Ben Burton: Born and Bred at Sea

  CHAPTER SIX.

  The two gunboats, "Bam" and "Boo," had been a source of anxiety to ourCaptain, ever since they came into our possession, and fears wereentertained, should another gale come on, that they might share the fateof the unfortunate "Zel". Their young commanders were ready to goanywhere in them, but it seemed very unlikely, should they make theattempt, that they would ever reach Canton, to which we were soon aboutto return. They were condemned therefore to be destroyed. They werebeautiful looking craft, but were too likely to prove what the ten-gunbrigs of those days often did--coffins for their living crews.Accordingly, all their stores being taken out of them, their crews setthem on fire and returned to the frigates. I remember well seeing themblaze away and at length blow up, at which I clapped my hands, havingsome idea that they were fireworks let off expressly for my amusement.The frigates' damages being now repaired, a course was steered for thenorth. Being greatly in want of water, we put into another harbour onthe coast where it was known that no Spanish settlement existed. Thewatering parties from our frigates proceeded to the shore, making sixboats in all, the men being well armed. They ought properly to haveremained for each other, but our boats came off first, leaving the"Zephyr's" to follow. Casks were being hoisted up, when the officers,through their glasses, perceived several men running down to the beach,making signals that an enemy was coming. Instantly all the remainingboats were manned, and away they pulled to the support of those onshore, led by the two Captains. There was no time to be lost, for asthey approached the shore they saw our men defending themselves againsta vast number of enemies. The natives, as the boats approached, took toflight, but it was evident that the number of our people was greatlydiminished. The officer commanding the watering party was alive, thoughhe had with difficulty escaped from the enemy, but two poor fellows laydead upon the beach, and a third was desperately wounded, and wasevidently dying. No less than nine had been carried off as prisoners.Our pilot, Mr Noalles, having accompanied the party, now proceeded withCaptain Masterman and a very strong body in search of the natives.These, however, had fled at their approach. At length our party cameupon a hut, in which a man was found who appeared by his dress and airto be of some consequence. He was lame from a wound, and had beenunable to make his escape. Mr Noalles explained to him that we were insearch of our men, and demanded their instant release. He was told thatunless they were delivered up, their village would be destroyed, andtheir corn cut down. He promised to use his influence with hiscountrymen, and as our people retired to a distance, one or two personswere seen to enter his hut. After waiting, however, a considerabletime, no one approached. Again the chief was appealed to, but hedeclared that he had no power in the place. At length Captain Mastermandirected his followers to set the village on fire, while our men rushedinto the corn fields, and in a short time made a clean sweep of severalacres. Whether or not it was a wise proceeding, I think, is doubtful,for it was too probable that the natives would either kill theirprisoners in revenge, or else make them labour as slaves to repay themfor the damage they had received. This work being accomplished, thefrigates got under weigh, the Captains intending to call off a placefarther to the north where the Malay chief of the island resided, forthe purpose of making him exert his influence for the recovery of themissing men. We were not very far from the latitude where theunfortunate "Zel" had foundered. Our people very naturally talked oftheir lost shipmates, and especially of young Mr Oliver, who, as Isaid, was a great favourite with all of them. My father especiallylooked on him with much affection, having saved his life once, seemed toregard him almost in the light of a son. We had had a fair wind all themorning, when suddenly it shifted round to the northward, and a suddensquall very nearly took the masts out of the two frigates. As it wasimpossible to say from what direction the breeze would next come, wecontinued standing off the land towards the town of Palawan. The windhad moderated, though it still blew strong, and we continued standing tothe west, when a small island was sighted on the weather bow. As wedrew in with it, Pat Brady, who was one of the look-outs, declared hesaw a signal flying from the highest point in sight. I speak of it asan island--it seemed to be little more than a large rock--and the peakof which Brady spoke was forty or fifty feet or so out of the water.The ships' companies had been grumbling considerably at being delayed,as they were anxious to get back to Canton, where, it was hoped, weshould receive orders to convoy the homeward-bound merchant fleet. Themidshipman of the watch having reported what Pat Brady had seen, afterwe had run on some distance, the ship was hove to, and the glasses beingdirected in that direction, a man was made out waving apparently a shirtfrom the rock. A boat accordingly was instantly lowered and pulledtowards it. The man kept his post for some time as the boat approached,making signals to those in her to pull round rather farther to thewestward, as the surf beating on that side of the rock would preventtheir landing. As the boat's head was once more put off the shore themen caught sight of the person on the rock. Pat Brady, who formed oneof the boat's crew, looked up at him with a glance of astonishment.

