Chasing the Sun Part 7

Our Highlander was particularly successful about this time with his gun.

The number of birds that he shot and stuffed was enormous. Whenever a calm prevailed, he took the light little Norse boat that had been purchased at Bergen, and went off to the nearest island with his gun.

On these occasions he was usually accompanied by Sam, whose love for sketching was quite equal to that of his companion for bird-shooting and stuffing. Fred, of course went to keep them company, and was wont to carry with him a rod, as well as a gun, for he was pa.s.sionately fond of fis.h.i.+ng. On these occasions, too, they took Hans Ericsson with them, to a.s.sist in rowing, and to pilot them when they felt inclined to leave the yacht out of sight behind.

One day they were out on an excursion of this kind, and had rowed towards the mainland, and up a fiord. Fred and Sam were reclining in the stern of the boat; the former smoking a meerschaum pipe, the latter making a drawing of a range of hills which were so rugged that the tops appeared like the teeth of a saw. Grant and Hans were rowing.

"Do you know what o'clock it was when we left the yacht?" inquired Fred.

"What o'clock?" echoed Sam; "no; well, let me see. We went to bed last night at five o'clock this morning."

"You mean that we turned in for our _night's rest_ at five this morning, I suppose," said Temple.

"My dear Fred," retorted Sam, "never mind what I mean; only attend to what I say. Don't be too particular. It's a bad habit being too particular. I once had a friend who was too particular in his attentions to a young lady, and the result was that he was obliged to marry her."

"Then, Sam," returned Temple, "I should say that the habit of being too particular is a good one, if it leads to such a good thing as marriage.

But to return to the point, what time of day or night do you think it is _now_?"

"Have not the least idea," said Sam; "I think it's some time or other in the evening, but this perpetual daylight confuses me. You know that when you and Grant were away last week after the gulls, I went to bed on Thursday forenoon at ten o'clock by mistake, thinking it was ten at night. How I ever came to do it I can't tell, but I suppose that I had sat so long stuffing that great eagle for Grant that my brains had got obfuscated. It was cloudy, too (not unlike what it is just now), so that I could not see the sun. Whatever was the cause, there is no doubt of the fact that I lost a day somehow, and my ideas have got such a twist that I fear they will never recover it."

"A most unfortunate state of things, truly," said Fred, laughing.

"Perhaps you'll recover when we return to low lat.i.tudes. If not, there are plenty lunatic asylums. But we must not spend more than a few hours longer on this excursion, for I've a notion that we are somewhere about Sat.u.r.day just now, and you know it's against our rules to run the risk of shooting or fis.h.i.+ng into Sunday."

"Very true," replied Sam, as he continued his sketch. "I say, Grant, do you happen to have your watch with you?"

"Not I," cried Grant from the bow of the boat. "Since day and night took to being the same I let it run down. I have no regard for time now."

"D'ye know what day it is?"

"No."

"Humph, it's lucky that we can depend upon the Captain for keeping us right in regard to Sunday. Well, let's go ash.o.r.e and try the mouth of yonder stream. I'll warrant me there are sea-trout there, perhaps salmon, and the ground hereabouts seems a likely place for grouse and ptarmigan. Pull hard, Hans, thou son of Eric, and shove the boat into yonder creek."

Hans Ericsson bent his strong back, and a bright smile crossed his sunburnt face as the head of the boat flew round.

"Hallo, Hans! steady, my lad!" cried Grant, giving his oar a pull that sent the head of the boat spinning round in the opposite direction.

Then the st.u.r.dy Norseman and the stalwart Scot gave a pull together with all their might, and sent the boat like an arrow into the creek, where, in a few seconds, her keel grated on the sh.o.r.e.

For several hours after that the three friends were busy with their favourite pursuits. Grant soon bagged several brace of grouse. Fred caught a basket of splendid sea-trout, some of which were over three pounds' weight, and a small salmon of about ten pounds; while Sam Sorrel sat down on a rock and painted an elaborate picture of the scenery. Of course their different occupations separated them from each other, but Hans kept close to Fred's elbow--for he had not only conceived a strong friends.h.i.+p for the young Englishman, but he was immensely delighted with fly-fis.h.i.+ng, which he had never before witnessed. The astonishment of Hans was great when he beheld heavy trout landed by means of a slender rod and an almost invisible line. But when Fred hooked the salmon the excitement of the Norseman knew no bounds. After nearly half an hour's playing of the fish, Fred drew it close to the bank, and told Hans to strike the gaff-hook into it, and lift it out of the water. Hans in his excitement missed his aim, and the terrified fish darted away. But Fred was prepared for this, and let out line. Soon he brought his fish once more to the side, exhausted and rolling over. Hans made a second attempt and was successful in landing the silvery salmon on the bank.

When they returned to the schooner after that excursion, Captain McNab was leaning over the side with a grim smile on his wooden countenance.

Bob Bowie was beside him with a beaming smile on his jolly red face.

"Good-day, Captain," cried Fred, as the boat drew near. "Well, Bowie, we're desperately hungry, I hope you've got supper ready for us."

"I've got breakfast, sir," replied the steward.

