Afloat and Ashore (32 page)

"I wish there were a thousand, as we are about to lift the deck from
the ship, and send them all into the air. Do you think they can
understand what I say, Miles?"

"The Dipper does, sir, when you speak slow and plain. He has only
half a notion of what you now mean, as I can see by his countenance."

"Does the rascal hear me, now?—is he anywhere near the
companion-way?"

"He does, and is—he is standing, at this moment, on the larboard side
of the companion-way, kneeling one knee, on the forward end of the
hen-coop."

"Miles"—said Marble, in a doubting sort of a voice.

"Mr. Marble—I hear what you say."

"Suppose—eh—lead through the companion-way—eh—what would happen
to
you?
"

"I should care little for that, sir, as I've made up my mind to be
murdered. But it would do no good, just now, and might do harm. I will
tell them, however, of your intention to blow them up, if you please;
perhaps
that
may make them a little shy."

Marble assented, and I set about the office, as well as I could. Most
of my communication had to be made by means of signs; but, in the end,
I succeeded in making the Dipper understand my meaning. By this man
the purport was told to Smudge, in terms. The old man listened with
grave attention, but the idea of being blown up produced no more
effect on him, than would have been produced by a message from home to
tell him that his chimney was on fire, supposing him to have possessed
such a civilized instrument of comfort. That he fully comprehended his
friend, I could see by the expression of his ourang-outang-looking
countenance. But fear was a passion that troubled him very little;
and, sooth to say, a man whose time was passed in a condition as
miserable as that in which he habitually dwelt, had no great reason to
set a very high value on his life. Yet, these miserable wretches never
commit suicide! That is a relief reserved rather for those who have
become satiated with human enjoyments, nine pampered sensualists dying
in this mode, for one poor wretch whose miseries have driven him to
despair.

I was astonished at seeing the intelligence that gleamed in the
baboon-like face of Smudge, as he listened to his friend's
words. Incredulity was the intellectual meaning in his eye, while
indifference seemed seated in his whole visage.

It was evident the threat had made no impression, and I managed to let
Marble understand as much, and that in terms which the Dipper could
not very well comprehend. I got no answer, a death-like stillness
reigning below decks, in lieu of the bustle that had so lately been
heard there. Smudge seemed struck with the change, and I observed he
was giving orders to two or three of the elder savages, apparently to
direct a greater degree of watchfulness. I confess to some uneasiness
myself, for expectation is an unpleasant guest, in a scene like that,
and more especially when accompanied by uncertainty.

Smudge now seemed to think it time to commence his operations in
earnest. Under the direction of the Dipper a quantity of line was
thrown into the yawl, studding-halyards, and such other rope of
convenient size as could be found in the launch, and the boat was
towed by two or three canoes to the island. Here the fellows made what
seamen call a "guess-warp," of their rope; fastening one end to a
tree, and paying out line, as the yawl was towed back again to the
ship. The Dipper's calculation proved to be sufficiently accurate, the
rope reaching from the vessel to the tree.

As soon as this feat was accomplished, and it was done with sufficient
readiness, though somewhat lubberly, twenty or thirty of the savages
clapped on the warp, until they had tautened it to as great a strain
as it would bear. After this they ceased pulling, and I observed a
search around the galley in quest of the cook's axe, evidently with a
design to cut the cables. I thought this a fact worth communicating to
Marble, and I resolved to do so at the risk of my life. "The Indians
have run a line to the island, and are about to cut the cables, no
doubt intending to warp the ship ashore; and that, too, at the very
spot where they once had the Sea-Otter."

"Ay, ay—let them go on; we'll be ready for them in time," was the
only answer I received.

