Part 5 (1/2)

”By the by, w.i.l.l.y, I wish to report your conduct to the commander. I find that it was your sharp eyes that first discovered the iceberg from which we so providentially escaped.”

”Thank you,” said w.i.l.l.y; ”but I was only just doing my duty in keeping a bright look-out.”

”Exactly,” said Harry; ”that's the utmost we can do, and all that is expected of any man; just go on, w.i.l.l.y, doing that, and you'll do well.

But see, there is a light streak in the horizon; the clouds are clearing away. Though the ocean looks black enough at present, it will soon be sparkling with brightness.”

The two friends made their way along the deck to the forecastle, where they found the officers who were stationed there eagerly looking out.

One declared that he saw land ahead. ”If it is, daylight will soon show it,” observed another. While the discussion was going on, the sea seemed on a sudden to go down, and the s.h.i.+p glided on in comparatively smooth water.

”It may or may not be land ahead,” exclaimed the master; ”but I tell you what--we are under the lee of a large field of ice, and it is a mercy we did not run on it in the dark. See, there! What do you think of that?”

Stretching far round in the eastern horizon, appeared a white line, clearly marked on the dark ocean. All hands were now called and set to work to get up jury-masts. Every one worked with a will, from the smallest boy on board. No time was to be lost. The soldiers were summoned on deck to lend a hand in pulling and hauling. Gradually the light increased, and, as it did so, the work went on more rapidly.

w.i.l.l.y had but little time to look about him, but he could not help every now and then glancing towards the east, which was now illuminated by a rich, ruddy glow, extending far and wide, gradually melting into a yellow tint, that again vanished in the dark-blue sky overhead.

Presently the sun itself rose out of the ocean, at first like a fiery arch, till, springing rapidly upwards, the whole circle appeared in view. Just then he turned his eyes to the right. He could not refrain from uttering an exclamation of astonishment; for there appeared, not a mile away to the westward, what seemed like a vast island of alabaster, covered with countless edifices--towers and columns, and embattled walls, glowing with numberless brilliant and varied hues. Colonel Morley, who had just then come on deck, observed it also, and pointing it out to the commander, hastened below to summon his wife and daughters to witness the beautiful spectacle. Commander Newcombe's countenance did not show that he was as pleased with the sight as the colonel had apparently been. Casting an anxious glance round, he summoned the first-lieutenant to his side, who seemed to be holding earnest conversation with him. w.i.l.l.y, who had gone aft on some duty, heard the latter remark, ”We are embayed, sir, there is no doubt about it. All we can hope for is a breeze from the southward to get out again.” w.i.l.l.y heard no more.

”Oh, how beautiful! oh, how magnificent!” exclaimed the Miss Morleys, as they reached the deck; ”it is worth making a voyage to witness such a scene as that!”

w.i.l.l.y could now observe what he had only before partially seen. The whole ocean to the west was of a deep-purple hue, from out of which rose several superb icebergs; some could not have been less than a third of a mile in length, and from two to three hundred feet in height. The sides of one appeared perfectly smooth, as if carefully chiselled all over.

In one of the nearest were seen bold projecting bluffs, with deep caverns beyond, into which the sea forced its way, rus.h.i.+ng out again with a loud sound. On the summits of others appeared the towers and pinnacles, the ruined arches and b.u.t.tressed walls, which had at first caught w.i.l.l.y's sight. It seemed, indeed, as if a large city of alabaster had once stood there, reduced to ruins by a convulsion of nature. Here appeared huge piles of buildings grouped together, with long lanes and streets winding irregularly through them, with what had been the citadel rising in their midst. As the sun rose, the whole ma.s.s became bathed in a red light. No words, however, can convey a full idea of the beauty and grandeur of the spectacle.

”I was thinking for a moment that I should like to get out my drawing-book and colour-box,” said Emma Morley to her sister; ”but I am sure it would be impossible to do anything like justice to such a scene.”

”Those who have not witnessed it would believe that you had taken a painter's licence,” answered her sister; ”and yet I believe that you might produce a very fair idea of the scene. Let me go and get your drawing things.”

Mrs Morley was afraid her daughters might suffer from the cold if they remained much longer on deck. Cloaks were, however, brought, and what her parents considered a masterly sketch was quickly produced by their young daughter. Little did they think at the time of the dangerous position in which the s.h.i.+p was still placed.

While the drawing was going on, numerous sea-birds were seen to be pa.s.sing in and out of the caverns, now plunging down into the ocean to seek their breakfasts, now rising again and pitching upon the icy points and pinnacles as if they were their accustomed home.

”Don't you think we have drawn nearer to that magnificent iceberg?” said f.a.n.n.y to her sister.

”Yes, I am almost sure we have,” was the answer. ”Papa, what do you think?”

”It is possible, but perhaps the changing light may have deceived us; it is difficult to calculate distances in this atmosphere.”

As may be supposed, they had been several times interrupted by the crew, who now and then came by leading aft the stays of the mast now at length set up. Scarcely any of the men cast more than a momentary glance at the icebergs, but this glance showed that they looked on them with no favourable eyes. All the time, too, it must be remembered, the pumps were kept clanking away as before. No human beings ever worked harder than the crew of the ”Ranger;” they well knew, indeed, that they were labouring for their lives. Hour after hour pa.s.sed by--there was no knocking off even for breakfast; it would be time enough to take their food when the sails were spread, and the s.h.i.+p was standing away from the beautiful but fearfully dangerous icebergs.

By the time the sun had risen high in the sky the water around had become of a dark-green hue, and now not only icebergs and the distant fields of ice were seen, but vast ma.s.ses of drift ice were observed floating about. Already two or three yards had been got across, and the sails were being bent.

w.i.l.l.y found himself close to his friend Harry. ”Shafto, you look unusually grave,” he observed; ”you seem pretty well knocked up.”

”We all of us have reason to be grave,” answered Harry; ”there is evidently a strong in-draught towards that big berg, and unless we can get the sails bent and a breeze to take us off, no human power can save us from driving against it, and then we shall be worse off than we were when we struck the berg the other night.”

”But don't you think we shall get the sails bent in time?” asked w.i.l.l.y.

”We may get the sails bent, but the wind to fill them may not come; we must depend on Heaven's mercy for that.”

Harry Shafto would not generally have spoken so despondingly, but he was well-nigh worn-out; and yet he probably did not see matters in a worse light than most of the other officers.

The pa.s.sengers had been sometime before summoned below to breakfast, and only the crew and soldiers engaged in active duty remained on deck.