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The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader, and what befell their Passengers & Crews, a fiction by William H. G. Kingston |
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Chapter 19. The Cutter Is Carried Off |
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_ CHAPTER NINETEEN. THE CUTTER IS CARRIED OFF JOURNEY OF EMIGRANTS TO VILLAGE--ROUGH TRAVELLING--PURSUED BY MUTINEERS--TIPPO COMES TO THE RESCUE--WELCOME AT THE VILLAGE--ARRIVAL OF PROVISIONS--ARRANGEMENTS FOR VICTUALLING THE SETTLEMENT--MUTINEERS SEEN WATCHING VILLAGE--THE CUTTER CARRIED OFF--THE "YOUNG CRUSADER" COMPLETED--MRS MORLEY RESOLVES TO REMAIN--MRS RUMBELOW STAYS WITH HER CHARGES--PREPARATIONS FOR EMBARKING--THE "YOUNG CRUSADER" AT THE SETTLEMENT. Ensign Holt and the party of emigrants he was leading made very good progress on their journey towards the settlement. The only grumbler was Mrs Clagget, as she trudged on with a long stick in her hand, sometimes by the side of the Diceys, and at others addressing her remarks to Mrs Jones. However, as it was so evident that she talked for the sake of keeping her tongue in motion, no one minded her. She regained her good humour when, soon after mid-day, the party halting for dinner, fires were lighted, and steaks frizzling before them. They had had woods to cut through, boggy ground to cross, and rugged stony hills to climb. She, however, got along as well as any one, and her example encouraged the other women who had to travel on foot. Their spirits were revived when their young leader told them that they were within a mile of the settlement. The last of the party were climbing the ledge of rocks which formed one side of the sandy bay when, on looking back, they saw several men following. "Why, I do believe they are those fellows who would not work yesterday," observed one of the emigrants. "And there is that ill-conditioned chap, Job Mawson, among them. I cannot help thinking they mean mischief." The mutineers, for such they evidently were, on seeing the party, hurried on; but as they got halfway across the sandy shore of the bay, a huge seal suddenly darted out of the wood, and seeing the men running, made chase. He soon overtook the nearest, whom he knocked over, giving him a fierce bite, and then rushed at the next, whom he treated in the same way. Willy and Peter, who had stopped on the top of the ridge to rest, hearing the cries, looked round. "Why," exclaimed Willy, "that is our old friend Tippo Sahib, and he is giving those fellows their deserts." Tippo Sahib sure enough it was. The mutineers, who had never seen such a creature before, seized with a panic, ran off in all directions, two or three overtaking the party of emigrants. "No, no, we don't want you fellows," cried the men. "You be off now, or you will be sorry for it." Two of the mutineers humbly petitioned to be allowed to keep with the party, when Willy at length told them that they might do so if they would behave better in future. The rest by this time were nowhere to be seen, having run into the wood to escape, as they hoped, from the strange beast which had attacked them. As the travellers neared the settlement, Mrs Morley, with her daughters and Mrs Twopenny, came out to welcome them. The former invited Emily and May to their cottage, while Mrs Clagget, introducing herself to Mrs Twopenny, told her she should be happy to take up her abode with her. Harry having reached the settlement some time before, preparations were already being made for the reception of the party. The men willingly turned out to give up their huts to the women and children. Fires were lighted, and several of the people were busy, under the direction of Mrs Rumbelow, cooking food, while the men were employed in bringing in wood for forming fresh huts. Harry started off a fresh party to assist those already engaged in the work. The gentlemen laboured as hard as any of the men, and in a short time a row of huts, constructed after the fashion of those already built, rose near them. Harry's chief anxiety was, however, to provide food for so many mouths, as he saw the store which had been made for the former party rapidly diminishing. Some of the emigrants grumbled, too, at not having a greater variety. Seal-soup and fried roots served for breakfast, and boiled or roasted seal, with baked roots and water, for dinner, while the same fare was served at supper. Sometimes fish varied the material for their meals; but neither they nor mussels were to be obtained when the weather was stormy, and the sea broke with violence on the rocks. Several days passed away, when a sail was seen coming up the harbour. She was recognised as the cutter. Nearly all the inhabitants of the little settlement ran down to welcome her. She had on board several casks and kegs brought by the boatswain from the wreck. They were eagerly rolled up to the huts, when they were found to contain flour and beef, raisins and suet. "Hurrah! we shall have English beef and plum-pudding now," exclaimed numerous voices. The doctor, however, who acted as store-keeper, ordered them at once to be placed in safe keeping, to be served out as required. He soon afterwards held a consultation with Mrs Rumbelow. Under his directions, an oven was constructed, while he set to work in his laboratory to manufacture some yeast, or risings, as Mrs Rumbelow called the composition; and the next morning a supply of hot rolls was distributed among the women and children. How delicious they appeared to those who had for many a long day not tasted a morsel of bread! Bollard brought word that considerable progress had already been made in building the "Young Crusader," and Captain Westerway requested that he might be supplied with such provisions as the island afforded, in order to husband those which had been saved from the wreck, as they would be required as stores for the vessel. Among other things, he brought several cases of gunpowder, and the sportsmen were therefore able to range the island with their guns in search of game. Parties went out daily