  "I say, Jem," he exclaimed to the man next him, "either that's MrOliver or his ghost, as sure as my name is Pat Brady."

  "It's his ghost," was the answer, "for there is no doubt the gunboatwent down a week ago; and it's not likely he or any other man could haveswum out of her."

  "By my faith, then," answered Brady, "it must be his ghost; and sureenough he is more like a ghost than anything else."

  As they were speaking, the figure disappeared from the summit of therock.

  "I told you so," said Brady, "depend on it, when we land, we may huntabout till doomsday, and we shall never find mortal man on this rock."These remarks were overheard by the other men, who seemed to agree verymuch with the opinions of the speakers.

  "He is fathoms deep down beneath the water, depend on that," observedanother; "we shall never see young Mr Oliver with our mortal eyesagain."

  At length Mr Martin, the Second-Lieutenant, who had gone in command ofthe boat, overheard the remarks of the men. He, however, from beingsomewhat near-sighted, had not observed any likeness in the figure onthe rock to his lost shipmate. "Mr Oliver, do you think he is? I onlyhope so."

  "No, sir, we don't think it's Mr Oliver; but we think it is his ghost,"blurted out Pat Brady; "and as to finding him, there's little chance weshall have to do that."

  "We will have a look for him at all events," answered Mr Martin. "Giveway, lads, I see the place he pointed out to us; and if he is a ghost,at all events he has an eye for a good landing-place."

  The boat accordingly pulled in, and a small bay was found where the mencould land with perfect ease. No one, however, was to be seen, and thisconfirmed the opinions the seamen had expressed. The island was ratherlarger than it appeared from the sea, and Mr Martin, leaving a coupleof men in charge of the boat, proceeded with the rest inland. Theylooked about in all directions, and yet no human being could theydiscover. He at length began almost to fancy that they must have beendeceived by some means or other, and yet he was certain that the figurehe had observed at the top of the rock was that of a human being. Ishould have said that when the boat was lowered a bottle of water and aflask of spirits, with a small quantity of food, had also been put intoher. This the men carried, it being supposed probable that the personon the rock would be suffering from hunger and thirst.

  "It's of no use," observed Pat to one of his companions. "I knew it wasa ghost from the beginning, or may be just the devil in a man's shape totry and draw the ship in to get her cast away. We none of us know whattricks he can play."

  At length the men began to be positively uneasy, and to wish theirofficer to return. Mr Martin, however, had determined to examine theisland thoroughly, before he gave up the search, being perfectlyconvinced that he had seen a man on the rock, though why he hadafterwards hidden himself was unaccountable.

  The distance by water from the rock was, in consequence of the shape ofthe shore, considerably less
than by land, and this might have accountedfor their getting there before the person they had seen, but some otherreason had now to be found for his not appearing. The more level partof the land had been passed over. No signs of water had beendiscovered.

  "Ah, poor fellow!" exclaimed Mr Martin, "he must, at all events, havesuffered greatly for want of that."

  They now got near to the foot of the rock, on the top of which the manhad been seen. All the sides appeared inaccessible, and it wasunaccountable how he could have got up there. This further confirmedthe men in the idea that they had beheld a ghost or spirit of some sort.Never, perhaps, before had their officer found greater difficulty ingetting them to follow him. They would have done so ten times morewillingly against an enemy greatly outnumbering them, with the muzzlesof half-a-dozen guns pointed in their faces besides. Mr Martincontinued to push on. At length he came to a rock in which was a smallrecess. Beckoning with his hand to his men, he hurried on, and there hesaw, seated on the ground, the person of whom he had been in search,with a boy apparently in the last stage of exhaustion in his arms. Hehimself was unable to speak, but he pointed to the boy's mouth, and thento his own. Mr Martin understood the signs, and shouted to the men tocome on with the provisions. Even then he could scarcely recognise thefeatures of Harry Oliver, or of the young midshipman by his side, sofearfully had famine and exhaustion told on them. The men were soongathered round the sufferers. Before Mr Oliver would take any of thespirits and water brought to him, he watched to see a few drops poureddown the throat of his companion. The effect was almost instantaneous.His eyes, already glazing, it seemed in death, recovered a portion oftheir brightness, and a slight colour returned to his deadly palecheeks. A moderate draught of the same mixture greatly restored theyoung officer, but he was even then unable to speak.

