Owen Hartley; or, Ups and Downs Part 21

The bearers taking up the dead body--for dead he was, there could be no doubt--hurried on to the hospital as directed. Such was the ending of the first mate of the "Druid," and such has been that of countless numbers of seamen who have given way to the terrible vice of drunkenness.

Owen returned on board with the captain. It was his last visit to the sh.o.r.e. Indeed, attractive as the country is in appearance, few would wish to visit that pestiferous region. The two frigates having been refitted, sailed together for a cruise through the Indian seas.

Captain Stanhope's orders were to visit Amboyna, several of the Molucca islands, Banda Neira, and other places which had been lately captured from the Dutch. The castle of Belgica, the chief fort of Banda Neira, had been taken in an especially gallant manner the year before by Captain Cole, of the frigate "Caroline," and Captain Kenah, of the "Barracouta" sloop. Landing at night, during a violent storm, accompanied by Lieutenant Lyons and several other officers, they made their way to the rear of the citadel. Though discovered, scrambling up by means of scaling ladders, they forced their way in, and in a few minutes became masters of the castle.

Very naturally the officers and crew of the "Sylvia" regretted that they had not been there to share in the honour of the achievement.

Some months pa.s.sed away in a satisfactory manner to Owen, as numerous places of interest were visited, especially the spice-producing islands, where he had an opportunity of seeing numberless objects of natural history. Birds of rare plumage, sh.e.l.ls of magnificent size, tinted with the most beautiful colours, as well as curious animals, such as were to be seen in no other region. Owen, who was a fair swimmer, took every opportunity, when the s.h.i.+ps were at anchor and bathing was possible, to improve himself in the art. Although others bathed with him, very few took as much pains as he did. His frequent companion on such occasions was John Langton, a master's mate, who, being older, was a superior swimmer, and seemed to take much pleasure in giving him instruction.

They did their best to induce others to join them, but very few would take the trouble to learn to swim.

"We never can tell what may happen," remarked Langton. "A time may come when you may earnestly wish that you had learnt to swim. A person who can do so may be the means of saving not only his own life but that of others."

It was necessary, however, to be very careful, as many places in these seas swarmed with sharks and other marine creatures. They had always to select some lagoon, cut off from the ocean, or to keep a bright look-out when swimming along the sh.o.r.e, and never to venture far out. Owen, though still inferior to Langton, soon became an expert swimmer.

Two mails had come out from England, which, according to Owen's calculations, might have brought him letters, but none arrived, and he began to fear those he had written home had been lost. Not that he was very anxious to leave the s.h.i.+p, as he had already succeeded in overcoming the prejudices of his messmates, and even the most ill-natured had to acknowledge that he was not a bad fellow, although he might be somewhat mean-spirited. John Langton had from the first stood his friend in a judicious way. He had not defended him in his presence when attacked, seeing how wisely Owen was conducting himself, but he had taken good care to speak in his favour when he was not present.

Langton was a quiet-mannered, somewhat silent young man, but those who knew him best were very sure that he was capable of daring and doing, should an opportunity occur, as much as any man, and Owen was naturally drawn towards him. For some time he was the only person in the mess with whom he had much conversation. By degrees Owen's messmates forgot that he had been a boy before the mast, and treated him as one of themselves. He thus found the position as pleasant as he could desire, until one day while the frigates were in harbour Reginald Ashurst made his appearance on board.

"I'm come to take up my berth among you again," he said to Langton. "I should be very well pleased if it were not for having that little upstart Hartley in our mess. I expected that he would have been sent home before this. I wonder why the captain was induced to retain him?"

"I should think because he finds him very well qualified for the duties he has to perform," answered Langton. "If you had seen as much of him as we have, I think that you would have no reason to find fault with him."

"Birds of a feather flock together," muttered Ashurst, as he turned away.

Langton heard the remark, but took no notice of it. Owen had again a good deal to endure from Ashurst, and his temper was sorely tried.

Often a retort rose to his lips, though he refrained from uttering it.

A month or more went by. The two frigates had come round to the northern end of Celebes.

Captain Stanhope sent the "Venus" on to Batavia, while the "Sylvia"

stood in for the port of Gorontello in the Bay of Tomonie, which place had been taken from the Dutch, and which was governed by a native prince who had declared his attachment to the British Government. Captain Stanhope's object was to communicate with the sultan, and to present him with some presents in order to retain his friends.h.i.+p. The frigate, however, had got within eight or ten miles from the port when it came on a perfect calm. Bringing the s.h.i.+p to an anchor the captain resolved to go on sh.o.r.e in the pinnace. He took with him Langton, Ashurst, and Owen, as also the purser, who went to purchase fresh provisions.

A small party of marines accompanied him to act as a guard of honour.

The frigate being to the southward of the port, the boat after a long pull reached Gorontello. The visit to the sultan was paid, and pa.s.sed off satisfactorily, although the ceremonies occupied a longer time than the captain had expected. The purser had purchased his stores, and got them on board. Some other delays occurred, so that it was late before the boat started to return to the frigate. A light wind was, however, blowing; sometimes it came from the northward and at others from off the land.

"If this wind holds we shall get down to the frigate in little more than an hour," observed Captain Stanhope to Langton.

