The Heir of Kilfinnan: A Tale of the Shore and Ocean

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

  As the commander of the corvette was about to descend the glen, hisattention was arrested by the faint tramp of horses' hoofs passingrapidly over the downs. He turned his head and at that instant saw ayoung lady on horseback, not far from him, cantering gaily along, whileat a short distance behind her was another lady, followed by a groom.At that moment the figure of the mad woman, which had a short timebefore appeared to him, rose suddenly from behind the ground where hehad last seen her. She uttered a wild shriek; the effect was to makethe leading horse start and rear violently. The animal, apparently, wasnot well broken in. Again and again it reared, backing down towards theedge of the cliff. The young officer saw the lady's danger, and in aninstant sprang towards her. She uttered a shriek as she discovered howfearfully near the edge of the cliff her horse had carried her. Theofficer grasped her bridle, but in vain tried to draw back thefrightened animal. It seemed resolved to throw itself over theprecipice. In another moment the lady and her steed would have beencarried to destruction.

  "Throw yourself from your saddle, and trust to me," exclaimed the youngofficer imploringly.

  She cast herself forward and fell into his arms. Alas! her habit caughtin the stirrup. Again the horse reared.

  "I will perish with her," exclaimed the young man mentally. Happily,the skirt tore, and in another moment was disengaged; while thefrightened animal, with one bound, leaped over the cliff. So extremewas the danger to which the young lady had been exposed, that scarcelyknowing she had escaped it, she fainted. The young officer, with hisprecious burden, hurried up the downs, when her companion, jumping fromher horse, came to his assistance.

  "O Nora, Nora," she exclaimed, "do tell me that you are alive! O thatwe had some water to give her, such a faint as this is dangerous. Whatcan be done?"

  The groom, observing that there was a stream a few hundred yards on,dashed forward on his horse, and quickly returned with his hat full.

  Lady Sophy, loosening Nora's dress round her neck, and holding her headon her knee, sprinkled the water over her face, which was turned in thedirection of the wind. By this means she quickly returned toconsciousness, and, opening her eyes, they fell on the countenance ofthe young officer.

  "Oh, Captain Denham," she exclaimed, "I owe my life to you. In anothermoment I should have been dashed to pieces. I thought that I had goneover the precipice. How grateful my dear father will be to you!"

  "Then that must be your ship," said Lady Sophy, pointing to thecorvette. "You must come with us at once to the Castle."

  Captain Denham, of course, could only express his very greatsatisfaction at having been the means of preserving the life of LadyNora, though he could claim no credit for having done so. Whatever hadbeen his previous intentions, he could do nothing else than accompanythe ladies till he had seen them safe at the Castle. He made anxiousinquiries after the Earl, and found, from the account they gave him,that he was greatly broken in health, not having recovered from theeffects of the West Indian climate, or the loss of his son. In manyrespects the meeting could not fail to be a sad one. The sight ofCaptain Denham recalled painfully to Lady Sophy the death of herintended husband, while Lady Nora, naturally, could not help thinking ofher young brother, who had been Captain Denham's friend.

  The distance to the Castle was considerable, but Lady Nora declared herinability to mount a horse, even if one had been sent for; nor would sheconsent to take that of Lady Sophy. Supported, however, by the arm ofthe captain, she proceeded towards home. They had many things to talkabout. Captain Denham had to describe how he had been sent to the coastof Ireland to render assistance to any of the loyal subjects of the kingwho might require it, whilst the ladies described their passage home,and the feelings with which they had returned once more to the oldCastle.

  "Things are greatly changed," observed Lady Nora, "we have none of thegay society we used to have here; my father also is too much out ofspirits to see company. Occasionally a few neighbours look in upon us;or when any ship comes into the bay we see some of the officers, and MrJamieson and dear Miss O'Reilly come over to pay us a visit; but you,Captain Denham, will always be welcome."

  Captain Denham and his fair companions had arrived at the Castle sometime before the midshipmen with the boat appeared, having been joined inthe meantime by the second lieutenant.

  The Earl welcomed him warmly, and begged him to take up his residence atthe Castle; but this invitation he was compelled to decline, as he madeit a point of duty never to sleep away from the ship at night.

  Lady Nora had sufficiently recovered to appear at dinner, to whichDenham's officers, who had come on shore, were also invited. Justbefore dinner Mr Jamieson and his blind niece arrived. Lady Nora wasdelighted to see them, and introduced Captain Denham to them both. Theblind lady seemed to take especial interest in him. She plied him withquestions, asking him what part of the world he had visited, in whatship he had served, and in what actions he had been engaged.

