CHAPTER IX
A Daring Rescue
"What is it?" asked Joe, as he hurriedly slipped on his clothing.
"Beyond me," Bob answered. "Come on. Let's go out on deck. We may beable to find out."
The ship was rocking terribly, and the boys found it difficult to keeptheir footing. But they finally managed to catch hold of a rail, andfrom then on it was easier.
Several other passengers were up also, intent upon investigating thestrange whistle.
"Maybe the boat's sinking," suggested Joe.
Bob shook his head.
"Probably isn't that. At least let's hope not."
With beating hearts the youths came up to the glass and turned to lookout at the angry sea. Then their expression changed.
A short distance from the _Empire_ was a small fishing schooner, itsprow out of sight in the water. On the stern stood a score or moremen, waving their arms frantically. It was evident that they werepanic-stricken, for several of them occasionally shouted for help. Thelittle boat tossed about violently on the crest of the mountainouswaves, her front deck gradually fading from view. Every minute itseemed that the end would come.
"It's sinking fast!" cried Joe. "Why don't some of our crew dosomething?"
"They are. Look."
Farther up on the _Empire's_ deck fifteen or twenty men, under thedirection of officers, were busy lowering lifeboats, although itlooked out of reason to let them down on that sea.
Suddenly Bob turned and started toward his berth.
"Where you going?" Joe asked.
"To get the motion-picture camera. Here'll be a good chance to takesome pictures. There's plenty of light around here."
The next moment he was gone, and Joe turned to the deck.
The roar of the storm was deafening, and the wind howled ruefullythrough the funnels and masts. It was as though the end of the worldwere coming.
In less than five minutes two lifeboats were lowered, four or five menin each one. Then slowly they made their way toward the doomedschooner.
Bob now returned with the movie camera and cranked away, delighted toget an opportunity to film such an unusual happening.
The boys, however, were not the only ones to watch the daring attemptat rescue. In fact the glass was now crowded with people, and Mr.Holton, Mr. Lewis, and Professor Bigelow came up and wormed their wayto their companions.
"Most thrilling thing I ever saw!" exclaimed Mr. Holton, as hebreathlessly directed his gaze at the puny boats, which wallowedheavily and threatened to be swamped at every moment.
On and on went the rescue boats, their occupants bailing furiously.Now and then they threatened to capsize but always righted themselves.
In what seemed to be a long period of suspense to the spectators, the_Empire's_ crew reached the fishing schooner, which was now far underwater.
One by one the fishermen climbed into the lifeboats, although it wasnecessary to give sharp commands to prevent disorder.
When the last of the men from the doomed boat stepped into thelifeboats, the officer in charge gave the word, and they started backto the _Empire_.
The return trip threatened to be more perilous, for the boats werevery low in the water with the added load. Hurriedly the oarsmen setto work, so that they might be a good distance from the schooner whenit sank, for a whirlpool would be created, meaning certain disaster toall around it.
Once a giant wave passed over the little boats and they disappearedfrom view, amid gasps from the spectators. But the danger was soonover, and the lifeboats emerged unharmed, the crewmen bailing rapidly.
They were barely at the _Empire's_ side when the schooner sank. With alast look at the scene of disaster, the fishermen boarded the ship.They were water-soaked and shivering with cold, but were too glad thatthey had been saved from the hungry depths of the sea to make anycomplaints.
"They're Portuguese," observed Professor Bigelow, as the fishermencame nearer.
The men muttered several words of thanks to the _Empire's_ crew, butit was clear that few understood them. Professor Bigelow, however,picked up the meaning at once and translated to his companions. Mr.Holton and Mr. Lewis had a slight knowledge of that language, butcould not keep up with the excited men.
"The captain says it's too bad they had to lose the schooner,"Professor Bigelow said. "He said they did their best to save it fromgoing down, but had to give up. They did not intend to be this far atsea, but the storm gave them no chance of turning back."
In a short time the excitement was over, and most of the passengersagain retired, for the next morning they were to sight the WestIndies.
Bob was overjoyed at the success he had had in taking the movies ofthe rescue and knew they would be a hit with the Neuman FilmCorporation. They were the first of any importance that had been takenon the ship, and, as Joe said, a little action now and then does a lotto liven up a thing.
The next morning the storm had completely subsided, and true toschedule the _Empire_ sighted Porto Rico. There was a scramble ofpassengers who had reached their destination.
"Probably think they'll be carried on," smiled Bob, as a rathernervous man fled down the stairs.
At first the shoreline was so dim as to be hardly distinguishable fromthe low clouds, but it gradually grew more plain. At last trees andhouses could be made out, and then the skyline of San Juan loomed upin the distance.
"Looks like a city," remarked Joe.
"It is," his father replied. "Has over eighty-five thousandinhabitants."
"Will we have time to go ashore?" asked Bob.
"Yes. The ship remains in port for about three hours," Mr. Holtonanswered.
As the _Empire_ approached the city, she backed her engines and movedslowly into port, where a small crowd of people were massed to givegreeting.
