Thrilling Adventures by Land and Sea Part 13

SHIPWRECK OF THE MONTICELLO.

J.V. Brown, Esq., Editor of the Lake Superior Journal, who was on board the Monticello, gives the following graphic account of the disaster:

It becomes our painful duty to record the most perilous shipwreck that has ever occurred on Lake Superior, and having been a pa.s.senger on board the Monticello at the time, we are enabled to give all the particulars in relation to the loss of the vessel, and the hardships of the pa.s.sengers and crew. We went on board the Ontonagon on the afternoon of the 22d September, 1851, on her return from Fond du Lac. She left the river at half-past five o'clock bound for the Sault, with about one hundred persons, twenty tons of copper from the Minnesota mine, and a few barrels of fish from La Pointe, and in coming out of the harbor one of the wheels struck a floating log very heavily, and it is supposed to have loosened the packing boxes around one of the shafts.--She lay on the bar a few minutes on her way out, but the sea at that time was light, and we cannot think it possible that she sprang a leak from the effects of the slight pounding on the light sand.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LOSS OF THE MONTICELLO.]

We had been out about half an hour, when the firemen discovered the water rising around the floors of the engine; they communicated the fact to Capt. Wilson, and it was made known to the pa.s.sengers, but the leak was not thought to be serious, and created but very little alarm. The pump was put into operation, and on examination the captain and engineer seemed confident that the pump would keep her clear till we could run down to Eagle harbor, a distance of sixty miles; but it was soon discovered, that the water was fast gaining on the pump, and preparations were made immediately for raising water by means of barrels and buckets.

The wind was blowing at first from the westward, but soon changed to the northwest--it was fresh but fair, and aided by sails and all the steam that it was prudent to carry, she came on at a rapid rate, still keeping on her course, in hopes to make the harbor. The pa.s.sengers and crew worked steadily at the pumps, but the water continued gradually to gain on them. The most of the copper and all the other freight was thrown overboard with a hearty good will--the wealth of the mine seeming of but little consequence at such a time. Every possible means were employed to raise water, and every pa.s.senger a.s.sisted to the utmost of his strength and ability to keep the sinking vessel afloat. Two pumps, three barrels, and a half dozen pails were constantly in motion, and still the water gained steadily, but surely, on their efforts.

We had now been out about three hours, the wind and waves constantly increasing, when it was found, there was little hope of reaching Eagle harbor; the water had risen nearly to the fires, and was fast gaining ground, notwithstanding all the exertions of those on board. After remaining on her course a few minutes longer, the boat was headed toward the land, and new efforts were put forth to encourage all on board to a.s.sist at the pumps and barrels. By this time there was three feet of water or more in the hold, and she moved and rolled heavily through the seas, the wood having to be shifted from one side of the vessel to the other, to keep her in trim.

One fire after the other was rolled into the water, and it became evident to the most hopeful that they would be extinguished entirely, and it was still thought, the wind would take her in under the land even if the steam should fail. It was not long before the fires were reported out--the engines worked lazily for a short time, the clicking of the valves became faint and less frequent, and finally, like the dying struggle of a strong man, it ceased altogether.

Wearied with incessant exertions at the pumps, many gave out and retired to the cabins, seeming to prefer rest to escape from the watery grave into which they were fast sinking. Some were even forced into the hold, to fill barrels and pails, and new efforts were put forth to induce the suffering crew and pa.s.sengers to hold out an hour longer, with the a.s.surance that we could reach land in that time. With this hope, and that influence which strong minds always exert under such circ.u.mstances, many took hold again of the pumps with a kind of desperate exertion, and for a time they even gained on the water. There was another circ.u.mstance which encouraged them to work. The boat being careened on one side by the sails, one of the fires was partially out of water, and a fire was kindled again by means of dry wood, oil, and the most combustible matter the boat afforded. This not only a.s.sisted our progress toward the land, but it stimulated the pa.s.sengers to new exertions.

The fires were in this way kindled and extinguished several times, and all felt that they owed much to the irregular exertion of the engines for their preservation, especially as the wind for some time died away, so as to scarcely fill the sails. For two long hours the water-logged vessel drifted in, before soundings could be had. In this region it was well known, that the coast was rocky, and dangerous for landing, and the night was too dark to enable the pilot to distinguish one place from another. A heavy sea rolled in upon the sh.o.r.e, and it seemed like madness to attempt a landing under such circ.u.mstances. Accordingly, Captain Wilson decided to come to anchor, and endeavor to keep the vessel afloat till daylight; and as soon as we came into six fathoms water the anchors were let go, and she swung round heavily in the furious waves, that threatened speedily to complete the work of destruction.

