The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader Part 6

"Are we keeping the leaks under, Mr Chisel?" asked the commander, when he came to make his report.

"No, sir, I am sorry to say we are not," he answered. "There are three feet of water in the hold, and I fear, from the damages the ship has received, that no power can keep her afloat much longer. If we cannot repair them, you know, sir, that it won't be for want of our doing our best."

"I am very sure of that, Mr Chisel, and hope that we may still overcome the leaks, if the sea continues tolerably smooth," observed the commander. "But we must not let the pumps be idle." He said this in a cheerful tone, that those who overheard the carpenter's report might not lose heart.

The ship was now standing out clear of the ice, and being thus more exposed than before to the sea, which rolled in from the northward, began to labour heavily. In a short time the carpenter again reported that the water had gained another foot on the pumps in spite of the incessant way they had been kept going. The commander now summoned the superior officers round him, though what was said was not generally known. The first-lieutenant instantly collecting a party of men, led them between-decks, where, aided by some of the soldiers, they at once set to work to heave overboard such heavy stores and provisions as could be got at. Everything that had been received at the Cape was thrown overboard. The purser was in despair. "Remember, Tobin," he observed, "we have got all these mouths to feed. We may as well drown at first as starve."

"You are right, purser," answered the first-lieutenant. "We will get up what provisions we can, and place them on the upper deck. They will soon be destroyed if they remain where they are."

At length the ship got clear of the ice, and now the crew were piped below to s.n.a.t.c.h a hasty meal, those only required to work the rudder and the pump gangs remaining on duty. Matters did not change much till the sun went down in a bank of dark clouds, its rays casting a ruddy glow across the western sky. As darkness came on, the wind increased, the waters becoming covered with crests of foam, which danced and hissed around the ship. No one could be ignorant of their dangerous position; but in spite of it, most of the weary seamen and soldiers not actually on duty turned into their berths to sleep. The officers did so likewise, though they were aware that it might perhaps be the last sleep they should ever enjoy. Two persons, however, did not for a moment retire to their berths, the commander of the ship and the colonel of the regiment. Both felt that the lives of the people under them had been committed to their charge. The commander remained on deck to take advantage of any change for the better which might occur, or to guard against any fresh accident; and the colonel, that he might go among his men labouring at the pumps, and encourage them to persevere in their duty. The hammocks had been piped down as usual, and most of the men turned into them all standing. w.i.l.l.y Dicey had done the same, though, weary as he was, he could not for some time go to sleep--an unusual event in a midshipman's career. He was thinking of home and the loved ones there, and those voyaging like himself; and when he did sleep, he continued dreaming of, that same home, and of his brother and sisters, now probably far distant from it. He fancied in his troubled dreams that he saw their ship tempest-tossed. Now her masts and yards were shattered. Onward she drove towards a rocky sh.o.r.e. He was there himself; he stretched out his arms, imploring them to keep at a distance. Still on came the ship; her destruction seemed inevitable.

Wildly he waved his arms--he shrieked loudly. A dreadful crash was heard--the ship was split into a thousand fragments. He awoke. That loud crash rang in his ears; he sprang from his hammock, and rushed on deck. One of the jury-masts had gone.

Morning was breaking, the faint grey light exhibiting the destruction which had taken place, and the wild leaden-coloured sea, which rose in foaming billows around, now leaping here, now there, threatening destruction to the ship. At the same moment the boatswain's whistle sounded shrilly, calling all hands on deck. While one party was endeavouring to secure the jury-mast which had been carried away, another was employed in fothering a sail: this, filled with oak.u.m, was lowered over the bows and drawn under the keel, where it was hoped the water rushing in would suck it into the leaks, and thus contribute to stop them. It seemed, however, to have but little effect.

"We must try another sail," said the commander. The sail was prepared, and, like the first, with great difficulty dragged under the ship's bottom. The seamen employed in the work were drenched to the skin by the heavy seas which frequently broke over the hapless ship; still they persevered, no one flinching from the work. Harry Shafto attracted the notice of the commander by his activity. w.i.l.l.y Dicey imitated him to the best of his power. Although not so strong as a man, by his intelligence and comprehension of what was to be done he was able to direct others, and thus rendered good service.

