The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader Part 18

"It's coming on to blow very hard, sir; and from the way the sea is breaking into the bay, I am afraid the boats, if we don't look after them, will be knocked to pieces."

"Call Mr Bollard, and we will see about it," said Harry, springing to his feet.

It was indeed blowing a regular hurricane, and it did credit to the builders of the huts that they should have withstood its force. The waves, crested with foam, came rolling in from across the harbour, breaking with great violence against the rocks. The seamen, aroused from their sleep, hurried out of their huts, encountering as they did so thick showers of spray, which, driven by the wind, broke over them. The first thing to be done was to haul up the cutter, which, dashed about by the foaming seas, ran the risk at any moment of being knocked to pieces on the rocks. So violently, however, did the waves break on the sh.o.r.e, that the seamen could not without much difficulty get hold of her.

"Now, my lads," cried Bollard, "we will make a dash at the boat. A strong pull, and a pull altogether, and we will have her in safety."

Inspired by his and Harry's example, the men succeeded in getting hold of the boat, and as the next sea lifted her, they hauled her up on a level part of the rock. The launch meantime was tossing about at her anchor; the foam-topped seas now breaking on board her, now lifting her up as if they would send her bodily on sh.o.r.e. The sailors watched her anxiously; for should no vessel appear to take them off the island, she would afford them the only means of escaping. The hurricane was apparently not yet at its height. The wind howled and whistled louder and louder through the woods, the sea, breaking in white ma.s.ses along the sh.o.r.e, every instant roared more fiercely; first one hut, and then another was overthrown, and their materials scattered over the ground; but the men were too anxious watching the boat to care about the matter.

Another and another foaming sea came rolling onwards. It was evident that they would either swamp the boat or drive her from her anchor.

"The cable has parted," cried several voices. The boat rose to the top of a sea, and then came hurrying on towards the sh.o.r.e. All felt that there was but little hope of saving her. Notwithstanding this, they ran to the point towards which she was driving. Before they could reach it, she was thrown with tremendous violence against the rocks, rebounding a short distance, to be driven back again with greater force than before.

The crashing of her planks and timbers could be heard as she was driven again and again against the pointed rocks. Those who endeavoured to reach her ran a great risk of being crushed or swept off by the receding sea. Harry, fearing for their lives, ordered them to desist, having a faint hope that she might be thrown high up on the rocks before her total destruction had been accomplished. He hoped in vain, for she continued beating with increasing violence against the rocks, till every timber and plank on one side were stove in, and in a few minutes, being driven again and again on the rocks, scarcely two of her planks remained hanging together, the fragments strewing the beach in all directions.

With a heavy heart at the serious accident that had occurred, Harry returned to his hut, which, having been built more strongly than the rest, had hitherto escaped destruction. The ladies' tent had also withstood the gale; but how long it would continue to do so it was difficult to say. The seamen, in no way disconcerted by the disaster, were laughing and cutting jokes with each other as they endeavoured to rebuild their huts in the dark; but scarcely had they tried to fix the boughs in a proper position than another gust would again scatter the whole structure far and wide. The sea, too, was making its way higher and higher up the beach, sending deluges of spray over the spot where the huts had stood, and reaching occasionally up to the tent. As may be supposed, no one in the camp got more sleep that night.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

FORAGING.