Several insane attempts had been thwarted for cutting away the boats, which, had they succeeded, we doubt not, would have proved certain destruction to nine-tenths of all on board; for if the boats had not been swamped at once, they would undoubtedly have been dashed to pieces on the rock-bound sh.o.r.e, leaving others to swim ash.o.r.e as best they might. The pumping and bailing were continued with the last energies of a n.o.ble crew--two or three hours more would bring the light of another day, and it was understood that an attempt would be made to land as soon as it was daylight.

The time wore tediously away, and the pa.s.sengers and crew were too much exhausted to keep down the water, and still they labored to do so with what strength they had left. Some time before daylight the wind changed to the north; and commenced blowing hard directly upon the sh.o.r.e, and the sea increased rapidly, oftentimes washing into the hatchways where the men were at work bailing, and it became evident to all, that the vessel could be kept afloat only for a short time longer.

At five o'clock it was light enough to see that it was a bold rocky sh.o.r.e, against which the waves dashed high and furiously, but it was too late to choose a place for landing, and the captain ordered the anchors raised. Her bow swung around to the east and in fifteen minutes she struck heavily on the solid rock, about three hundred yards from the sh.o.r.e. The men kept at work pumping and bailing till she struck, when the waves at once swept in upon her deck and filled the hold.

The largest of the two yawls happened to be on the lee side, and it was soon lowered away, and with a line long enough to reach the land, the first and second mates, Messrs. Lucas and Barney, W.T. Westbrook, and one of the crew, started for the sh.o.r.e. The line was made fast to a tree, and they commenced the far more difficult and dangerous task of returning. The little boat seemed to be engulphed by every breaker that it met on its way, and none but strong and true hands could have saved the boat in this emergency, and no one unaccustomed to the dangers of the sea, can imagine the nerve necessary to manage a boat under such circ.u.mstances.

The smaller boat, after much difficulty and delay, was got around under the lee and bailed out, but it swamped the first trip ash.o.r.e, and was not used afterward. By constant, and untiring exertions, the pa.s.sengers and crew were all landed at half-past eight o'clock, and after securing the shattered boats, as best they could, on the steep side of the rocky sh.o.r.e, they gathered around the fires, to look upon the miserable plight of one another. All were drenched with the water in coming ash.o.r.e, cold and hungry, worn out by the fatigues of the night and morning, they lopped down around the fires, the sorriest looking gathering that it had ever been our misfortune to witness.

All had been so anxious in seeing the pa.s.sengers and crew landed safely, that they had not thought about providing for our future wants, and nothing in the shape of provisions or baggage had been brought ash.o.r.e.

After they had looked around them for a few moments, the boat was again manned and the wreck was again explored for provisions, and a few pounds of hard bread, part of a quarter of fresh beef and some boiled beef were brought in, which was as one remarked, a "poor show" for a lunch for so many sharp appet.i.tes. After having eaten this mouthful we proposed to start with as many as possible for Eagle river, which was judged to be about thirty-five miles distant, and a party of twenty-two in number set out.

It was noon when we started, with our clothes still wet and heavy, and little or nothing to eat. We worked our way slowly through the cedar swamp; over logs and under logs, up ravines and down ravines, a crooked, trackless, toilsome way, till the middle of the afternoon, when we met two of our fellow pa.s.sengers on their way back to the wreck. They had been on some distance further, but worn out with the hardships of their journey and hunger, they had turned back disheartened, and advised us to do the same. But we decided to go on, and on we went, through the worst cedar swamps in the world, till the thick woods began to grow dark with the shades of evening, and till a number of the party became completely exhausted with fatigue and hunger. We then concluded to encamp for the night, although we could not have traveled in all the afternoon over five miles, or about a mile an hour.

Without an axe, a few sticks were collected, and two or three poor fires were kindled. All the bits of hard bread, and fresh beef, in all a scanty meal for one person's supper, was produced and rationed out to the twenty-two persons. Every one ate as sparingly as possible, and as we were without tents, we lay down on the cold ground in our wet clothes before the fire, and dozed and shivered with cold till daylight. As soon as we could see to travel, we proceeded on our toilsome way, and after walking about a mile we came to the trail that leads from Lake Superior to Portage Lake, and saw two or three Indians pushing out through the surf a bark canoe, which they soon jumped into and paddled away before the wind. We tried to induce them to return, in hopes to procure something from them to satisfy our craving hunger, but they scarcely deigned to look back.