"I say, Dicey," exclaimed Peter Patch, who was standing near him, "do you think really the ship will go down? I feel awfully queer. I wish that I'd followed your advice about some things long ago. I should like to say my prayers, but I don't know how to begin, and there isn't time for it now."

"That's it," answered w.i.l.l.y. "Had you said them morning and night, and not have been afraid of our messmates laughing at you, you would have known how to say them even while you are hard at work. I don't think G.o.d would be well pleased if we all were to knock off, and go down on our knees to pray and ask Him for help while we were neglecting to help ourselves."

"I must work now, at all events," said Peter.

"Of course you must," answered w.i.l.l.y, "or praying would be mockery; but you can pray out of your heart while you are pulling and hauling, or while you are running along the deck with a message."

"I daresay you are right, Dicey," sighed Peter; "but it's very terrible.

I had no thought, when we left England, that we should get into such a sc.r.a.pe as this. For what I see, we may all be drowned, or be driven on those fearful icebergs, and be frozen to death before many days are over."

"Very true, Peter. I have been thinking the same; but it is our duty to struggle to the end--first to try and save the ship, and then our own lives."

Matters did not mend as the day advanced. Again and again the carpenter sounded the well, and reported that the water had rather increased than diminished. The after-part of the deck was now scuttled, so that more provisions and stores could be got up and hove overboard. The pumps continued to be worked as energetically as at first, but still the water gained on them, till it reached the orlop-deck.

The fearful condition of the ship could no longer be concealed from the people. Even the most sanguine began to lose heart. Many cast wistful glances at the boats. Notwithstanding this, the commander kept them labouring at the pumps, still hoping against hope that the wind and sea might go down, and that the ship might be kept afloat. At length, however, some of the crew showed signs of giving in. w.i.l.l.y saw several of them steal off to hide themselves away, but he instantly followed and drove them up again; they grumbled, but obeyed.

"What's the use of working when we shall have to go to the bottom in a few hours?" exclaimed one.

"I only wish we had a chance of getting to the spirit room," cried another. "A short life and a merry one for me."

"You should be ashamed of yourselves," cried the young midshipman. "Are you men with souls, and do you wish to die like dogs?" The seamen, astonished at a mere boy thus addressing them, felt ashamed, and returned to their duty. Others, however, soon afterwards were seen behaving in the same manner. w.i.l.l.y, falling in with Mr Bolland, reported what he had observed.

"We will soon put a stop to that," observed the boatswain, seizing a rope's end. He was not long in hunting out the fellows.

The water continuing to rise, the poor women and children were now collected on the p.o.o.p cabins.

There they sat, crouching down on the deck, holding their children in their arms, and hiding their pallid faces. Mrs Rumbelow was the only one who remained calm. She might have been a little more excited than usual, as she went among them, trying to cheer them up. "Do not be downhearted, my dear women," she exclaimed. "There is a G.o.d in heaven, remember, who takes care of us. He may make the storm to cease, and keep the old ship afloat notwithstanding all the leaks she has got in her bottom. Do you think the men of our regiment are not going to do their duty, and work away at the pumps as long as the pumps will work?

If they do not, we will go and handle them ourselves, and put them to shame. Hurrah, la.s.ses! you think better of your young husbands than to suppose that, and we old ones have tried ours, and know that they will not shirk their duty." Still, though Mrs Rumbelow spoke thus cheerfully, she had a heavy weight at her heart. She had been too often at sea not to know the danger the ship was in, and she observed no signs of the weather improving.

The night was again drawing on; Commander Newcombe had done his utmost.

The ship was kept under easy sail, to relieve her as much as possible.

He would get another sail fothered, which might help to keep out the water a few hours longer. "Should that fail," he observed to Mr Tobin, "we must get the boats ready, and endeavour to save the lives of as many as they can hold."

"Too true, sir," was the answer. "I see no other prospect for us."

"We must trust in G.o.d, Mr Tobin; He is our only hope," observed the commander with a sigh.

Darkness came down once more upon the hapless ship as she lay rolling and pitching heavily in that cold antarctic sea. The pumps kept clanking away the whole night; the gush of water was heard even amid the roar of the waves, as it rushed from her sides. The men crouched down in groups at their stations in different parts of the ship, many a stout heart knowing full well that at any moment the fearful cry might be heard, "She is sinking! she is sinking!"