to dig for roots. Traps were constructed for catching birds; at low water, mussels were sought for on the rocks; and more hooks being made, the number of fishermen was greatly increased. The days, however, were short, and the weather frequently so very bad that they had literally to make hay while the sun shone. As provisions could be obtained they were sent by sea to the shipbuilders, and when the wind blew too strong to allow the boat to make the passage, they were sent overland. Harry's cares, in providing food and maintaining order among so mixed an assemblage, were greatly lightened by the assistance offered him by Mrs Morley and Mr Paget, as well as by Charles, Tom Loftus, and Jack Ivyleaf, who also did their best to instruct and amuse the people, old and young, when their hours of labour were over. The school was kept with less difficulty than before, as several books had been saved from the "Crusader." Harry's great care was to keep all employed; indeed, he foresaw that it would be necessary for every one to exert himself to the utmost to obtain a sufficient supply of food for the support of their lives during the winter. Happily, the weather was not nearly so cold or stormy as he had expected to find it; and though occasionally it froze hard, the frost seldom lasted long, while the snow which fell quickly disappeared again from the lower ground. Nothing was seen for some time of the mutineers. It was supposed that they were living a savage life by themselves in the woods, unwilling to submit to the discipline to which they would have been subjected in the settlement. One day, however, when Captain Twopenny and several of the other gentlemen were starting on a shooting expedition, they caught sight of a man in the neighbouring wood, whence he had apparently been watching the settlement. As soon as he found that he was discovered he ran off, and disappeared before they were able to overtake him. This circumstance gave Harry some little anxiety, though, as it was known that the only arms the men possessed were their knives and an axe or two, they were not likely to prove formidable enemies. The probabilities were that the man only intended to steal into the village, and carry off any provisions on which he could lay his hands. Two or three days passed away; the cutter had just returned, after taking supplies to the shipbuilders, and had been hauled up for safety on the beach. Early in the morning the boatswain and several men went down, intending to go off in her in search of seals. She was not to be seen. They went up and down the shore, but not a trace of her could they discover. It was too evident that she had been carried away by the mutineers. This was confirmed on the following day, when the "Crusader's" boat, which had been repaired, arrived with the information that she had been seen passing down the sound early in the morning; but whether those in her intended to attempt a passage to New Zealand, or only to land on another part of the Aucklands, it was difficult to say. As, however, they could have had but a scanty supply of provisions, and little means of carrying water, it was most likely that they intended to land on the northern part of the island. Although the loss of the cutter was a very serious matter, still Harry felt that it was satisfactory to be relieved of the presence of such lawless characters. Captain Westerway sent word that he would either leave his own boat or build another of sufficient size to go in search of seals, the chief purpose for which she was required. At length the satisfactory intelligence arrived that the "Young Crusader" was ready for sea. It was now necessary to determine who should go in her, as she was unable to carry more than a sixth of the number. When Harry asked Mrs Morley what she wished to do, she replied, "My daughters and I are determined to remain, and watch over those who are entrusted to our care. When the schooner reaches New Zealand, a vessel will probably be sent to our assistance; until then we feel confident that He who has hitherto preserved us will keep us in safety. And what do you intend doing, Mr Shafto?" "My duty is clear. I will remain, for the same reason, Mrs Morley," he answered. "And Dr Davis desires also to stay with us; indeed, few, I believe, of the 'Ranger's' people wish to quit the island. I will, however, send young Dicey, with his brother and sisters, and he will apply to the senior officer on the station, who will probably send a man-of-war, or some other vessel, as soon as one can be despatched." The question was put to the various members of the community, "Whether or not they would desire to remain." "Remain! to be sure I will," exclaimed Mrs Rumbelow, when she was asked. "While the wife or child of one of the men of our regiment stops here, it's my duty to stay and look after them. And especially if the colonel's lady stays, do you think I would desert her, Mr Shafto? Her husband was like a father to the regiment, and I would as soon desert my own mother as her." The Diceys, however, and Mr Paget, as well as Tom Loftus and Jack Ivyleaf, resolved to sail in the "Young Crusader." Though Captain Westerway warned them that the voyage might prove boisterous, and not without danger, still Charles was anxious to reach the colony, that he might begin the life of a settler, and write home to relieve the anxiety of his family. The greater number of the emigrants, however, begged to remain, unwilling again to encounter the dangers of the sea, especially when they compared the size of the "Young Crusader" with that of the large ship which had brought them to the island. She had come up to the settlement in order to land such stores as could be spared, and to take others, as well as her intended passengers, on board. As Harry surveyed her, he was well pleased with her appearance. She was a stout little schooner of about 30 tons, and he felt satisfied to entrust his friends on board her, especially under the guidance of such experienced seamen as Captain Westerway and Bill Windy. _ |
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