisfaction, a considerable amount of planking was hoisted up. He at once eagerly shouldered as much as he could carry, and two of the men who could be spared followed him to the cove. His still was landed, and a blazing fire being raised beneath it, he was soon able to offer a small quant.i.ty of the precious fluid to his thirsty companions. All had had enough to moisten their parched throats, when the remainder of the party arrived with a fresh supply of fuel.

"Poor fellows, little did they think, when their vessel was cast away, what a blessing her ribs and skin would prove to us," soliloquised the doctor, as he added fresh fuel to his fire. A shot was just then heard.

It was fired by w.i.l.l.y Dicey, who had remained on the summit of the rock; he was pointing westward, and waving his cap.

"The boat! the boat!" he cried out; and the top of the rock was soon crowded with most of the seamen, eagerly looking out in the direction towards which he pointed. There, just rising above the blue water, was seen a tiny white spot, some declaring that it was only the wing of a sea-bird; but when Harry arrived with his spy-gla.s.s, he at once p.r.o.nounced it to be the sail of the cutter. So anxious were they all in watching it that most of them forgot the seals. Captain Twopenny, however, reminded by the doctor, had made his way, accompanied by Paul Lizard and one of the soldiers, towards the sandy beach. Here they concealed themselves among the rocks on either side of it, while Harry and w.i.l.l.y, with the rest of the party, were watching the approach of the boat on the top of the rock. First one dark head, and then another, was seen rising above the surface of the water, and presently the herd of seals made their way towards the beach. The creatures, after cautiously looking about them, began crawling up. The first which arrived lay down at no great distance from the edge; but soon others climbing up, giving them no very gentle shoves, they crawled on still further, and then again lay down, the next treating the last comers in the same way; till at length a herd of full fifty seals had landed, the inner ones being at a considerable distance from the water. The seamen on the top of the rock were eager to rush down and attack them.

"They will be off as before, and we shall lose them," said w.i.l.l.y, in a low voice. Just then a shot was heard, then another and another, and presently Paul Lizard was seen scrambling along the beach, and followed by the captain and a soldier, and a regular onslaught on the seals was commenced. The seamen could restrain themselves no longer, and down they rushed pell-mell to a.s.sist their friends; the only weapons, however, which they possessed were some pieces of the wreck. The seals were rushing towards the water, tumbling over each other in their hurry to escape; a few old bulls, however, the patriarchs of the herd, were ferociously attacking their a.s.sailants. The captain was tumbled over, the soldier had nearly broken his rifle in defending himself against the a.s.saults of a fierce bull, while Paul was laying about him right and left with his club, when the rest of the party arrived to their rescue.

Two seals had been shot, and Paul's club had brought down four more; the rest, charging all who opposed them, made their way to the water. The captain, though somewhat bruised, and having his clothes torn by the teeth of the seal which had attacked him, was not otherwise the worse for the encounter. The six seals which remained as trophies of the battle were well worth all the injuries which had been received. The seamen's knives were quickly at work, and the flesh and blubber were cut off and carried away in triumph to be laid at the doctor's feet. He was delighted when he saw the spoils brought to him.

"No fear now, my friends, of dying of thirst or hunger," he exclaimed.

"If we can keep our pot boiling, we shall do well."

By this time the cutter had drawn near the rock, and Harry and w.i.l.l.y once more mounted its summit to watch her. They could see with the telescope the faces of those in her looking up with astonishment at them. Harry waved to them to go round to the other side of the rock; and as soon as they understood his signals, the boat was hauled on a wind, so as to weather the north point. They all seemed very pale and miserable.

"There are some people lying at the bottom of the boat," observed w.i.l.l.y.

"I fear they have been suffering greatly."

The two friends hurried down to the cove, and in a short time the cutter was seen coming round and standing in for it. The sail was lowered, and the oars got out; but from the languid way in which they moved, it was evident that those who were rowing had but little strength. As she approached several people were seen pointing to their mouths.

"I thought so," observed the doctor. "We have fortunately saved some water, though there is scarcely more than sufficient to wet their lips."

"Oh, give them all we have," exclaimed Mrs Morley, who overheard the remark.