The colonel was in his cabin with his wife and daughters. Captain Power sat at the table reading, or endeavouring to read, and every now and then addressing a few remarks to the officers around him. They were mostly behaving as English gentlemen generally do behave under such circ.u.mstances, with calm courage, ready to perform any duty which might be required of them. The only person who did not show his face was the unhappy Ensign Holt, who kept himself shut up in his cabin for most of the time. Now and then he appeared, with a pale face, to inquire whether the leaks were being got under; and on being told that they were still gaining on the pumps, he rushed back again, with a look of dismay on his countenance.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

THE "CRUSADER" IN THE TROPICS.

FINE WEATHER--LIGHTS ON THE OCEAN--FLYING-FISH COME ON BOARD-- TROPIC-BIRDS--A SHARK CAUGHT--SOUTHERN CONSTELLATIONS--A CALM--FEVER BREAKS OUT--DEATHS AMONG THE EMIGRANTS--MR PAGET'S ACTIVITY--THE DICEYS a.s.sIST THE SICK--SIGNS OF A COMING BREEZE--A GALE COMES ON-- JACK-O'-LANTERN--JOB MAWSON'S ALARM--REEFS SHAKEN OUT--A MAN OVERBOARD-- CHARLES AND WINDY GO OFF IN BOAT--BOAT LOST SIGHT OF--SEARCH IN VAIN FOR THE BOAT--EMILY AND MAY'S GRIEF.

Little did Charles Dicey and his sisters think of the fearful dangers to which their brother w.i.l.l.y was exposed. The "Crusader" sailed on over the smooth sea, with her white canvas spread out, towering to the sky, studding-sails on either side reaching to the very surface of the water.

An awning had been spread over the after-part of the ship, and beneath it the cabin pa.s.sengers a.s.sembled, sheltered from the hot rays of the sun. Neither Charles nor Mr Paget were ever idle, and their example generally induced many of their companions to work also. Mrs Clagget, if she did nothing else, always contrived to keep her tongue going.

Emily and May were usually well employed. Their attention, however, was frequently called to the various objects which appeared around them.

They enjoyed watching the flights of flying-fish which darted with the speed of arrows out of the water, hovered like birds in the air for a few seconds, scarcely touching the foam-crested seas, and then sunk quickly again beneath the surface. "How beautiful and blue are the reflections on their glittering wings, how transparent their tiny bodies, how light their movements!" observed Emily; "they look like ocean elves, as they float through the air. What a happy life they must lead--now in the pure ocean, now getting an uninterrupted sight of the glorious sun and the clear sky above them."

"They would have a very different tale to tell, Miss Dicey, if they could speak to you," observed Mr Paget. "Could your eyes pierce through the surface, you would see some savage bonitos or dolphins pursuing the hapless fish who visit the air, not for amus.e.m.e.nt, but in the hopes of escaping from their persecutors."

Just then a large covey was seen to rise abeam close to the ship. They flew high into the air, and in an instant the deck was covered with their floundering bodies; their wings, dried by the heat of the sun, no longer spread out, they looked like ordinary fish.

"Catch them, catch them," cried Mrs Clagget; "they will make a delightful dish for dinner."

"Poor creatures--how unromantic you are," said Emily.

"I am practical, my dear. I pride myself on being practical," answered Mrs Clagget. "I prefer eating them myself to allowing the dolphins to have them for their supper." Jumbo, the cook's mate, seemed to be of Mrs Clagget's opinion, for in an instant he was among the poor fish, tumbling them into his bucket as fast as he could pick them up.

"That's a wise lad," observed the loquacious lady. "If any of you happened to be in a boat far away from land without provisions, you would be very glad to have a dish of those fish fly on board."

"But we happen to have plenty of provisions, and are not in want of the poor fish," said Charles. "However, if they were thrown overboard again, I suspect that they would have very little reason to thank us, as the bonitos would speedily swallow them up."

