Part 25 (1/2)
”I hope so,” said w.i.l.l.y. ”If man can help them, Harry Shafto and Bollard will do it.”
Most of the poor women were uttering cries and lamentations in their terror for the safety of their husbands left on board. There were still also a number of poor women and children. w.i.l.l.y felt more anxious for them even than for the men.
The boat was seen coming back. ”Oh, they have given it up. There is no hope for them! Dear, dear Charles! he will be lost. I wish we had stayed with him,” cried May.
”I am very sure Harry Shafto has not given it up,” said w.i.l.l.y. ”He knows that the only way to get the people out of the s.h.i.+p is on this side. We shall soon see what he is about to do.”
The part of the reef where the s.h.i.+p had struck was under water, and some distance from the point of rocks which ran out from the sh.o.r.e. Had she gone to pieces and no boat been at hand, although so close to the land, the greater number, if not all, might have perished, for the surf as it receded would have carried them off, and even the strongest swimmer would have found it difficult to make way against it.
Harry and his brave crew were now seen to approach as near the s.h.i.+p as they could venture without the risk of being carried on the rocks.
Several persons were standing on the s.h.i.+p's starboard bow, which was now nearest the sh.o.r.e. One of them held a coil of light rope in his hands; he hove it, but it fell short. Again and again he made the attempt. At length a person standing near was observed to fasten it round his waist, when, holding on by another rope, he lowered himself down. He waited till the receding sea had gone past him, and then, as another rolled up, he leaped on its crest, and was borne onwards, striking out boldly towards the beach. On he struggled. Again the receding sea bore him backwards towards the reef. He redoubled his exertions. Harry ordered the cutter to ”back in,” anxious to a.s.sist the brave fellow. The rocks appeared fearfully close. He stretched out his hand to grasp the swimmer's arm. ”Give way, lads, give way,” he shouted; and the boatswain coming to his a.s.sistance, they hauled the man in, and secured the rope which was fastened to his waist. They now pulled away across the little bay formed by the reef and the sh.o.r.e, towards a high rock which jutted out from the beach.
”I thought Bill Windy would do it,” exclaimed the man who had been rescued; and without shaking the water from his clothes, he began hauling in on the line which he had brought with him. At the other end was a hawser which the boat now towed towards the rock. Leaping on to it, the boatswain and Lizard made fast the hawser. A communication was thus established between the vessel and the sh.o.r.e.
Emily and May, with the rest of the party on the beach, had been watching these proceedings with intense eagerness. The boat again pulled back towards the wreck. The brave mate was seen to cling to the hawser, and work his way back. Several times the surf covered him, but he held on tight, and, emerging from the water, clambered up the bows of the s.h.i.+p. The hawser was tautened up, while the boat hung on to it, ready to receive the next comers. The mate was soon again seen making his way along the hawser, carrying another line and a block. He reached the boat in safety, when the block was secured, just above the boat. A cradle, which had meantime been prepared, was slung on the hawser; but eager as those on board were to reach a place of safety, they appeared to hesitate about trusting themselves to it.
”Why are they losing so much precious time?” cried Emily. ”How fearfully the sea is breaking over the s.h.i.+p; any moment she may be dashed to pieces, or fall off the rocks into the deep water. Oh, see!
see! there is a man making the attempt with two children. It is Mr Paget.” That gentleman, finding others hesitated, had taken two infants from their mothers' arms, and had seated himself in the cradle, to set an example to the rest of the people on board. Holding on with one hand, and steadying the cradle with the other, though the surf as it rose washed over him more than once, he reached the boat with his charges.
”Thank Heaven!” exclaimed Emily. ”He is safe! he is safe! And there is Charles; he is following the brave example.”
Several other persons succeeded in gaining the boat. Tom Loftus, Jack Ivyleaf, and Mr Bolton, the father of the large family already on sh.o.r.e, were among them. Each brought either a couple of children or one of the women with him--the latter being afraid of trusting themselves alone. The boat was already full, and as yet no casualty had occurred; but the danger was every instant increasing. The tide was rising, the sea striking with fearful violence against the side of the s.h.i.+p, making every timber in her quiver. It need not be told how heartily those who now reached the sh.o.r.e were welcomed by the party already on the beach-- how his wife and children clung round Mr Bolton; how Emily and May pressed Charles' hand; and how, in voluble language, Mrs Clagget expressed her satisfaction at seeing her fellow-pa.s.sengers out of the terrible wreck.