Some of our party had been from this trail to Eagle river, and it was some consolation to meet with a land mark that was known. We now commenced walking along the beach, which was composed of large pebbles, covered in many places with logs and trees that had washed or tumbled in from off the overhanging banks, making it as tiresome walking as can well be imagined. Frequently, in order to keep the beach, we were obliged to walk within reach of the dash of the waves, and were drenched with the cold flood.

About two miles east of the Portage trail, we discovered near the edge of the bank, which was some ten feet above the lake, the remains of a human being. The clothes of a man, in a good state of preservation, half covered the bleaching bones, the sad, sickening, unburied relics of some poor "shipwrecked brother," who had here ended his voyage "o'er life's stormy main." He had evidently chosen this spot where he could die looking off upon the lake, from whence no succor came, and where he could be easily discovered by the pa.s.ser by. A description was taken by one of our party of his clothes and the few articles found on them, and we learned on inquiring at Eagle river, that they were undoubtedly the remains of a Mr. Mathews, who got lost from the Algonquin mine a few weeks previous. A brother of the deceased repaired to the spot as soon as possible and brought down the remains for burial at Eagle harbor.

The morning had not far advanced when a number of our party began to lag behind, exhausted from the effects of hunger and weakness, and it was evident that some would have to be left behind, while some of the others might possibly reach Eagle river that day and send a.s.sistance. We confidently expected to find some provisions in a warehouse at Gratiot river, twelve miles from Eagle river, and all had hopes to reach there before night. A few of our party pushed forward as fast as possible, to procure food and fires for those behind, but great was our disappointment not to find a particle of provisions at that place.

We kindled a fire, and rested for a few minutes, till a number of our party came up, the larger number being still far behind. It now became more important than ever that some one should reach Eagle river, and seven of our number determined to make the trial. We had now twelve miles further to go, and in our miserable condition we traveled but slowly, but the trail grew better as we proceeded, and we came in sight of Eagle River about four o'clock in the afternoon, and under the circ.u.mstances, a more pleasant, inviting village we do not recollect ever to have seen before. Four or five of our party came through the same evening, and a few others of another party came in the next day with similar hardships.

On the Tuesday following, Capt. McKay with the schooner Algonquin, proceeded to the wreck, and brought off the captain, crew, and remaining pa.s.sengers, and all that could be saved of valuable property.

A JUNGLE RECOLLECTION.

The hot season of 1849 was peculiarly oppressive, and the irksome garrison duty, at Cherootabad, in the south of India, had for many months been unusually severe. The colonel of my regiment, the brigadier, and the general, having successively acceded to my application for three weeks' leave, and that welcome fact having been duly notified in orders, it was not long before I found myself on the Coimbatore road, snugly packed, guns and all, in a country bullock cart, lying at full length on a mattress, with a thick layer of straw spread under it.

All my preparations had been made beforehand; relays of bullocks were posted for me at convenient intervals, and I arrived at Goodaloor, a distance of a hundred and ten miles, in rather more than forty eight hours.

Goodaloor is a quiet little village, about eleven miles from Coimbatore;--but don't suppose I was going to spend my precious three weeks there.

All loaded, and pony saddled, let us start: the two white cows and their calves; the mattress and blanket rolled up and carried on a Cooly's head Shikaree, horsekeeper, and a village man, with the three guns, while I, myself, bring up the rear. Over a few ploughed fields, and past that large banian tree, the jungle begins.

In a small clump of low jungle, on the sloping bank of a broad, sandy watercourse, the casual pa.s.ser-by would not have perceived a snug and tolerably strong little hut--the white ends of the small branches that were laid over it, and the mixture of foliage, alone revealing the fact to the observant eye of a practiced woodman. No praise could be too strong to bestow on the faithful Shikaree; had I chosen the spot myself, after a weeks' survey of the country, it could not have been more happily selected.

To the deeply-rooted stump of a young tree on the opposite bank, one of the white cows had been made fast by a double cord pa.s.sed twice around her horns. Nothing remains to be done: the little door is fastened behind me, the p.r.i.c.kly acacia boughs are piled up against it on the outside, and my people are anxious to be off.

The poor cow, too, listens with dismay to the retreating footsteps of the party, and has already made some furious plunges to free herself, and rejoin the rest of the kine, who have been driven off, nothing loth, toward home. Watch her: how intently she stares along the path by which the people have deserted her. Were it not for the occasional stamp of her fore leg, or the impatient side-toss of the head, to keep off the swarming flies, she might be carved out of marble. And now a fearful and anxious gaze up the bed of the nullah, and into the thick fringe of Mimoso, one ear p.r.i.c.ked and the other back alternately, show that _instinct_ has already whispered the warning of impending danger.