CONSEQUENCE OF LOSS OF LAUNCH--MRS MORLEY'S RESIGNATION--PREPARE TO WINTER ON THE ISLAND--HOUSE-BUILDING COMMENCED--THE LADIES' COTTAGE COMPLETED--MORE HUTS ERECTED--BIRDS SEEK SHELTER IN THE COTTAGE--THE YOUNG LADIES' AVIARY--INDUSTRY OF THE SETTLERS--ANXIETY ABOUT PROVISIONS--FISH CAUGHT--FISH-HOOKS MANUFACTURED--SEA-LIONS ATTACKED-- LIZARD CHARGED BY SEA-LION--ESCAPE OF TIPPO SAHIB--COW-SEALS' MILK-- YOUNG BROKE TAKES MILK TO LADIES--THE DOCTOR'S EXPEDITION INLAND-- SEAL-TRACKS UP MOUNTAIN--RIPE FRUIT FOUND--w.i.l.l.y AND PETER CHASED BY A SEAL--A CAVERN DISCOVERED--FIGHT WITH THE SEAL--BREAKFAST ON THE MOUNTAIN--DIFFICULT TRAVELLING--ENVELOPED IN A THICK MIST--ENCAMP FOR THE NIGHT--w.i.l.l.y SEES A DOG--PROCEED ON JOURNEY--TRACES OF HOGS DISCOVERED--A SHIP CLOSE IN-Sh.o.r.e--THE PARTY HURRY FORWARD--THE SHIP HAS GONE--THEIR SIGNAL NOT NOTICED--RETURN ALONG THE BEACH--A HUT IN THE DISTANCE--A DEAD SAILOR DISCOVERED--PROCEED OVER THE HILLS--w.i.l.l.y FINDS NEST OF PARROTS--RETURN TO VILLAGE--DIGGING FOR ROOTS--w.i.l.l.y'S GALLANTRY.

When daylight broke, the whole harbour appeared covered with white-crested waves, dancing and leaping wildly, while the beach was covered with the fragments of the launch.

Harry felt very unwilling to communicate the disaster to Mrs Morley.

It must be done, however. As soon as she appeared, he told her of what had occurred.

"G.o.d's will be done," she answered. "Any suffering we may be called on to go through seems light compared with that others have had to endure.

I have sought for strength from on high, and it will not be denied me."

The rain had now ceased. In spite of the gale, fires were lighted; and Mrs Rumbelow, with the aid of several of the men, set to work to get breakfast ready. They had still some tea and coffee remaining, as they had been enabled to use but little of it during the voyage; their only other food, however, was the wild-fowl and seals' flesh. Of the latter they had certainly an abundant supply, but would willingly have exchanged some of it for the coa.r.s.est sea biscuit.

As soon as breakfast was over, Harry held a council of war with the doctor, Captain Twopenny, and Mr Bollard. All hope of getting away, if no vessel appeared, was now cut off. They might have to remain many months--it was impossible to say how long. Winter would soon be upon them; and as shelter from the cold and wet was indispensable, the first thing was to build warm substantial huts, the next was to provide food.

The doctor was of opinion that they could not depend on the seals remaining in the harbour, while he feared that the health of all would suffer unless some variety of food could be obtained. He advised, in the first place, that the seals' flesh should be salted and dried, so as to have a store in reserve should the animals disappear. He volunteered also to set off, when the weather moderated, on an exploring expedition, to ascertain the natural productions of the country.

"We may find roots and fruits of some sort which may answer the purpose of bread and vegetables, and we may discover the hogs and goats you speak of, Dicey; and perhaps some other creatures," he observed. "In my opinion, when people use their intellects, and exert themselves, there are few parts of the world so utterly unproductive that they must of necessity starve,--as we should certainly if we were to sit down in this little nook with our hands before us."

"Very right, sir," observed the boatswain. "I have a notion that we should also keep a look-out along the coast for any vessel which may be pa.s.sing. If we remain up here, any number might go by and not discover us. As soon as the weather moderates, I'll therefore, with Mr Shafto's leave, take the boat down the harbour, and search for some point where we may establish a look-out place, and set up a flagstaff with which we can signalise any ship coming in sight."

Harry at once agreed to Bollard's proposal, and Captain Twopenny volunteered to accompany the doctor on his proposed exploring expedition.

In the meantime, as the weather continued too bad to move to any distance, it was arranged that all hands should turn to at house-building. The spot selected for the little village was on the driest piece of ground to be found at the foot of the hill; and it was agreed that the first house put up should be for Mrs Morley and her daughters, with another for Captain and Mrs Twopenny close to it. The best axe-men at once commenced felling trees. They were not long or thick enough, however, to form log-huts after the American fashion. It was settled, therefore, that they should be put in upright, close together, and the interstices filled with clay, while the outside walls, as well as the roofs, were to be thatched with the long gra.s.s which grew in abundance at the foot of the hills.

