CHAPTER XI.

Stranded.

When the ship stranded on the reef all on board were thrown from their feet, and the anguishing cries of the shipwrecked mingled with the creaking of the vessel and the roaring of the waves. The two boys found themselves in utter darkness in a corner of the cabin. w.i.l.l.y, 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 we had only all repented and atoned," groaned Peppo.

"Hear your people calling," said w.i.l.l.y.

"They are not baptized and will go to h.e.l.l. Shall we not try to baptize them? Come, quickly, let us try. If I could only find the door--here it is. Come, come."

w.i.l.l.y wished to make the effort with his little friend acting as interpreter and preacher, but scarcely had he and Peppo groped their way out of the cabin before they found themselves caught in a crowd of human beings, who screaming and howling at the top of their lungs, were making 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 water while great waves washed over the stern. All were crowding up the narrow gangway and soon with three hundred Chinaman on deck there was not an inch of s.p.a.ce not covered with water which was unoccupied. In their fear of death they climbed what was left of the rigging and hung there like monkeys calling upon Buddha and all the heathen G.o.ds for help and giving utterance to wild, maniacal shrieks. The boys would have been pushed overboard in this panic had it not been that they fell in with the Captain and helmsman who protected them as best they could.

"Tell your people," cried Green to Peppo, "that there is no need of this frightful, insane howling. We are so securely lodged that we cannot possibly sink, and the wreck will hold together until morning.

Five minutes ago when I saw that we were going to strike the reef, I wouldn't have given a pipeful of tobacco for all our lives." And the Captain said to w.i.l.l.y in a more friendly manner than he had ever spoken: "You prayed well, my little man."

"Will the first officer also be good to me?" asked w.i.l.l.y, happy to receive a kind word.

"h.e.l.lo, Redfox," cried Green, "we quite forgot you in this mad scramble," 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' we should forgive and be brothers. Here is my hand." The first officer refused the proffered hand, turning his back on the honest helmsman.

The night with its raging storm wore away; towards morning the moon showing itself in a rift in the clouds lighted the scene. Scarcely two ships' lengths away the sea thundered on the beach; farther out the waves, mountain-high, rolled in endless succession; to the right and left 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 it was under water.

"Truly it is a marvel that we struck this reef just in this particular place, instead of there where it breaks off so abruptly," said the Captain, "yet we are not in a fortunate position. We have been saved from sudden death, but in its place we shall have a lingering and perhaps more agonizing one. The ship is a total loss. The provisions in the stern are under water, and the nearest port is a thousand miles away."--Today the great island of Bougainville, on the east coast of which the "St. George" stranded, belongs to Germany, and now it is not so difficult for those who meet with misfortunes at sea to reach a German harbor, but at the time of my story the nearest ports were those of Australia and New Caledonia.--"How are three hundred Chinamen to live here for an indefinite length of time?"

The full light of day revealed the fact that the reef which was of great length was only a few feet wide and separated from the main land by an inlet of water. The first thing that the Captain did was to order the Chinamen to take what was left of the sails and build themselves tents; then he gave his attention to the question of the water 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," whispered Redfox to the Captain. "You and I and Gray, and a couple of the strongest of the young fellows will attempt the journey. Let Green and the boys stay here with the Chinamen until we bring help. Our plans will come out all right after all. The half million for which the ship is insured will be ours--and we shall be able to take it with a clear conscience, too."

"No, Redfox, enough of your machinations. I have resolved to turn over a new leaf, and to do good hereafter, that is, if there is any good left in me. We must fix up these people the best that we can with the wreckage of the ship, build a fort for them yonder on that little brook, and give them arms and provisions, then we will cast lots as to who is to go in the open boat to the nearest Australian port."

The Captain went on then with preparations for crossing to the island for drinking water and edible fruits. Unfortunately the powder and firearms were all under water, so that the men had to make the dangerous landing armed only with clubs and knives. The Captain led the party, taking with him four sailors, a dozen or more Chinamen, and small Peppo to act as interpreter. w.i.l.l.y would have gone gladly, but his 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 you as--as--"

"As certain people had planned it for you and others," the uncle finished the sentence of the faltering child. "Yes, pray that the old saying that 'He who digs a grave for another, himself falls therein,'

may not be fulfilled." Turning to Redfox, he asked: "Don't you want to go with me?"

The latter muttered something under his breath and slipped away. The Captain gave the signal and soon they were on the opposite sh.o.r.e. A group of natives came down to greet them, seemingly in friendly fashion, offered them fruit, and helped to roll the casks up on the beach; then all of a sudden with unearthly shrieks they fell upon them with their clubs. With difficulty the Captain and two sailors managed to get into the boat and across the inlet, to where their companions, pale with fear, stood shuddering to think of the awful fate of their comrades.

"Poor, poor Peppo," wailed w.i.l.l.y, "can't we help him? Will he be eaten up by the cannibals?"

Immediately there appeared on the sh.o.r.e whole troops of cannibals, and more poured out of the woods. Swinging their clubs and giving frightful war cries they challenged the intruders to do battle with them.

"Quickly, boatswain," said the Captain, "order the Chinaman to make a raft from the beams of the boat, and to arm themselves as best they can. We must force a landing and get some drinking water or we are lost. It we only had half a dozen guns and some ammunition.--Just listen to the cries of these men whom they are putting to death," said the 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 pa.s.sive, for Lihoa reminded them of the warning of the G.o.d of the Golden Fish not to engage in any strife.