Harry, without stopping a moment after the last person had landed, again pulled across the bay. Already several of the sailors were seen making their way along the hawser independent of the cradle. As the boat approached, they then dropped one by one into her. Bill Windy rated them for not remaining on board.
”You should have stopped to get up provisions, you rascals,” he exclaimed. ”How are all these people to be fed?”
”Little hope of getting provisions or anything else,” answered one of the men, ”when the chances are that the s.h.i.+p will be knocked to pieces, or go down before the day is many minutes older.”
”Greater need for you to have stopped and helped to get them into the boat,” said Windy. ”But, bear a hand, and a.s.sist these people off the cradle.”
The same operation as before was repeated, till the boat was once more full, all the remaining women and children being got into her.
A rush was now seen to take place towards the forecastle, and a heavy sea struck the after-part of the s.h.i.+p, carrying away a large portion of the stern upper works. What would next happen it was not difficult to foretell. Several unfortunate people who had remained there were hurled into the surf. In vain they struggled--no a.s.sistance could be given them--and, one by one, they were carried away. Had anything been necessary to make the nigh worn-out crew of the boat increase their exertions, this would have done so. Happily, the hawser still remained secure. Harry shouted to the master, who unflinchingly was standing on the forecastle directing the landing of the people, to put himself into the cradle. ”No, no,” he answered. ”Not while a man remains on board will I quit the s.h.i.+p.” At length, contrary to the expectations of many, nearly all the surviving pa.s.sengers and crew were got safely into the boat. Besides the captain, only one trembling wretch remained. He clung frantically to the bulwarks, afraid of quitting his hold, and trusting himself to the cradle.
”Come, Mr Mawson,” exclaimed Captain Westerway, ”I am hauling the cradle back for the last time, and if you do not go, before many minutes you will be carried off by the sea, and no power on earth can help you.”
The wretched man looked up with pale cheeks and staring eyes. ”I dare not, I dare not,” he answered. ”But will you not save me, Captain Westerway?”
”Save you! I want you to save yourself!” said the captain, taking him by the shoulder. ”Come, get in there, and hold tight;” and the captain lifted the trembling wretch, and forced him into the cradle. He shrieked out with alarm as he felt himself moving, clinging convulsively to the hawser; but the men in the boat, more for the captain's sake than his, hauled away, and quickly had him out; and the cradle was travelling back for their brave commander. As he was placing himself in it he felt the s.h.i.+p tremble violently. The sea which struck her washed over him.
Those in the boat thought he was gone, but to their joy they saw him still holding on to the hawser. They hauled away with all their strength, for a few seconds' delay might have caused his destruction. A loud cheer burst from their throats as he reached the boat, and at that moment the upper part of the s.h.i.+p, to which the hawser was made fast, parted, and was speedily washed away.
The old captain sighed as he watched the s.h.i.+p breaking up. ”I would gladly have been among the poor fellows lost; and yet, no. I am wrong to say that. It is my duty to look after those who are saved.”
The survivors of the pa.s.sengers and crew of the ill-fated ”Crusader”
were now collected on the beach. Though saved from a watery grave, how fearful would have been their condition had Harry and his companions not been there to a.s.sist them! As it was, starvation stared them in the face. How could all be fed with the scanty supply of provisions which he possessed. Bill Windy proposed going back to the wreck; but now that the communication with her had been cut off, it was impossible to get on board without the greatest danger. Evening, too, was approaching, and shelter must be found for the women and children. Harry despatched some of his men for the axes to cut wood for fuel and building huts, while he and others hauled up the boat, and by turning her partly over under the cliff, provided shelter for the whole of the women and children; while a large fire made in front enabled the s.h.i.+pwrecked party to dry their drenched garments. w.i.l.l.y and Peter hastened off to the spring to obtain water. The poor children were crying out for food. Such as Harry had he divided among them and their mothers, but nearly the whole party were already suffering from hunger.
At the settlement all might be fed and sheltered, but many hours must elapse before they could reach it. He knew, too, that in the dark it would be almost hopeless to make the attempt. He resolved, however, to start the next morning with a party of the men, who might return with provisions; but in the meantime he feared that many would suffer greatly. He held a consultation with Captain Westerway, Mr Paget, and Charles as to what was best to be done.