Another plunge to get loose, and a searching gaze up the path; see her sides heave. Now comes what we want--that deep low! It echoes again among the hills: another and another. Poor wretch! you are hastening your doom; far or near, the tiger hears you--under the rock or thicket, where he has lain since morning, sheltered from the scorching sun, his ears flutter as if they were tickled every time he hears that music; his huge, green eyes, heretofore half closed, are now wide open, and, alas!

poor cow, gaze truly enough in thy direction; but he has not stirred yet, and n.o.body can say in what direction giant death will yet stalk forth.

The moon is up--all nature still; the cow, again on her legs, is restless, and evidently frightened. Oh! reader, even if you have the soul of a Shikaree, I despair of being able to convey in words a t.i.the of the sensations of that solitary vigil: a night like that is to be enjoyed but seldom--a red-letter day in one's existence.

Where is the man who has never experienced the poetic influence of a moonlight scene! Fancy, then, such a one as here described; a crescent of low hills--craggy, steep, and thickly wooded--around you, on three sides, and above them, again, at twenty miles' distance, the clear blue outline of the Neilgherry hills; in your front, the silver sand bed of the dry watercourse divides the thick and somber jungle with a stream of light, till you lose it in the deep shadows at the foot of the hills--all quiet, all still, all bathed in the light of the moon, yourself the only man for miles to come, a solitary watcher--your only companion the poor cow, who, full of fears, and suspicious at every leaf-fall, reminds you that a terrible struggle is about to take place within a few feet of your bed, and that there will be noise and confusion, when you must be cool and collected. Your little kennel would not be strong enough to resist a determined charge, and you are alone, if three good guns are not true friends.

Oh! that I could express sounds on paper as music is written in notes.

No, reader, you must do as I have done--you must be placed in a similar situation, to hear and enjoy the terrible roar of a hungry tiger--not from afar off, and listened for, but close at hand, and unexpected. It was like an electric shock;--a moment ago I was dozing off, and the cow, long since laid down, appeared asleep; that one roar had not died away among the hills when she had scrambled on her legs, and stood with elevated head, stiffened limbs, tail raised, and breath suspended, staring, full of terror, in the direction of the sound. As for the biped, with less noise, and even more alacrity, he had grasped his "Sam Nock," whose polished barrels just rested on the lower ledge of the little peep-hole; perhaps his eyes were as round as saucers, and heart beating fast and strong.

Now for the struggle;--pray heaven that I am cool and calm, and do not fire in a hurry, for one shot will either lose or secure my well-earned prize.

There he is again! evidently in that rugged, stony watercourse, which runs parallel, and about two hundred yards behind the hut. But what is that? Yes, lightning: two flashes in quick succession, and a cold stream of air is rustling through the half-withered leaves of my ambush. Taking a look to the rear, through an accidental opening among the leaves, it was plain that a storm, or, as it would be called at sea, a squall, was brewing. An arch of black cloud was approaching from the westward, and, the rain descending, gave it the appearance of a huge black comb, the teeth reaching to the earth. The moon, half obscured, showed a white mist as far as the rain had reached. Then was heard in the puffs of air, the hissing of the distant but approaching downpour: more lightning--then some large heavy drops plashed on the roof, and it was raining cats and dogs.

How the scene was changed! Half an hour ago, solemn, and still, and wild, as nature rested, unpolluted, undefaced, unmarked by man--sleeping in the light of the moon, all was tranquillity; the civilized man lost his idiosyncrasy in its contemplation--forgot nation, pursuits, creed--he felt that he was Nature's child, and adored the G.o.d of Nature.

But the beautiful was now exchanged for the sublime, when that scene appeared lit up suddenly and awfully by lightning, which now momentarily exchanged a sheet of intensely dazzling blue light, with a darkness horrible to endure--a light which showed the many streams of water, which now appeared like ribbons over the smooth slabs of rod that lay on the slope of the hills, and gave a microscopic accuracy of outline to every object, exchanged as suddenly for a darkness, which for the moment might be supposed the darkness of extinction--of utter annihilation--while the crash of thunder over head rolled over the echoes of the hills, "I am the Lord thy G.o.d."

The storm was at length over, the nullah run dry again. Damp and sleepy, with arms folded and eyes sometimes open, but often shut, I kept an indifferent watch, when the cow, struggling on her legs, and a groan, brought me to my senses. There they were. It was no dream. A large tiger, holding her just behind the ears, shaking her like a fighting dog. By the doubtful light of the watery moon, did I calmly and noiselessly run out the muzzle of my rifle.