Several other boats, large and small, were anchored at the busy docks,and the _Empire_ steamed in between two freighters, one of which wasbeing loaded with sugar.
"Sugar is one of the principal exports," explained Professor Bigelow,as the exploration party prepared to leave the ship on a tour of thecity.
As soon as they were in port, the gangplank was lowered. Theadventurers made their way down, among a score of other passengers,many of whom were to leave the ship here.
Bob and Joe were at once impressed by the native residents, for therewas a great variety of races. Spaniards were the most numerous, butthere were also Negroes, mulattoes, French, Americans, and a smallsprinkling of Indians.
"Quite a variety," commented Joe. "Though it is possible to see thisvery thing in parts of New York."
The explorers found that it would be comparatively easy to walk tovarious places of interest, and, after passing the formergovernor-general's palace, they resolved to take in as much of thecity as they could in two hours.
They found that the city was built on Morro Island, although themainland could be easily reached by the numerous bridges. The streetswere regularly laid out, and in the white quarters the residences wererather attractive.
"Doesn't look much like America, though," said Joe.
The exploration party reached the _Empire_ with thirty minutes tospare, and they took chairs on deck to watch the busy dock below.
All too soon the whistle of leaving blew, and visitors scrambled downthe gangplank. Then, with one long blast the ship slowly steamed outto sea, leaving Porto Rico behind.
At last they were on the final stretch. There would be no more stopstill they reached South America. Then only short stays at Paramariboand Cayenne, which were important seaport cities about two hundredmiles apart.
"How long will it be until we again see land?" asked Bob, as he andthe others sat on deck.
"Two days," replied his father. "No doubt that they'll seem like along time, too."
And they did. Bob and Joe were no more vexed than the others, however,for the men were also anxious to get started into the unknown. Butwhen at last they did sight South America they forgot the past andlooked into the fut
ure.
The boys, with their cameras in hand, were the first to reach theprow. They were closely followed by their fathers and the professor,who also crowded in for a first view.
At first, land was only a speck far out on the horizon. Then onlygradually did it take on form and color.
"We're nearing Paramaribo," pronounced Mr. Holton, as he made out theoutline of the city.
"What country is it in?" asked Joe.
"Dutch Guiana," the professor answered. "One of the smallest nationsin South America."
The _Empire_ steamed into a port nearly as busy as that of San Juan,although most of the boats were small.
For a second time the gangplank was lowered, and as the explorers hada half-hour to spare, they started on a short walking trip of thecity.
"Quite a bit different from San Juan," said Bob, as he noted that manyof the people were native Indians.
The others nodded. None of them had been here before, and theynaturally took a great interest in these unusual surroundings. In factProfessor Bigelow was the only one who had ever seen South Americabefore, but this did not lessen his enthusiasm.
The streets were, for the most part, narrow and straight, cutting oneanother at right angles. The party was surprised to find the housesextremely low, hardly any of them exceeding two stories. Some werebuilt of brick, but most were of cane plastered with mud.
Several minutes were spent in rambling over the various quarters ofthe city. Then they went back to the ship, which was now nearly readyto sail.
"South America is all right to visit," remarked Joe, "but I don'tthink I'd care to live here."
The others agreed with him.
"And yet," said Professor Bigelow, "there are a number of cities thatare very well developed. Take Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, forinstance. They are large, clean, and well kept. A street in BuenosAires looks very much like a street in the United States."
Soon the _Empire_ was off, having unloaded a large cargo of Americangoods. Several passengers also took their leave here.
From then on the scientific party was restless and eager to getstarted into the unknown. As one nears his goal, he nearly alwaysfinds it hard to wait through the last few stretches. Bob and Joeespecially were excited, for it was their first adventure. Theirhearts throbbed as they eagerly anticipated the coming days.
That evening they arrived in Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana,and, as before, took a short trip about the city. It was much the sameas Paramaribo, however, and they were glad to board the _Empire_ againfor the last leg of the long journey.
It was about six hundred miles to Macapa, the _Empire's_ destination,and the party settled back in anticipation.
Neither of the boys did anything of importance. They were tooenthusiastic over the coming great adventure.
"Let's take it easy on deck," suggested Bob, and they arranged chairsfor all of the party that cared to rest.
"There's nothing like enjoying the spell of the ocean," remarked Mr.Holton.
A few days later Captain Crowell announced that they were sailing upthe mighty Amazon, and the explorers were thrilled to the bone. TheAmazon! At last one of their strongest ambitions had been fulfilled.Bob and Joe were overjoyous, for they had had a strong desire to seethis great water system.
"Doesn't look like a river to me," said Joe as he tried in vain to seethe shore.
"Over a hundred miles wide at the delta," said Bob. "It's the greatestriver system in the world."
For several hours they steamed on up the great river, past smallsettlements, plantations, and green islands. Occasionally they wouldget a glimpse of beautiful wild vegetation, and their hearts wouldbeat fast. Then, almost without knowing it, they came to Macapa.
There was a fairly good port, and the vessel took her place betweentwo small river steamers. The long ocean voyage had come to an end.