CHAPTER III.
OFF TO DARIEN.
Five ships, not one of them really fit for the long and perilousvoyage, composed the expedition, and they looked gay enough as,bedecked with flags and crowded with excited people, they swung attheir moorings ready for departure.
The heart of Scotland beat high with hope. It was her first attempt atfounding a colony, although her sons had done so much to help in thefounding of English colonies, and now all the glory and the gold to bewon in the new world would be hers, and hers alone: no other nationshould have any share in them.
Donalblane felt something of this patriotic enthusiasm stirring hisyoung heart. He was not wholly selfish in his desire to be a member ofthe expedition. Of course, his head was full of wild dreams of whatwonders he would see, and the great things he would do in his owninterest. But above it all rose a national pride that did him credit.He was a Scot to the backbone; and whether he realised all his ownexpectations or not he was passionately eager that the great schemeitself should be accomplished, and that his country should take a proudplace among the nations.
His uncle, having bidden him good-bye and God-speed, had returned tothe quay, and Donalblane, leaning over the bulwarks, was waitingsomewhat impatiently for the anchor to be hoisted and the sails set,when a hand was laid gently on his shoulder, and a deep voice said in akindly tone, "Beginning to feel a little homesick already, lad?"
Looking up quickly, Donald found beside him the master-spirit of theenterprise, William Paterson, to whom he had been once introduced inhis uncle's office.
"Na, na, sir!" was his prompt, respectful reply; "I'm wearying to beoff. Will the ships be ganging soon, sir?" and he fixed his big greyeyes upon Mr. Paterson's face.
"Oh! is that the way the wind lies?" was the response, as the great mansmiled approvingly at the boy, for he was much pleased with his spirit."You are eager for adventure, eh? Well, my lad, you are likely to haveyour fill of it." And his handsome countenance clouded as he spoke,for the execution of his scheme had been marked by many disappointmentswhich boded no good for its ultimate success. By his frank, honest wayand earnest efforts to do what was best for the interests of theexpedition, not for the profit of those supplying the outfit, he hadaroused the hostility of many who had not hesitated to plot againsthim, with the result that latterly he had been practically set aside,and had been compelled to witness gross imposition and fraud which hewas powerless to prevent. No wonder, then, that his downcast facepresented a striking contrast to that of the enthusiastic boy as theystood on the deck together; and, influenced by the other's contagiousconfidence, he brightened a little before continuing. "We can hardlyfail to have adventures, for it is a new world we are going to, wheresavages, and, worse than savages, the cruel, grasping Spaniards, arealready, and we shall have to reckon with them before we can succeed inour scheme. But with the providence of God protecting us, we shallsucceed," and his voice took on a triumphant tone that revealed hisfaith in the Divine approval of his project. "Be careful what friendsyou make on board here," he added, once more laying his hand upon theboy's shoulder. "There are many to be shunned, and remember that, foryour uncle's sake and your own, I shall always be glad to be of suchservice to you as may be in my power." And ere Donald could get outhis thanks, Mr. Paterson hastened away to speak to one who had justcome on board.
The interview had been a short one, but it made a deep impression uponDonald. That the great man of whom his uncle and the dominie alwaysspoke in such terms of admiration should address him so graciously,touched the lad to the core, and from that moment he was ready to yieldto Mr. Paterson the same passionate devotion that the Highland clansmenused to hold for their chieftain.
At last, amid fluttering of flags, booming of cannon, and solemnoffering of prayer, the ships weighed anchor and, with all sails set,stood out to sea, the favouring breeze taking them in a few hours wellout of the sheltered Firth of Forth into the exposed expanse of theNorth Sea.