I saw him, without quitting his grip of the cow's neck, leap over her back more than once. She sank to the earth, and he lifted her up again.

At the first opportunity, I pulled trigger. The left hand missed, I tried the right--it went off--bang!

Whether a hanging fire is an excuse or not, the tiger relinquished his hold and was off with a bound. The cow staggered and struggled, and, in few seconds, fell, and, with a heavy groan, ceased to move. The tiger had killed the cow within a few feet of me, and escaped scathless.

Night after night did I watch for his return. I had almost despaired of seeing him again, when, one night, about eleven o'clock, my ears caught the echo among the rocks, and then the distant roar--nearer--nearer--nearer; and--oh, joy!--answered. Tiger and tigress!--above all hope!--coming to recompense me for hundreds of night watchings--to balance a long account of weary nights in the silent jungle, in platforms on trees, in huts of leaf and bramble, and in damp pits on the water's edge--all bootless; coming--coming--nearer and nearer.

Music nor words, dear reader, can stand me in any stead to convey the sound to you; the first note like the trumpet of a peac.o.c.k, and the rest the deepest toned thunder. Stones and gravel rattled just behind the hut on the path by which we came, and went, and a heavy step pa.s.sed and descended the slope into the nullah. I heard the sand crunching under his weight before I dared to look. A little peep. Oh, heavens! looming in the moonlight, there he stood, long, sleek as satin, and lashing his tail--he stood stationary, smelling the slaughtered cow. No longer the cautious, creeping tiger, I felt how awful a brute he was to offend. I remembered how he had worried a strong cow in half a minute, and that, with his weight alone, my poor rickety little citadel would fall to pieces. As if the excitement of the moment was insufficient, the monster, gazing down the dry watercourse, caught sight of his companion, who, advancing up the bed of the nullah, stood irresolutely about twenty yards off. The bully, who was evidently the male, after smelling at the head, came round the carca.s.s, making a sort of complaisant purring--"humming a kind of animal song," and to it he went tooth and nail.

As he stood with his two fore feet on the haunch, while he tugged and tore out a beef-steak, I once more grasped old "Sam Nock," and ran the muzzle out of the little port. The white linen band marked a line behind his shoulders, and rather low, but, from the continued motion of his body, it was some moments before eye and finger agreed to pull trigger--bang! A shower of sand rattled on the dry leaves, and a roar of rage and pain satisfied me, even before the white smoke, which hung in the still air, had cleared away, to show the huge monster writhing and plunging where he had fallen. Either directed by the fire, or by some slight noise made in the agitation of the moment, he saw me, and, with a hideous yell, scrambled up: the roaring thunder of his voice filled the valley, and the echoes among the hills answered it, with the hootings of tribes of monkeys, who, scared out of sleep, sought the highest branches, at the sound of the well-known voice of the tyrant of the jungle. I immediately perceived, to my great joy, that his hind quarters were paralyzed and useless, and that all danger was out of the question. He sank down again on his elbows, and as he rested his now powerless limbs, I saw the blood welling out of a wound in the loins, as it shone in the moonlight, and trickled off his sleek-painted hide, like globules of quicksilver. As I looked into his countenance, I saw all the devil alive there. The will remained--the power only had gone. It was a sight never to be forgotten. With head raised to the full stretch of his neck, he glared at me with an expression of such malignity, that it almost made one quail. I thought of the native superst.i.tion of singeing off the whiskers of the newly killed tiger to lay his spirit, and no longer wondered at it. With ears back, and mouth bleeding, he growled and roared in fitful uncertainty, as if he were trying, but unable, to measure the extent of the force that had laid him low.

Motionless myself, provocation ceased, and without further attempt to get on his legs, he continued to gaze on me; when I slowly lowered my head to the sight, and again pulled trigger. This time, true to the mark, the ball entered just above the breastbone, and the smoke cleared off with his death-groan. There he lay, foot to foot with his victim of last night, motionless--dead. My first impulse was to tear down the door behind, and get a thorough view of his proportions; but remembering that his companion, the tigress, had vanished only a short time ago close to the scene of action, I thought it as well to remain where I was; so, enlarging the windows with my hands, I took a long look, and then jovially attacked the coffee without reference to noise, and fell back on the mattress to sleep, or to think the night's work over. "At last, I have got him: his skin will be pegged out to-morrow, drying before the tent door." When my people came in the morning, they found me seated on the dead tiger. Coolies were sent for to carry the beast, and I gave the pony his reins all the way back to the tent.

FRASER'S MAGAZINE