Darkness in those lat.i.tudes, as is well-known, comes on very rapidly.

The sun had set, the boat was carrying all sail, when the wind came off the land, from which she was then about two miles distant. Whether the c.o.xswain had indulged in a gla.s.s of arrack on sh.o.r.e, or from some other cause, neither he nor any one else was keeping an eye to windward, as should have been done. Suddenly a squall struck the boat, and before the helm could be put down, or a sheet let go, over she heeled, and being already heavily laden with the fresh provisions, the water rushed in on the lee side, and she capsized. Providentially most of the provisions fell out of her, and her ballast consisting of water casks, instead of sinking, she floated keel upwards. The officers had previously taken off their swords, the marines let go their muskets, and nearly all hands, disentangling themselves from the rigging, got hold of the boat.

The captain, setting the example, climbed up on the keel, calling on his men to follow. All who could, did so. Two unfortunate marines, however, enc.u.mbered with their accoutrements, had remained under her.

Their cries for help were almost immediately stifled. Owen found himself seated next to Langton.

"Help! help!" cried a voice close astern. "I cannot swim, and am sinking."

"It is Ashurst," exclaimed Owen; "come and help him."

Owen and Langton immediately slipped into the water, and striking out quickly got up to where Ashurst was struggling.

"Keep quiet, and trust to us," said Langton, seizing him by one arm.

Owen grasped the other, and thus preventing him from clutching them, they towed him back to the boat; then telling him to hold fast while they climbed again on the keel, they hauled him up.

He was too much exhausted to speak, but he certainly made no attempt to express his thanks. A boat-hook and a couple of oars had been found floating close to the boat, and the men had placed them on the bottom.

Langton proposed to Owen to swim round and pick up others. They succeeded in finding three more, but the rest by that time had drifted out of sight. They returned with those they had regained, and resumed their seats.

The captain, on calling over the names of the crew, found that, besides the two marines who had been drowned under the boat, two of the men were missing. The position of those on the boat was now perilous in the extreme. The wind was increasing, and was drifting her further and further from the sh.o.r.e. Although it was possible that she might be seen in the morning by the frigate, before that time all on her, in all probability, would be washed off.

"We might get help from Gorontello, as there are several boats in the harbour," observed the captain; "but it is not likely that the accident was observed there, unless any one by chance has been watching us through a spy-gla.s.s."

"I am afraid there is very little hope of that," answered Langton.

"We must endeavour to hold on until the morning, when the frigate may discover us," said the captain. "Cheer up, my lads, many men have been in a worse condition than we are and have escaped."

The seamen cheered, to show that they were not down-hearted, and were ready as ever to obey their captain.

"If we had but some food, we might fare better," observed the purser.

"I think I see something floating near us now."

"I'll get it," cried Owen, slipping into the water and swimming towards it. The object proved to be a covered basket of fruit, which he towed back in triumph. It was hauled up and secured. The men cried out for some at once.

"Stay, my lads," said the captain, "none of you can be very hungry or thirsty as yet. By-and-by I will serve out a share to each man." The sailors acquiesced without a word. "I fear that we shall drift out to sea," observed Captain Stanhope, after a silence of some minutes.

"Although when we are missed Mr Leigh will certainly send boats in search of us, they will not know where to look. Could we by any means communicate with the sh.o.r.e, word might be sent along he coast, and those who are acquainted with the set of the current would easily know in what direction to pull."

"I might be able to swim to the sh.o.r.e, sir," said Langton, "but it is a long distance to go alone. Are any of you men good swimmers?"

No one answered. There was not a man who felt capable of accomplis.h.i.+ng the feat.

"If I may go with Langton I will, sir," exclaimed Owen. "I never have swum as much as two miles, but I know that I can keep in the water a long time, and I think I can do it."

The captain hesitated. "I accept Langton's offer, but I would rather that an older person than you are should go. Since I was wounded I have been unable to make any violent exertion, and I am very sure that I should be unable to accomplish half the distance."

"I would gladly have Hartley accompany me," said Langton. "I have often seen him take a long swim, and come in as fresh as he was at starting.

Every instant increases our distance from the sh.o.r.e."

"If you both feel confident that you can swim as far, I will no longer object," said the captain. "Before you go, however, take some of the fruit; it will refresh you, although it will not add much to your strength."

"Thank you, sir," exclaimed Owen, as if an especial favour had been granted him.

He and Langton each ate a small portion of the fruit, both offering up in the meantime an earnest prayer for protection.

"May Heaven preserve you, my lads," said the captain, as he shook their hands.

Having taken off their outer clothes, retaining only their drawers, socks, and s.h.i.+rts, they both together slipped into the water and struck out for the sh.o.r.e, which could still be dimly seen. Their companions cheered as they swam from the boat.

"We must not over-exert ourselves at first," said Langton, as Owen, putting forth all his strength, was shooting past him. "We shall both do it, please Heaven, but we must not be down-hearted although we appear to make but little way."

Owen, taking the advice, kept pace with Langton, who maintained a slow, steady stroke. They could hear the voices of their companions, who every now and then raised a cheer to encourage them. For some time the cheers sounded almost as distinct as those at first uttered.

"We can have got but a very short distance," remarked Owen.