While the men were hewing down the trees, Mrs Rumbelow, with four of the most active women, set to work to cut the gra.s.s for thatching. It was no slight task, as it was evident that a large quant.i.ty would be required. By the end of the first day, they had, however, formed a stack of considerable size. In the meantime, w.i.l.l.y and Peter, with young Broke and the other boys, collected all the fragments of the boat which had been washed on sh.o.r.e. With some of the planks they proposed forming a floor for Mrs Morley's cottage. The most perfect were kept for repairing the cutter, and w.i.l.l.y suggested that others might serve for manufacturing casks in which the seals' flesh could be pickled.

"But where are we to get the salt from, now that the doctor's still is not at work?" asked Peter.

"We shall find plenty of it among the rocks if we get some sunshine,"

said w.i.l.l.y; "and if not, we must dig some salt pans. I heard him say that if we could obtain plenty of salt, there would be no fear of our starving."

Where people labour with a will, under good management, work proceeds rapidly. Before the evening the timber for the first two cottages was shaped, and trees for several others were cut down; while gra.s.s enough had been stacked for thatching them.

The ladies were not idle. f.a.n.n.y and Emma Morley insisted on carrying the bundles of gra.s.s, and even poor Mrs Twopenny tried to exert herself, but certainly did very little real work. When Mrs Morley was seen accompanying her daughters, Mrs Rumbelow came up to her. "Please, marm, I beg your pardon, but that must not be. What is play to us is killing work for you. Let an old woman advise you, and don't go and knock yourself up. Mr Shafto commands here, and I am sure he will say I am right." It was not, however, without difficulty that the poor lady could be induced to return to the tent.

The first two cottages were completed. They had fire-places composed of stone and clay at the further ends, the wall being of sufficient thickness to prevent the woodwork outside from burning; while the chimneys were formed of wood coated inside with clay. The roofs were made double; the lowest set of rafters were first covered with gra.s.s, and a layer of clay placed over them: above this was a thickly-thatched pointed roof, so that the snow and wet could not rest on it. Harry and w.i.l.l.y, with the a.s.sistance of the doctor, put up a porch in the front of Mrs Morley's house, which gave it a picturesque look. As there was no planking to spare, the doors and window-shutters were formed of rough frames and bars across, with gra.s.s thickly interwoven between them.

These served to keep out the wind and cold, and, as w.i.l.l.y said, looked excessively rural. The bedplaces, fixed against the walls, were raised some feet from the floor, and formed much after the fashion of the doors. In the centre was a table constructed out of the planking of the launch, with seats on either side. Bound the beds, with a sailor's forethought, Harry had stretched some broad pieces of canvas, a.s.sisting to keep off any draughts which might make their way in blowing weather into the cottage. Captain Twopenny's abode, though smaller than Mrs Morley's, was constructed in the same manner. He and Harry, with all the men of the party, had been up by daybreak to complete them. As soon as breakfast was over, they invited the ladies to take possession of their new cottages. Mrs Morley and her daughters expressed themselves delighted with theirs.

"You have indeed, Mr Shafto, laboured hard to secure our comfort," she said, "and we feel most grateful. I little expected so soon to have such excellent shelter."

"What a fearful place to have to live in during the winter," said Mrs Twopenny, as she surveyed the abode to which her husband introduced her.

"Why didn't you build it of brick."

"Simply, my dear, because no bricks can be had," answered the captain, not looking very well pleased; "and this you will, I hope, find warm and comfortable. We might have been very much worse off, believe me."

Mrs Morley and her daughters at once set to work to arrange, with the scanty means at their disposal, the interior of their cottage, a.s.sisted by Mrs Rumbelow. Meantime, all hands were engaged in putting up the other huts. One of larger dimensions was in a short time finished for the women, into which they at once moved; Harry and the officers taking possession of the tent; while two other huts, one for the men, and another for themselves, were being erected.