  "I told you he was a live man," observed Mr Martin at last to theseamen; "but if you had given way to your fears, you see in a very fewminutes more both our young friends would have become what you supposedthem already to be."

  The men now hurried back to bring some of the boat's oars and a sail onwhich they might convey the sufferers, for Mr Martin was anxious to getthem on board without further delay. After waiting a little timelonger, he considered that they were sufficiently recovered to beremoved.

  Great was the astonishment, and greater still the satisfaction, of allon board when they arrived alongside.

  The young midshipman hovered for a considerable time between life anddeath. Had it not been, I believe, for the watchful care of my motherand the surgeon, he would, after all, have sunk under the hardships hehad endured. Not, indeed, till the following day, was Mr Oliverhimself able to give an account of his escape. Except the man at thehelm, the crew of the gunboat had been forward when the squall came on.He and the midshipman Bramston were standing aft. He recollected, asthe vessel sank beneath his feet, catching the lad in his arms, andspringing over the taffrail. As to what became of the man at the helm,or the rest of the crew, he could not tell. For a few seconds he wasdrawn under the water, but returning to the surface again, he foundclose to him several spars that had been lashed together, but, as itappeared, not secured to the deck of the vessel.

  On these he threw himself and his young charge. A current, he supposed,swept them away to the westward. When daylight broke, he could clearlysee the frigate; but after he had anxiously watched her, he observed herstanding to the southward. He had little hopes of surviving, yet heresolved to persevere to the last. Still the spars afforded but aslight support. He had to dread, too, the attack of sharks. About twohours after daylight, however, he observed floating near him the stockof a large ship's anchor. Leaving young Bramston secured to the spars,towing them, he swam towards it. This afforded him and his companion afar safer resting-place. He was now able to lash several spars to thetimber, while another formed a mast, and a second, which he and Bramstoncut through with their knives, supplied them with paddles and a yard.On this they spread their shirts, which they split open.

  As the sun rose, his beams fell on an island in the far distance. Thewind was fair, and towards it they directed their course. The current,too, favoured them. Without this their progress would have been veryslow. They soon began to feel the want of water, but Oliver urgedBramston on no account to drink the salt water. The midshipman, onsearching in his pockets, happily found a small quantity of biscuit,which he had thoughtlessly put there, he supposed, after supper thatvery night. This supplied them with food when their hunger becameravenous. Thus they sailed on the whole day. Happily the night was notvery dark, and they were thus able to keep the island in sight. It wasalmost daylight the next morning when at length they found themselvesdriving in towards the rocks. With great difficulty they kept off, andcoasted round to the very bay where Mr Martin had landed. Finding,however, that they could not get in their frail raft, they had afterall, having repossessed themselves of their shirts, to swim on shore,Mr Oliver towing young Bramston, who was supported on a spar. Theywere almost exhausted when they landed, but, finding a shady place undera rock, they fell asleep, and awoke considerably refreshed. A fewhandfuls of water, in a crevice of a rock, assisted to keep them alive,while they, not without considerable danger, managed to collect someshell-fish from the rocks. Still, they found their strength dailydecreasing, till the young midshipman was utterly unable to move. Everyday Mr Oliver had climbed to the top of the rock in the hopes of somevessel passing. His joy at seeing his own frigate may be conceived. Itwas greatly damped, however, on finding that his young companion was, ashe supposed, at his last gasp; and had not the Lieutenant and his partyarrived at the moment they did, there can be no doubt that the lad wouldhave died. He himself, indeed, was so exhausted, that he could withdifficulty find his way down the rock, and after that was unable to movefarther.

  On our return to the Phillipines, the Sultan, as the chief was called ofwhom I have spoken, had, we found, recovered our men, who littleexpected to be rescued from the hands of the savages. We then proceededto Canton, where we found the homeward-bound merchant fleet ready tosail. We had work enough, I have an idea, in keeping our convoy of oldtea-chests, as the merchantmen were called, together. I may say,however, that at length, after no small amount of anxiety to theCaptains of the frigates, we arrived safely in the Downs. Our taskperformed, we were ordered to Portsmouth to be paid off.