I never knew whether to ascribe the apathy the savages manifested to
this communication, to a wish that the fact might be known to the
people below, or to indifference. They certainly proceeded in their
movements with just as much coolness as if they had the ship all to
themselves. They had six or eight canoes, and parties of them began
to move round the vessel, with precisely the same confidence as men
would do it in a friendly port. What most surprised me were the quiet
and submission to orders they observed. At length the axe was found
secreted in the bows of the launch, and Marble was apprised of the use
to which it was immediately applied, by the heavy blows that fell upon
the cables.

"Miles," said the chief-mate—"these blows go to my heart! Are the
blackguards really in earnest?"

"The larboard bower is gone, sir, and the blows you now hear are on
the starboard, which is already half in two—that finishes it; the
ship now hangs only by the warp."

"Is there any wind, boy?"

"Not a breath of it in the bay, though I can see a little ripple on
the water, outside."

"Is it rising or falling water, Miles?"

"The ebb is nearly done—they'll never be able to get the ship up on
the shelving rock where they had the Sea-Otter, until the water rises
ten or twelve feet."

"Thank God for that! I was afraid they might get her on that accursed
bed, and break her back at once."

"Is it of any importance to us, Mr. Marble? What hope can we have of
doing anything against such odds, and in our circumstances?"

"The odds I care nothing for, boy. My lads are screwed up so tight,
they'd lick the whole North-West Coast, if they could only get on deck
without having their fashion-pieces stove in. The circumstances, I
allow, must count for a great deal."

"The ship is moving fast towards the island—I see no hope for us,
Mr. Marble!"

"I say, Miles, it is worth some risk to try and save the craft—were
it not for fear of you, I would have played the rascals a trick half
an hour since."

"Never mind me, sir—it was my fault it has happened, and I ought to
suffer for it—do what duty and discretion tell you is best."

I waited a minute after this, in intense expectation, not knowing what
was to follow, when a report made me fancy for an instant some attempt
was making to blow up the deck. The wails and cries that succeeded,
however, soon let me into the real state of the case. A volley of
muskets had been fired from the cabin-windows, and every individual in
two canoes that were passing at the time, to the number of eleven,
were shot down like bullocks. Three were killed dead, and the
remainder received wounds that promised to be mortal. My life would
have been the instant sacrifice of this act, had it not been for the
stern authority of Smudge, who ordered my assailants off, with a
manner and tone that produced immediate compliance. It was clear I was
reserved for some peculiar fate.

Every man who could, rushed into the remaining canoes and the ship's
yawl, in order to pick up the killed and wounded, as soon as the
nature of the calamity was known. I watched them from the taffrail,
and soon ascertained that Marble was doing the same from the windows
below me. But the savages did not dare venture in a line with a fire
that had proved so fatal, and were compelled to wait until the ship
had moved sufficiently ahead to enable them to succour their friends,
without exposing their own lives. As this required some distance, as
well as time, the ship was not only left without a canoe, or boat of
any sort, in the water, but with only half her assailants on board of
her. Those who did remain, for want of means to attack any other
enemy, vented their spite on the ship, expending all their strength in
frantic efforts on the warp. The result was, that while they gave
great way to the vessel, they finally broke the line.

I was leaning on the wheel, with Smudge near me, when this accident
occurred. The tide was still running ebb, and with some strength; and
the ship was just entering the narrow passage between the island and
the point that formed one termination of the bay, heading, of course,
toward the tree to which the warp had been secured. It was an
impulsive feeling, rather than any reason, that made me give the
vessel a sheer with the helm, so as to send her directly through the
passage, instead of letting her strike the rocks. I had no eventual
hope in so doing, nor any other motive than the strong reluctance I
felt to have the good craft hit the bottom. Luckily, the Dipper was in
the canoes, and it was not an easy matter to follow the ship, under
the fire from her cabin-windows, had he understood the case, and been
disposed to do so. But, like all the rest in the canoes, he was busy
with his wounded friends, who were all carried off towards the
creek. This left me master of the ship's movements for five minutes,
and by that time she had drawn through the passage, and was actually
shooting out into the open ocean.