The sun at length shone forth brightly on the little settlement: the woods were alive with song-birds, numbers of which came fearlessly flying up as if to ascertain what the strangers had been about. Their notes were very sweet, though their plumage was somewhat sombre. They seemed especially anxious to make the acquaintance of f.a.n.n.y and Emma Morley, who were standing at the porch of their cottage watching them, and surprised at the bold way in which they approached. First one came hopping up, and then another, and when the young ladies stooped down and offered them some small bits of meat, the birds without hesitation took the food out of their hands.

"How cruel it would be to kill any of our little confident visitors!"

said Emma. "We must beg Mr Shafto to allow no gun to be fired near our village, lest it should frighten them away."

"I am afraid that if there is a scarcity of food it will be very difficult to persuade the people not to do so," observed f.a.n.n.y.

"But with so many seals and other large birds in the neighbourhood, I trust we may never be reduced to such an extremity," answered her sister.

While they were speaking, a large flock of birds came flying rapidly towards them. Some darted through the open window, others made their way over their heads through the door into the cottage, and others flew round them, evidently in great terror. On looking out, they observed the cause of the birds' alarm. Hovering in the air was a large hawk, about to pounce down upon the little songsters. They called to Captain Twopenny, who was approaching his cottage. He ran in for his gun, and in another instant the savage pirate fell to the ground. Instead of flying away at the report, the little birds seemed to comprehend the service which had been rendered them, and kept flying round and round the cottages, or settling on the roofs, as if perfectly satisfied that no harm was intended them. Harry, who soon afterwards appeared, promised to warn the people against injuring the little birds; and after this they made themselves perfectly at home among their visitors, flying fearlessly in and out of the cottages, no one attempting to interfere with them. They were, indeed, frequently seen settling on the hands of the children, who soon learned to make pets of the confiding little creatures. On several occasions after this large flocks pursued by hawks came for shelter among their friends, when the birds of prey seldom escaped the captain's gun. Among their feathered friends was a pretty little green bird, which sung very sweetly; another was exactly like the English blackbird; and a third, with a red breast, came hopping up with the familiarity of the winter visitor of old England, the dear little Robin. One of the latter perched with perfect confidence on Emma's hand, and seemed in no way disposed to fly away. After looking up pertly in her face, it hopped off to the trellis work of the porch, where it perched, apparently determined to take up its abode beneath their sheltering roof. In a short time several others followed its example; indeed, the porch looked like an aviary, except that the birds, instead of being confined within wire bars, could fly in and out as they pleased, and go off to the woods in search of the food they found most suitable to their tastes.

The young ladies, however, did not give all their time to their pets, for they were anxious to set an example of industry to the rest of the women. They had found some long gra.s.s, which they set to work to plait.

They began by making some hats for the children; and these succeeding well, they manufactured others for the women as well as for themselves.

Even Mrs Twopenny, seeing them employed, tried to make herself useful, and succeeded beyond the expectations of her companions. As soon as the huts were supplied with bedplaces, and tables, and seats, two or three of the men employed themselves in making wooden bowls and cups and plates, though, as they had no turning-lathe, the articles were somewhat rough in appearance. However, as the supply of crockery which had been brought in the boats was but small, they were very acceptable. Others were engaged in making casks for preserving the seals' flesh. Mrs Rumbelow had also carefully collected all the feathers from the wild-fowls which had been killed. With these she made several warm quilts, the first of which she presented to the ladies, telling them that she hoped still to have enough feathers to supply all the women and children.

Another important object, which Harry especially desired to succeed in, was the manufacture of the seal-skins into leather. He was anxious to have these to serve as bed-coverings for the men as soon as possible; he foresaw, too, that their shoes and clothing would soon wear out, and that the seal-leather would be the only material with which to supply their places. On making inquiries among the men whether any of them knew how to dress the skins, d.i.c.k Sharp said that he had been apprenticed to a currier, and thought, if he could obtain some suitable bark, he should be able to dress the skins, and make them fit for any purpose which might be required.

"Very well," said Harry; "we must appoint you to that duty; and, doctor, it must be your charge to look out for bark with tanning properties."

