Part 54 (1/2)
”You have indeed escaped froer,” said Toiven more perfect infor, and its position”
”I noted it down at the ti was lost, and the events which have since occurred have put that andin vain to recall it I do not remember at all clearly how many weeks' sail ere fro the rock; nor, indeed, how long I h while I retainedover the ale could not have lasted er”
To this important information, at once communicated it to Jack, who immediately went to Captain Cooper, and had a conversation with hie of possibilities that the _Ehted by Captain Cooper, though how she could have got so far to the east, when she should have hauled up long before for Aden, it is difficult to say,” observed Jack, when afterwards talking the matter over with the lieutenant and master ”Probably herwith a gale, she had to run before it,” remarked the master ”These steam-kettles of ours can never be depended upon I e could go back to the good old sailing shi+ps When we had theood care to keep off a lee shore; or, when it came on to bloe hove the shi+p to and rode it out comfortably Noe trust to the machinery, and it fails us in tiineer, for he sticks up for his engines, and wonders how shi+ps used to cross the ocean before they got steah seaainst the ”new-fangled notions of the day,” as he called thereed with the reat probability that the _Empress_ had been lost on the rock seen by Captain Cooper, as she had not touched at Aden nor been heard of further to the eastward Soh it was too probable thatthem; he certainly would not have quitted the wreck until the last--they knew hinal seen by Captain Cooper may, however, have been hoisted by the people who escaped from some other wreck,” observed Toale in which we lost sight of her,” said the master
”I trust that such was not the case; she was as likely to keep afloat as ere, unless some unforeseen accident happened--”
”To the machinery,” put in the master ”If the steam was shut off and Captain Adair had trusted to his stout canvas, I should have no fear on the subject”
”Heaven forbid that she should have foundered If she did, we shall never obtain proof positive of the fact,” said the captain ”I am far rather inclined to believe that she struck on some unknown reef, and that the rock or island was reached in the boats, or that the shi+p herself gained it, unless tooI am determined to do as soon as our repairs are coo in search of her, and should any other unfortunate persons be on the rock, we shall at all events have the satisfaction of rescuing them”
Fortunately the weather continued fine, and the _Bellona_, without further misadventure, reached Sier than was expected, as the dae received was far more serious than at first supposed However, the as such as could be accomplished while the shi+p was in Siain, Mr Rivett,” observed Mr Scales, the ot a ticklish part of the ocean to navigate, I can tell you, and if your engines fail just at the moment they are wanted to back astern off a coral reef, or keep the shi+p fro drifted on a lee shore, I shan't have , Mr Scales, that you will not take the shi+p into any such position I understood that every rock and shoal between us and the south pole ell laid down, and it will be your fault if we co it beforehand”
”You rongly informed, Mr Rivett; and there is many a rock, and many a shoal, and many an island, too, between us and the pole which no one alive knows anything about, although many a poor fellow has found theht upon them”
”What you say reminds me of the Irish pilot who told the captain of a shi+p he was taking to an anchorage, that he knew every rock on the coast The captain doubted him, and five minutes afterwards the shi+p went crash upon one 'Bedad! I tould your honour I knew thim, an'
that's one of thim There's many a rock I've found out in the saht it better to put an end to the discussion
”I hope we shall find out none in that fashi+on,” said Mr Rivett
”That will depend on your
”We shall have to keep a bright look-out ahead and the lead going, and if your piston rods and boilers prove faithful, well and good If not, I cannot warrant that the shi+p will keep out of the danger into which that screw of yours will run us Let o and where I'll not go, and I'll answer for it that I won't run a shi+p under ain”
”Then you have not perfect confidence in my machinery?” observed Mr Rivett
”No, I have not, and I wonder that you expect h , and stout canvas, with a properly built shi+p under my feet, and I'll keep the sea in all weathers, and carry her safely round the world”
The discussion ht have continued for many hours had not both officers been su to his intention, reported to the admiral the account he had received from Captain Cooper, who afterwards repeated it
”I' the o in search of her,” was the answer
The repairs at length being completed, the _Bellona_ sailed in search of the _Empress_
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE EMPRESS LOSES SIGHT OF THE BELLONA--A GALE--SAILS BLOWN AWAY--RUNS BEFORE THE WIND--A LEAK--THE PUMPS MANNED--CREW SET TO BALE--PAT'S DREAM--PETE DISCOVERS THE LEAK--A THRUMMED SAIL GOT UNDER THE BOTTOM-- ANOTHER LEAK--THE GALE INCREASES--STEER FOR VIRGINIA ISLAND--ALL HANDS SPELL AND SPELL--THE shi+P PassES OVER A REEF--FALSE KEEL CARRIED AWAY-- THE WATER GAINS ON THEM--ADAIR ADDRESSES THE CREW--THE MIDshi+PMAN AND shi+P'S BOY WITH THEIR WATER JUGS--LAND IN SIGHT--REACHED AT NIGHT--A BEACON FIRE APPEARS ON Shore--shi+P DRIFTS FROM HER ANCHOR--SURMISES AS TO ITS BEING FLY-AWAY ISLAND--THE shi+P REGAINS AN ANCHORAGE--TWO BOATS SENT ON Shore--GREEN GRASPS THE HAND OF LORD SAINT MAUR--STORES AND PART OF THE CREW LANDED--THE shi+P AGAIN DRIVEN OFF THE Shore