They had not long been tumbling about amongst ever-troubled waters whenDonalblane, in common with very many of his shipmates on the _BonnieScotland_, had a new experience. Hitherto his personal acquaintancewith the sea had been limited to short trips between Leith andneighbouring ports, and now for the first time he was out of sight ofland and entirely at the mercy of wind and wave. An old salt wouldhave called the wind before which the ships of the expedition bowledsouthward just "a fresh breeze," but Donalblane thought it a gale, andthe _Bonnie Scotland_ had not long been pitching and tossing in livelyfashion before something began to go wrong inside of him, making himfeel so uncomfortable that he was fain to leave the quarter-deck, wherehe had been enjoying himself, and to seek a snug corner in which hecould curl up unnoticed. By the end of an hour he was completelyovercome, and if Mr. Paterson had happened along then with hisquestion, he certainly would not have received so prompt and resolute aresponse. Not one day's illness had Donald known in the whole courseof his life, and this misery of sea-sickness made him as angry withhimself as was possible in his prostrate condition.
As the ships got down towards the English Channel they tumbled aboutmore than ever, until the poor boy began to think he was really goingto die, and heartily wished himself back upon solid ground. But oncethey were out in the Atlantic matters improved. Fine, bright weathersucceeded, the vessels moved steadily along before a favouring wind,and Donald was soon established on his sea-legs.
He now had a chance to become acquainted with some of hisfellow-passengers, the majority of whom had shared his sufferings.They were certainly a very mixed company of men, women, and children.Highlanders and lowlanders, peers and peasantry, grave ministers andgay scapegraces, shaggy shepherds from the hills, and bronzedsailor-men from the coast--a motley throng indeed, the members of whichDonald studied with keen interest, for he had a sociable nature, butbore in mind the good advice given him by Mr. Paterson in regard tomaking acquaintances.
As it fell out, his first friend was won in a decidedly dramaticfashion. Among the occupants of the first cabin was a gentleman byname Henry Sutherland, whose wife and child, a beautiful boy of fouryears, accompanied him. Donald was greatly attracted by the child, andanxious to make friends with him, but had no opportunity, until one daya startling thing happened.
It was fine and warm, and the little fellow was playing happily aboutthe quarter-deck near his mother, when a sprig of the nobility, theHon. Hector Simpson, who had been sent out by his family in the hope ofimproving his habits, sauntered along, and, moved by a spirit ofmischief, picked up the child, and held him over the bulwarks, sayingteasingly, "How would you like to go and play with the fishes?" Themother screamed and started forward, and the child, terrified on hisown account, gave so sudden and violent a wrench as to free himselffrom his tormentor's grasp and fall into the sea, leaving a portion ofhis dress in the latter's hands. Appalled by the utterly unexpectedoutcome of his foolish act, and unable to atone for it by springingafter the child, for he could not swim a stroke, the Hon. Hector joinedhis shouts for help with the shrieks of the frenzied mother.
At that moment Donalblane was leaning over the bulwarks near by andfeeling very lonely. He longed for friendly companionship, but wasbashful about breaking the ice with any of those to whom he felt drawn,and so far no one, save Mr. Paterson, who always had a pleasant smileand kindly word for him, had taken any particular notice of him.
Now Donald was a strong, expert swimmer. He had dared the depths ofmany a dark loch before he left his native mountains for the coast, andat Leith he had always been one of the first to take a dip in thespring, and one of the last to give it up in the autumn. Without aquestion of fear, therefore, but thinking only of the pretty boy inperil of death, he threw off his coat and leaped over the bulwarks intothe heaving waters. Happily the little one was still afloat whenDonald's powerful strokes brought him within reach.
"There now, dearie, I've got you all safe! Dinna fear; ye'll no'droon. Keep still and ye'll be a' richt," panted Donal
d, as he put hisleft arm about the terror-stricken child.
Whether the little fellow really understood or was paralysed by frighthe certainly obeyed. And well was it for them both that he did, forhaving cleared the brine from his eyes and got a good look at the_Bonnie Scotland_, Donald realised with a sinking of heart that manyminutes must elapse before they could be rescued. The ship had alreadybeen brought up into the wind, and efforts were being made to lower aboat; but in the meantime his helpless burden was becoming heavier andheavier.