CHAPTER XI.
Stranded.
When the ship stranded on the reef all on board were thrown from theirfeet, and the anguishing cries of the shipwrecked mingled with thecreaking of the vessel and the roaring of the waves. The two boysfound themselves in utter darkness in a corner of the cabin. Willy,the first to recover himself sufficiently to speak, said:
"Oh, Peppo, are you alive?"
"I thought the ship was sinking and that we were drowning. Oh, if wehad only all repented and atoned," groaned Peppo.
"Hear your people calling," said Willy.
"They are not baptized and will go to hell. Shall we not try tobaptize them? Come, quickly, let us try. If I could only find thedoor--here it is. Come, come."
Willy wished to make the effort with his little friend acting asinterpreter and preacher, but scarcely had he and Peppo groped theirway out of the cabin before they found themselves caught in a crowd ofhuman beings, who screaming and howling at the top of their lungs, weremaking their way from the steerage into which the water was streaming.The prow of the ship had struck the reef and was high above the waterwhile great waves washed over the stern. All were crowding up thenarrow gangway and soon with three hundred Chinaman on deck there wasnot an inch of space not covered with water which was unoccupied. Intheir fear of death they climbed what was left of the rigging and hungthere like monkeys calling upon Buddha and all the heathen gods forhelp and giving utterance to wild, maniacal shrieks. The boys wouldhave been pushed overboard in this panic had it not been that they fellin with the Captain and helmsman who protected them as best they could.
"Tell your people," cried Green to Peppo, "that there is no need ofthis frightful, insane howling. We are so securely lodged that wecannot possibly sink, and the wreck will hold together until morning.Five minutes ago when I saw that we were going to strike the reef, Iwouldn't have given a pipeful of tobacco for all our lives." And theCaptain said to Willy in a more friendly manner than he had everspoken: "You prayed well, my little man."
"Will the first officer also be good to me?" asked Willy, happy toreceive a kind word.
"Hello, Redfox," cried Green, "we quite forgot you in this madscramble," and the helmsman went to him and helped him along the deck."We are all in the same fix, and as Christians who pray 'Our Father' weshould forgive and be brothers. Here is my hand." The first officerrefused the proffered hand, turning his back on the honest helmsman.
The night with its raging storm wore away; towards morning the moonshowing itself in a rift in the clouds lighted the scene. Scarcely twoships' lengths away the sea thundered on the beach; farther out thewaves, mountain-high, rolled in endless succession; to the right andleft extended the reef like a wall, several meters above the water,except in one place it sank down so abruptly that even at low tide itwas under water.
"Truly it is a marvel that we struck this reef just in this particularplace, instead of there where it breaks off so abruptly," said theCaptain, "yet we are not in a fortunate position. We have been savedfrom sudden death, but in its place we shall have a lingering andperhaps more agonizing one. The ship is a total loss. The provisionsin the stern are under water, and the nearest port is a thousand milesaway."--Today the great island of Bougainville, on the east coast ofwhich the "St. George" stranded, belongs to Germany, and now it is notso difficult for those who meet with misfortunes at sea to reach aGerman harbor, but at the time of my story the nearest ports were thoseof Australia and New Caledonia.--"How are three hundred Chinamen tolive here for an indefinite length of time?"
The full light of day revealed the fact that the reef which was ofgreat length was only a few feet wide and separated from the main landby an inlet of water. The first thing that the Captain did was toorder the Chinamen to take what was left of the sails and buildthemselves tents; then he gave his attention to the question of thewater supply.
"We must cross to the main land and get some drinking water," he said,"for we have only one cask left."
"Just enough to last the big boat on its trip to Australia," whisperedRedfox to the Captain. "You and I and Gray, and a couple of thestrongest of the young fellows will attempt the journey. Let Green andthe boys stay here with the Chinamen until we bring help. Our planswill come out all right after all. The half million for which the shipis insured will be ours--and we shall be able to take it with a clearconscience, too."