"Leave the cowards to their fate," said Gray. "We'll take the single cask of water, the salted meat and hardtack which we fished out of the sea and get out of here tonight secretly."

The sailors to a man agreed to this plan, but as the boat would hold only six persons the thing could not be managed. The Captain offered to remain, and asked who was willing to stay with him. The helmsman was the only one to signify his willingness to stay; the rest preferred to settle the matter by drawing lots. According to this Redfox and Gray were to remain, so the Captain appointed Green to direct the boat to Australia.

"Green, you are the only man equal to the task, and I give my nephew into your keeping. The boy's life must be saved. The dangers which threaten you on this perilous trip are scarcely less than those which we face here. Perhaps on some neighboring island you can get drinking-water, perhaps you will fall in with some ship which will come to our rescue. If we are here a month, yes, a week, even, without drinking-water, what then? But as G.o.d wills. For my part I will willingly offer my life as a sacrifice in atonement for the past. May the 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, send him to Father Somazzo in Hongkong. If you cannot save us, come back and see that our bones receive decent Christian burial."

Thus spoke the Captain. The helmsman, who would willingly have stayed behind on the dreary reef, made ready for the trip and at midnight set sail with the ebb of the tide.

[1] NOTE.--What is told here and in the following chapter concerning the cannibals happened at the time that the "St. Paul" was wrecked on the Island of Rossel in July, 1858. Compare this account with the one found in Jos. Spillmann's story, called "Over the South Sea."

CHAPTER XII.

At Last.

Night had settled down. The Chinamen lay under their tents and listened to what Lihoa spoke: "So far we have avoided discord; from the sea we have been saved, and now surely the G.o.d of the Golden Fish will not let us perish from thirst. Within a few days it must rain; drinking-water will come to us from the heavens. Tonight, I understand, that the helmsman is to set sail for Australia in a small boat, and take the boy with him. That will never do. As you know the Captain and Redbeard are the helmsman's enemies and have conspired against his life. He will not come back to save them--he would be a fool if he did--but he loves the boy. Our only salvation lies in keeping the boy here with us; in holding him as a whiplash over the helmsman. Otherwise we are lost."

All nodded a.s.sent to Lihoa's words, but as they had no way of telling the Captain what they wanted, they decided that when the time came for the boat to sail they would forcibly detain w.i.l.l.y. Just here little Peppo, whom they thought dead, appeared in their midst. He and one sailor had escaped and swum across the little inlet. The cannibals had not killed them when they did their companions for some reason or other but had bound them with cords and left them on the sh.o.r.e. These cords they had managed to unfasten, and, protected by the darkness, had got away. While the sailor was telling his companions of his awful experience Lihoa told Peppo what to say to the Captain, and to add force to the words, the Chinamen in a body attended the small interpreter on his mission. Great was the noise and excitement following his announcement, but how could a handful of men oppose three hundred Chinaman? w.i.l.l.y was ready to stay behind.

"Tommy," he said to the helmsman, "leave me here with Peppo and my uncle. In the boat I'd only be in the way. I'll pray that you may return soon. Good luck to you. Be brave of heart, Tommy, and may your holy guardian angel watch over you."

Those embarking promised faithfully to come back or to send help as soon as possible, and parted with tears in their eyes. Tommy kissed w.i.l.l.y and said: "G.o.d knows that if I do not put my faith in your guardian angel there is little hope of ever seeing you again on this earth. Once more good-bye until we meet again. Pray for us all, little one."

Thereupon he sprang into the boat, and they were off. The moon was full and in its light they could be seen as they pa.s.sed through the opening in the reef. Again they called farewell and waved their handkerchiefs. The crew raised the sail and in a few moments the stiff breeze had carried the little boat beyond the tongue of land and out of sight. With hearts too full for utterance the men sat and wondered what the future would bring. If by chance the boat fell in with a merchant vessel--not a likely thing, as few vessels frequented this route--help might come soon, otherwise under the most favorable of circ.u.mstances they must wait for months for Green to go to Australia and come back.

In the crow's nest of the mast which was still standing they kept a constant watch in the hope of sighting a vessel and signalling of their distress. Day after day went by with no sign of help. Mercilessly the tropical sun burned down on the dreary sandbar. Scurvy broke out. The small amount of rations which they had, water-soaked biscuits and salted meats, increased their thirst, and to add to their distress the cannibals on the opposite sh.o.r.e mockingly showed them bunches of luscious bananas and other tropical fruits.

"Don't look there any more, w.i.l.l.y," said Peppo. "Those dreadful cannibals are only just showing us the fruit to tantalize us, and if we go after it we shall be murdered and eaten up the way I've told you about."

"But, Peppo, I think the thirst is just as bad as being killed,"

complained w.i.l.l.y, "I'd just as soon be killed as die of thirst."

"That's just what my people were saying today," answered Peppo. "Lihoa told them that they were to be patient a little longer, that the rain would surely come for he had seen unfailing signs. We will bear the thirst with patience for a little time yet. You know why I want them to hold out. I want to convert them. My poor countrymen!"

"Peppo! how came you to think of that?" said w.i.l.l.y, looking at his friend with open eyes.