"Eh? ah! well, call it what you like, only let us have it soon." (They clambered up the side.) "Why, Captain, what day is it, and what time of day?"

"It's Friday mornin', sir, and eight o'clock."

Fred opened his eyes in astonishment.

"Why, then, comrades, it seems that we have been shooting, sketching, and fis.h.i.+ng all night by daylight, and the sun has set and risen again without our being aware of the fact! So much for perpetual day and a cloudy sky. Come, Bob Bowie, look alive with break--, ah! supper, I mean, for whatever it may be to you, it is supper to us. Meanwhile, I'll have a bathe to refresh me."

So our hardy adventurers bathed that morning, over the side, then they supped, after which they turned in and slept all day, and rose again at six o'clock in the evening to breakfast!

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A SUNDAY ON Sh.o.r.e.

Only once during their voyage along the rugged coast of Norway did our three friends go to church! It must not be supposed, however, that therefore they were heathens. Far from it. Fred and his companions were truly Christian men. That is to say, they not only called themselves Christians, but they made it their earnest aim to walk after the example of Christ, and to exhibit their Christianity by their deeds.

But only once during their trip had they the opportunity of visiting a church on a Sunday forenoon when service was going on.

It happened to be on a bright calm Sunday. There was just enough of wind to urge the _Snowflake_ through the water at the rate of two miles an hour. Fred's usual custom was to get to a secure anchorage on Sat.u.r.days, so as to be able to spend the Sabbath as a day of rest. But this was not always practicable, because the water was so deep close insh.o.r.e that no bottom could be found in many places, and often they were obliged to continue their voyage on Sunday. This, however, was a matter of small importance, because the working of the yacht required so little attention--especially in fine weather--that it did not interfere with the services or the rest of the day. Fred made a point of a.s.sembling the crew and reading the Church of England service every Sunday forenoon, and a chapter or two from the Bible in the evening.

On the present occasion they were all a.s.sembled on the quarterdeck joining in the morning service. The breeze was steady, and the steersman was the only man on duty, but he was not thereby prevented from attending to what was being read. The vessel was gliding along close under a precipice which towered high above the mast, and, at a short distance ahead, extended out in a bold promontory or headland.

Elsewhere mountainous islands hemmed them in.

When they reached the promontory Fred was reading that beautiful Psalm, the 95th,--which appeared somewhat appropriate to the occasion.

"O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and shew ourselves glad in Him with psalms.

"For the Lord is a great G.o.d, and a great King above all G.o.ds.

"In His hand are all the corners of the earth: and the strength of the hills is His also.

"The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands prepared the dry land.

"O come, let us wors.h.i.+p and fall down: and kneel before the Lord our Maker."

Fred happened to look up at the last words, and an exclamation of wonder broke from him as he pointed towards the sh.o.r.e. The schooner had just doubled the towering promontory, and a new scene had been suddenly opened up to view.

Just beyond the promontory the coast-line took an abrupt bend to the right, at the end of which was a sequestered little bay, with a beach of yellow sand, and a cl.u.s.ter of gra.s.sy mounds behind, of the brightest emerald green. The bay and the green mounds and the strip of yellow sand were all exceedingly small, and were surrounded by a ma.s.s of rugged rocks of a cold, whitish-grey colour. Beyond these were the great purple mountains of the mainland. Ahead and in front towered the islands of the coast. The whole of the surrounding scenery was wild, rugged, and barren. This one little spot alone was soft and lovely; it shone out like a bright jewel from its dark setting. All round the bay were cl.u.s.tering cottages, with white walls and red roofs,--some on the sides of the mounds, others perched on rocks that projected out into the sea. On the highest of these mounds stood a church, and in the bay floated a large Norwegian vessel and numerous small boats.

The promontory round which the _Snowflake_ had just pa.s.sed completely sheltered this bay, so that the water was like a sheet of gla.s.s, in which everything--boats, rocks, mounds, cottages, and church--was clearly reflected.

The church-bell was ringing. It was a small bell, and its sweet sound came floating softly over the sea to the ears of our voyagers like an old familiar hymn. The interest of this scene was further enhanced by the a.s.sembling of the people to church. Boats were seen pus.h.i.+ng off from every island, issuing from every creek, rowing over the calm water, and all converging towards the little bay with the yellow strand. Each boat was crowded with men, women, and children; and as the men wore red caps, and the women white kerchiefs on their heads, their appearance was quite brilliant. In other respects, their clothes being all homespun and of one dark colour, their aspect was sombre enough. So numerous were the boats, and so suddenly did they make their appearance, that it seemed as if the land were being invaded by a foreign host.

All this was taken in at a glance by the yacht party as they doubled the promontory, and glided slowly into the bay.

"This is our anchorage," said the Captain.

"Very well, let go the anchor, and we will finish the service after it is down," said Temple, rising and taking up the telescope to examine the groups of people on sh.o.r.e.

As each boat discharged its load on the little stone pier, the males and females separated into two distinct bands and walked slowly and sedately towards the church, at the door of which the whole congregation a.s.sembled, still keeping in two separate bands, to await the arrival of the clergyman.