Part 10 (1/2)

It was with difficulty that we could distinguish Land's End from the neighbouring headlands, Cape Cornwall, to the northward, apparently approaching further into the ocean.

As we looked at that fearful Wolf Rock, we thought of the number of vessels, out of their reckoning, homeward-bound, or coming round from the North Sea, intending to proceed up the Irish Channel, which must have run against it in days gone by. But now the red and white ”flashes” which follow each other at half-minute intervals all through the night, enable mariners to steer clear of the danger.

Papa remarked: ”I wish that every Christian man would remember that he is bound to be a lighthouse, and to warn his fellows of the peril into which they are running. How many human beings would thus be saved from s.h.i.+pwreck, if all thus understood their duty and acted accordingly!

Remember the text--'Let your light so s.h.i.+ne before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'”

Papa told us it was the opinion of geologists that the surrounding rocks, as well as the Scilly Isles, were once connected with England.

Indeed, of that there can be no doubt. Tradition declares that articles have been fished up proving that cities once stood on spots over which the tides now ebb and flow; but then tradition is the most uncertain of all uncertain things. Although an iron kettle may have been fished up from the bottom of the sea, it might only show that it had been thrown overboard, or washed out of a sunken vessel.

As we had determined not to be defeated, we continued beating backwards and forwards until we saw the coast of Cornwall, and the bright beams of Saint Agnes' Lighthouse appeared on our port-bow; while those from the light-vessel moored off the Seven Stones were seen on the other.

We hailed the Dolphin, which pa.s.sed us on the opposite tack; and papa agreed to lead in; ”The sooner we are in the harbour the better,” he observed; ”I don't quite like the look of the weather.”

Clouds had, indeed, been thickly gathering in the south-west; and the stars, which had hitherto shone brightly, were totally obscured. The wind also, which had been steady, now began to blow in strong squalls, compelling us to shorten sail. First, two reefs were taken down in the mainsail; it was then closely-reefed, while the foresail was hauled down, and the storm jib set. Still, it was as much as the cutter could do to look up to it. Heavy seas now began to roll in from the Atlantic, tumbling the cutter about. Now she rose to the summit of a foam-crested wave, now she sank down into the hollow.

”Will she ever come up again?” exclaimed d.i.c.k, who was clinging on to the companion hatch. ”Oh, dear--oh, dear! I thought the sea was always going to remain as smooth as it has been since we sailed.”

Presently, up we rose again, and d.i.c.k drew a long breath. Papa, however, advised him to go below.

”We will look after the craft in the meantime, my boy,” he said. ”There is nothing to fear, though it is possible that one of these seas may break on board, and if you are not on the look-out, may carry you away.”

A flash of lightning which now burst forth from a dark cloud, accompanied by a heavy squall, causing the cutter to heel over until her lee bulwarks were almost under water, revealed d.i.c.k's terrified countenance. As may be supposed, he clung on the harder to the companion hatch; and papa had to repeat his advice and help him down the ladder.

”You'd better go too, Harry,” he said. ”I can't answer for a sea not coming on board; and it might tear even you from your hold. Those who remain on deck will secure themselves with las.h.i.+ngs; and as the craft is as light as a cork, we shall weather out the gale, even should it come on to blow twice as hard as it now does.”

I begged to be allowed to remain.

”Well, it will be but a summer gale. You may stay on deck; but here, make yourself fast with this rope;” and papa secured one round my body, which he fastened to the companion hatch.

He now gave the word to set the trysail; and the mainsail being stowed, it was hoisted in its stead. Still we had as much sail as the cutter could carry. The night had become very dark, except when the flashes of lightning dashed from the black clouds. Papa had resolved to heave the vessel to, when we caught sight of a white sail a short distance ahead of us.

”That must be the schooner,” shouted Truck; ”she is taking a wise course, and is intending to run under Cape Cornwall, or maybe to get into Saint Ives Bay, in case the gale should continue.”

”We may as well do the same,” observed papa; and the helm being put up, away we ran before the wind.

Though the cutter behaved very well, still there was a chance of our being p.o.o.ped. A strong current was setting us in the direction of the Longs.h.i.+ps light, which now appeared broad on the starboard bow. We ran on, following, as we supposed, the Dolphin; but she was going faster than we were, and we soon lost sight of her. We knew our exact position, for, although we had got beyond the gleam of Saint Agnes'

Lighthouse, we could still see on our port-bow the two lights on board the light-vessel off the Seven Stones. I own I wished that we were safe back in port, though papa appeared so cool that I could not suppose there was any real danger; still, as the seas came rolling up on either quarter, high above our deck, it seemed impossible that the vessel could escape being swamped.

At last papa peremptorily ordered me to go below, and coming to where I was standing, lifted up the hatch and literally pushed me down, closing it again over me. I groped my way into the cabin, where I found d.i.c.k holding on to one of the sofas. The cabin lamp had not been lighted, so that we were in perfect darkness.

”Oh! where are we? Where are we going? What's about to happen?” he exclaimed, in a weak voice, which I could barely hear amid the uproar caused by the seas das.h.i.+ng against the vessel's sides and deck, the creaking of the bulk-heads, the whistling of the wind, and other sounds.

”Papa says there is no danger; so you need not be alarmed, d.i.c.k,” I observed. At the same time I confess that I felt far from comfortable myself. Poor d.i.c.k was dreadfully sick. I had to a.s.sist him as best I could; but I need not enter into particulars. His sickness overcame his terror. Every now and then, however, he cried out, ”Oh, I wish I was on sh.o.r.e! couldn't your papa land me? If he cannot, please ask him to throw me overboard. Oh, how miserable I am! Oh dear, oh dear!” and then for certain reasons he could not utter a word.

Having to attend to him made me think perhaps less of our situation; but I know that I was not at all happy. All sorts of dreadful thoughts came into my mind. Every instant I expected to hear a tremendous sea come rus.h.i.+ng over our deck, and perhaps to find that papa or some of the men had been washed away. I was most anxious about papa. If he was lost, I believed that the vessel would be lost too; but then I remembered what a good sailor he was; and as he had been to sea all his life, he was sure to manage the vessel properly; and, as he had often said, she was such a tight little sea-boat she would go through anything. Still, we were in a part of the ocean where the tide runs with great force, and when meeting the wind a very awkward sea is beaten up. This made the cutter tumble about in a way I had never known her do before. Everything in the cabin had been securely lashed except a few books and charts. First one came flying out as the vessel rolled over, and hit poor d.i.c.k on the head.

”What a shame of you to be heaving books at me, Harry!” he cried out.

I a.s.sured him that I was innocent of anything of the sort; and presently another flew out, and nearly knocked me over. I tried to reach the books, to secure the remainder: but the whole lot came tumbling out, and sent me sprawling on the cabin floor. I picked myself up, and crawled back to a.s.sist d.i.c.k, who just then greatly required my support.

I cannot describe more of that fearful night. Finding that d.i.c.k was tolerably quiet, advising him to hold fast to the sofa, I lay down at the opposite end, where I clung on like grim death; and, in spite of the tossing and tumbling the vessel was undergoing, I at length fell asleep.