"Get them while you can, Mr Charles," said Mrs Clagget, nodding her head. "Some day, perhaps, you would be very thankful if you could only catch a single one, and be ready to eat it raw." Mrs Clagget's tongue was apt to run on so fast that she now and then said things, among the many she uttered, which came true, in which instances she never failed to boast of her prophetic powers. Shortly afterwards, a number of those beautiful inhabitants of tropical seas, the little Portuguese men-of-war, were seen floating round the ship on the crest of the waves, their out-spread fans sparkling and glistening with the transparent brightness of crystal; as the wind blew them gently through the sea, their wings reflected all the colours of the rainbow. As Emily and May were admiring them, they saw the terrible dismay the ship created among them, as she pa.s.sed through their midst. As the ship sailed on, the sea-gulls of the northern ocean were succeeded by the high towering tropic-birds, several of which were seen; appearing at first like mere specks in the blue sky, where, with the wonderful balloon apparatus with which they are furnished, they floated calmly at their ease, then suddenly descending like bolts from the skies, they pounced down upon the nether world, to seize some hapless fish swimming unconscious of danger near the surface of the ocean. Beautiful creatures they appeared, with two long streamer-like feathers floating behind their wide-spreading wings. Now and then a sword-fish of a bright hue shot with gold darted by, and huge sharks might be seen turning up their evil eyes with longing glances toward the ship. Bill Windy did not fail to point them out to the boys who were sky-larking in the rigging, and to bid them take care not to fall overboard to become a prey of the monsters. One of the savage creatures continued to follow the ship so pertinaciously that the mate vowed he would punish him for his audacity.

"Either the brute will be catching some of us, or we must catch him," he observed, as he prepared a harpoon and line. Descending by the dolphin-striker, he stood on the bob-stay, watching with keen eye and lifted arm for the shark, which now dropped astern, now swam lazily alongside. Bill ordered one of the men to get out to the jibboom end with a piece of pork, and heave it as far ahead as he could fling. No sooner did the creature see the tempting bait than he darted forward, and turning round to seize it exposed the white under side of his body to a blow from Bill's harpoon, driven home with right good will. The men on deck who held the line hauled away on the slack, while others stood by with bowlines in their hands ready to slip them over the shark's head and tail.

"Haul away," cried the mate, who was on deck in a moment; and the savage creature, in spite of its convulsive struggles, was hoisted up, and lay a helpless captive on the forecastle. Here it continued to plunge and strike out with its tail, keeping the seamen at a respectful distance.

Now and then one would rush in with a handspike and endeavour to give it a blow, which might have settled it; but so rapid were its movements that it was necessary to be wary, as one stroke of that tail would have been sufficient to break a man's leg. The shark was at length killed and cut up. In spite of its cannibal propensities, many of the emigrants gladly accepted portions, and even the seamen did not refuse to eat a slice of their hated foe.

While the day presented much to occupy the attention, the night also afforded many objects of interest. The constellations of the northern hemisphere were now sinking one by one in the ocean; the Great Bear disappeared, followed by the Polar Star, and in their stead, towards the south, rose the Southern Cross, each night appearing higher and higher in the firmament. Charles and his sisters gazed at the beautiful constellation with deep interest. Beneath its glittering light they expected to pa.s.s the greatest portion of their future life; and it seemed to welcome them to the new world to which they were bound.

Charles confessed that, interesting as it was, it scarcely equalled in beauty several of the northern constellations on which he had been accustomed to gaze. Now, too, the Magellanic clouds appeared in the heavens, composed probably of countless millions of worlds, so far away that the human mind can scarcely calculate their distance from this tiny world of ours. At night, also, Charles, with his sisters at his side, often watched the track of the ship on the ocean, which appeared like a broad road dotted with brilliant and innumerable stars; while on either side the waves were lighted up by thousands of electric sparks, appearing here and there; now lost altogether, now dispersed, as the waves rose and fell. Sometimes, when the wind freshened, and a huge sea broke against the bows with a tremendous crash, the spray appeared all alight, rising in the air to fall on deck like drops of fire.

"Who would not wish to come to sea to witness such a spectacle as this?"

exclaimed Emily, with enthusiasm, as the whole ocean appeared glowing with flashes of brilliant light. The remark was made not to Mrs Clagget, but to Mr Paget, who stood by her side.