"No, Redfox, enough of your machinations. I have resolved to turn overa new leaf, and to do good hereafter, that is, if there is any goodleft in me. We must fix up these people the best that we can with thewreckage of the ship, build a fort for them yonder on that littlebrook, and give them arms and provisions, then we will cast lots as towho is to go in the open boat to the nearest Australian port."
The Captain went on then with preparations for crossing to the islandfor drinking water and edible fruits. Unfortunately the powder andfirearms were all under water, so that the men had to make thedangerous landing armed only with clubs and knives. The Captain ledthe party, taking with him four sailors, a dozen or more Chinamen, andsmall Peppo to act as interpreter. Willy would have gone gladly, buthis uncle would not hear to his risking his life unnecessarily.
"I'll pray for you, uncle," said the boy, "that it won't go with youas--as--"
"As certain people had planned it for you and others," the unclefinished the sentence of the faltering child. "Yes, pray that the oldsaying that 'He who digs a grave for another, himself falls therein,'may not be fulfilled." Turning to Redfox, he asked: "Don't you want togo with me?"
The latter muttered something under his breath and slipped away. TheCaptain gave the signal and soon they were on the opposite shore. Agroup of natives came down to greet them, seemingly in friendlyfashion, offered them fruit, and helped to roll the casks up on thebeach; then all of a sudden with unearthly shrieks they fell upon themwith their clubs. With difficulty the Captain and two sailors managedto get into the boat and across the inlet, to where their companions,pale with fear, stood shuddering to think of the awful fate of theircomrades.
"Poor, poor Peppo," wailed Willy, "can't we help him? Will he be eatenup by the cannibals?"
Immediately there appeared on the shore whole troops of cannibals, andmore poured out of the woods. Swinging their clubs and givingfrightful war cries they challenged the intruders to do battle withthem.
"Quickly, boatswain," said the Captain, "order the Chinaman to make araft from the beams of the boat, and to arm themselves as best theycan. We must force a landing and get some drinking water or we arelost. It we only had half a dozen guns and some ammunition.--Justlisten to the cries of these men whom they are putting to death," saidthe Captain, turning his eyes away from the sickening sight. [1]
By means of signs the boatswain tried to incite the Chinamen to action.They understood perfectly well what was wanted but remained passive,for Lihoa reminded them of the warning of the God of the Golden Fishnot to engage in any strife.
"Leave the cowards to their fate," said Gray. "We'll take the singlecask of water, the salted meat and hardtack which we fished out of thesea and get out of here tonight secretly."
The sailors to a man agreed to this plan, but as the boat would holdonly six persons the thing could not be managed. The Captain offeredto remain, and asked who was willing to stay with him. The helmsmanwas the only one to signify his willingness to stay; the rest preferredto settle the matter by drawing lots. According to this Redfox andGray were to remain, so the Captain appointed Green to direct the boatto Australia.
"Green, you are the only man equal to the task, and I give my nephewinto your keeping. The boy's life must be saved. The dangers whichthreaten you on this perilous trip are scarcely less than those whichwe face here. Perhaps on some neighboring island you can getdrinking-water, perhaps you will fall in with some ship which will cometo our rescue. If we are here a month, yes, a week, even, withoutdrinking-water, what then? But as God wills. For my part I willwillingly offer m
y life as a sacrifice in atonement for the past. Maythe best of fortune favor you, and may you save the life of my nephew.The insurance on this boat all goes to him; and if you rescue him, sendhim to Father Somazzo in Hongkong. If you cannot save us, come backand see that our bones receive decent Christian burial."
Thus spoke the Captain. The helmsman, who would willingly have stayedbehind on the dreary reef, made ready for the trip and at midnight setsail with the ebb of the tide.
[1] NOTE.--What is told here and in the following chapter concerningthe cannibals happened at the time that the "St. Paul" was wrecked onthe Island of Rossel in July, 1858. Compare this account with the onefound in Jos. Spillmann's story, called "Over the South Sea."