This was a novel, and in some respects an embarrassing situation. It
left a gleam of hope, but it was a hope without a direction, and
almost without an object. I could perceive that none of the savages on
board had any knowledge of the cause of our movement, unless they
might understand the action of the tide. They had expected the ship to
be run ashore at the tree; and here she was gliding into the ocean,
and was already clear of the passage. The effect was to produce a
panic, and fully one-half of those who had remained in the ship,
jumped overboard and began to swim for the island. I was momentarily
in hope all would take this course; but quite five-and-twenty
remained, more from necessity than choice, as I afterwards discovered,
for they did not know how to swim. Of this number was Smudge, who
probably still remained to secure his conquest. It struck me the
moment was favourable, and I went to the companion-way, and was about
to remove its fastenings, thinking the ship might be recovered during
the prevalence of the panic. But a severe blow, and a knife gleaming
in the hands of Smudge, admonished me of the necessity of greater
caution. The affair was not yet ended, nor was my captor a man as
easily disconcerted as I had incautiously supposed. Unpromising as he
seemed, this fellow had a spirit that fitted him for great
achievements, and which, under other circumstances, might have made
him a hero. He taught me the useful lesson of not judging of men
merely by their exteriors.

Court
—"Brother John Bates, is not that the morning which
breaks yonder?"
Bates
.—"I think it be; but we have no great cause to desire
the approach of day."
Will
.—"We see yonder the beginning of the day; but I think
we shall never see the end of it—"
Henry V.

The ship did not lose her steerage-way. As soon as past the point of
the island, a gentle southerly breeze was felt; and, acting on the
spars and hull, it enabled me, by putting the helm a little up, to
keep her head off shore, and thus increase her distance from the
bay. The set of the tide did more for her than the wind, it is true;
but the two, acting in unison, carried her away from the coast at a
rate that nearly equalled two knots in the hour. This was slow moving,
certainly, for a vessel in such a strait; but it would require fifteen
or twenty minutes for the canoes to return from the creek, and make
the circuit of the island by the other channel. By that time we should
be near half a mile at sea.

Smudge, beyond a question, understood that he was in a dilemma, though
totally ignorant of some of the leading difficulties of his case. It
was plain to me he could not comprehend why the ship took the
direction of the offing, for he had no conception of the power of the
rudder. Our tiller worked below, and it is possible this circumstance
mystified him, more small vessels in that day managing their helms
without the aid of the wheel, than with it. At length the movement of
the vessel became too palpable to admit of further delay; and this
savage approached me, with a drawn knife, and a manner that proved
natural affection had not been the motive of his previous
moderation. After flourishing his weapon fiercely before my eyes, and
pressing it most significantly, once or twice, against my breast, he
made signs for me to cause the ship to turn round and re-enter the
port. I thought my last moment had come, but naturally enough pointed
to the spars, giving my master to understand that the vessel was not
in her usual trim. I believe I was understood as to this part of my
excuses, it being too apparent that our masts and yards were not in
their usual places, for the fact to be overlooked even by a
savage. Smudge, however, saw that several of the sails were bent, and
he pointed to those, growling out his threats, should I refuse to set
them. The spanker, in particular, being near him, he took hold of it,
shook it, and ordered me to loosen it forthwith.

It is scarcely necessary to say, I obeyed this order with secret
joy. Casting loose the brails, I put the out-hauler in the hands of a
dozen of the savages, and set the example of pulling. In a minute we
had this sail spread, with the sheet a little eased off. I then led a
party forward, and got the fore and main stay-sails on the ship. To
these were added the mizen stay-sail, the only other piece of canvass
we could show, until the top-masts were fidded. The effect of these
four sails, however, was to add at least another knot to the way of
the ship, and to carry her out sooner to a point where she felt the
full force of the light breeze that was blowing from the
south-east. By the time the four sails were set, we were fully a
quarter of a mile from the island, every instant getting more fairly
into the true currents of the air.