His chief anxiety, however, was to provide food for the party. The boat had been sent over every day for seals, but they were already becoming wary, and fewer were killed than at first. Some mussels had been found on the rocks, but they were only to be obtained at low water, and in no large quant.i.ties. The doctor and Captain Twopenny had also gone out every day with their guns in search of wild-fowl; but they were compelled to be very economical of their powder, of which they had only a limited supply. Before long that must come to an end. What then was to be done? Should the seals go away altogether, unless they could entrap the birds by some means or other, they would run a fearful risk of starvation.

While Harry was considering this important matter, Paul Lizard appeared with a good-sized cod which he held up triumphantly as he came towards the village. "I have brought this for Mrs Morley and the other ladies, sir," he said; "and if I had some proper hooks I could get as many as would serve all hands. I often used to catch fish when I was a boy; and so I thought I would just knock out a couple of hooks from crooked nails, and see, what could be done. I took young Broke down with me; and before long we got plenty of bites, but not one could we hook, till at last I caught this fellow."

"There will be no difficulty in getting the hooks," said Harry. "We will set the armourer's mate to work to try what he can do for you."

The bellows had fortunately been kept in good order, the stove serving as a forge, and a block of stone as an anvil. In the course of an hour, under Paul's superintendence, a hook was produced which satisfied him thoroughly. This served as a model for others. Some long sticks were cut for rods, while the mussels made excellent bait. Taking two other men with him, Paul hastened back to the part of the sh.o.r.e where he had caught the cod. In the course of a couple of hours the party returned, laden with as many fish as they could carry. The supply was indeed most welcome, and they were received with warm congratulations from Mrs Rumbelow, who forthwith set the women to work to clean and cook as many as were required. The poor children especially were in want of a change of food. Though they had apparently suffered but little from exposure in the boat, several were now ill, and demanded the doctor's constant attention. Little Bessy was among the invalids; and hoping that she might benefit by being removed from the other children, the Miss Morleys offered to take charge of her. From that day she became the inmate of their cottage, and was a constant source of interest.

Paul and young Broke, with Tom Wall and another man, were now regularly const.i.tuted the fishermen of the settlement. Next morning, at daylight, they set out, hoping to get some fresh fish for breakfast. They made their way further down the harbour than they had before gone, intending to go out to the end of some rocks which formed one side of a small bay.

Peter and Tom Wall had carried clubs with them, on the chance of falling in with seals. On climbing over the rocks above the bay, they caught sight of a mob of sea-lions, apparently fast asleep.

Approaching, they were quickly in the midst of the animals, and had killed three cows and their calves before the rest discovered them.

Most of the animals, on awaking and seeing their foes, scuttled off in their usual fashion into the water. One old bull, however, a large and savage-looking creature, indignant at having his family thus destroyed, charged at Paul, who was unable to turn and defend himself. Supposing that he could run faster than the sea-lion, he scampered off inland, not a bit alarmed, but shouting and laughing at the idea of having to run away from a seal. The other men followed, trying to attract the attention of the savage beast, who appeared to have singled out Paul as the object of its vengeance. Paul ran on as fast as his legs could move; but the old seal kept way with him as long as he remained on the level ground. Matters were becoming serious, and he saw that, should the creature catch him, he might suffer severely. Fortunately, a high and rugged rock appeared before him; he made towards it, and succeeded in scrambling up its side just as the seal reached his heels. The animal was not to be stopped, and made a great effort to follow, but a sailor in climbing was not to be overtaken by a seal; and just as Paul reached the top, the disappointed brute tumbled over on its back. Tom Wall, with his companion, who had just come up, was on the point of striking the seal when Paul cried out, "Let the old fellow alone; he deserves to live for the pluck he has shown, and we have more meat already than we want." The bull, on recovering himself, instead of attacking his other foes, made off round the rock, and took refuge in a wood a little beyond it, where they could hear him bellowing loudly in his rage and disappointment.

"I have heard tell of an old fellow in India, one Tippo Sahib, and to my mind that's a good name for that old chap," said Paul. "If we ever come across him again I shall know him by his ugly phiz."