  The Earl had broken through the usual custom of sitting late at dinner;indeed the gentlemen present seemed in no way disposed to follow it.Soon after the ladies had retired, Mr Jamieson and Captain Denham ledthe way to the drawing-room. Captain Denham approached Lady Nora andinquired anxiously if she felt perfectly recovered from the effects ofher alarming accident. "Oh, yes; indeed I am," she answered, glancingup at him with a look which might have made many men vain. "I dare nottrust myself to thank you as I ought, or to speak about it. I cannothelp thinking of what would have been my fate had you not been there tosave me. How often have I crossed those downs without dreaming ofdanger; and indeed it was very curious how that poor mad woman shouldhave startled my horse. I have met her often before, and she has donemuch the same sort of thing; but the poor animal was young, and had notbeen ridden for some days. Sophy and I were on our way to visit some ofthe poor people we are accustomed to call upon, and I was anxious to seean old widow who lives in a little cove under where you saw me; but thatcan be a matter of no interest to you."

  As she spoke she again gazed up in his face. Something strange seemedto flash across her mind. She cast another earnest, inquiring look athim. The colour mounted to his cheek. His eyes fell, then again helooked earnestly at her. Nora's breath came and went rapidly; her bosomheaved.

  "What is the matter with Nora?" exclaimed Lady Sophy, springing forward,"she is fainting. Help! help!"

  In an instant Lady Sophy was by Nora's side, and just in time to receiveher as she fell fainting into her arms. Captain Denham stood for aninstant so overwhelmed with some deep emotion, as scarcely to comprehendwhat had occurred.

  The bell was rung, and several attendants rushed in, and Nora was bornefainting from the room.

  It was still daylight, but just at this moment dark clouds began tocollect in the sky, casting a gloom over the landscape. The lieutenantof the corvette had gone to the window looking out over the ocean. Hehurriedly came back, and while his commander was standing stillbewildered it seemed by what had occurred, he came up to him, and said--

  "Sir, there is a change in the weather. The wind has increasedconsiderably, and the bay in a short time will be no place for us."

  This address aroused Captain Denham.

  "You are right, Matson," he answered, looking out at the window for aninstant, "I will go on board immediately. We must bid farewell to theEarl and be off. There is not a moment to lose, and I hope Evans willget the ship under weigh without waiting for me."

  Just as he was quitting the room Lady Sophy re-entered it, and assuredhim that Lady Nora had quickly recovered, though still unnerved by thedanger she had gone through. "I trust that she will have perfectlyrecovered by to-morrow," she added. "And, believe me, Captain Denham,you will always be a welcome guest at the Castle."

  She spoke earnestly, her looks giving expression to her words.

  "She is a dear, high-minded girl, and, believe me, I prize her, and willwatch over her as a sister, or I should s
ay rather, as a daughter."

  "Thank you, thank you," answered the young captain, pressing LadySophy's hand; "you know my feelings for your cousin, but to no one elsewould I venture to acknowledge them. To her I feel that I have no rightto speak of them. I leave myself, therefore, in your hands."

  "I trust to be so guided as to act for the best for you both," said LadySophy, "but I must not longer detain you. I hope that we may see youhere again before many days have passed."

  Well satisfied, as he had reason to be, with what Lady Sophy had said,Captain Denham followed his officers, who had already preceded him tothe boats. He stepped in, and the order was given to shove off. Theboats made the best of their way towards the corvette. The wind wasalready blowing strongly, and a heavy sea rolled into the bay.

  "It is as much as we shall do, if we manage to beat out of the bay thisevening," observed the lieutenant to the midshipman in his boat, "Iought to have kept my eyes more about me, though it is natural enoughthe captain's should have been preoccupied."

  "Yes, sir, indeed that is a lovely girl, Lady Nora; he will be a happyman who wins her."

  "That is a matter, Mr Merton, too delicate for me to pronounce on,"answered the lieutenant; "but I was speaking of the difficulty ofbeating out of the bay."

  "Oh yes, sir, I beg your pardon," said the midshipman; "still I believewe shall be able to carry all sail, and if so, the _Ariadne_ will soonfind her way out of this difficulty."

  "That is an ugly reef to the north," observed the lieutenant; "I wouldrather it were fifty miles away than where it is."

  "Yet it affords us good shelter when the wind is as it was thismorning."

  "So it does," answered the lieutenant, "but it is directly in our waywhen we have to beat out when the wind is in the west."

  The captain made no remark to the midshipman in his boat; he was toocompletely absorbed in his own thoughts, though he occasionally urgedhis crew to greater exertion by the usual exclamation of "Give way,lads, give way."

  The boats were soon alongside. Directly they were seen coming, theofficer in command had begun to get the corvette under weigh, and whenthe captain stepped on board the anchor was hove up to the bows.

  The corvette, under topsails and top-gallant-sails, was now hauled closeto the wind. She cast to the north, and stood directly towards the reefof rocks which appeared ahead. The captain took his place in theweather rigging, to con her, while scarcely had sail been made on theship before the increase of wind made it doubtful whether she wouldcarry what was already set. The dark clouds came rolling up in thickmasses from the west overhead, while heavy seas, topped with foamingcrests, rolled in from the same direction. The corvette heeled overuntil her lee ports were in the water, still it was not a moment forshortening sail. Now the young commander gazed at the shore under hislee, now to the dark rocks ahead, and now at his masts and spars. "Nohigher," he had more than once to cry out, as the men at the helm,anxious to gain every advantage, kept her too close to the wind. "Wecannot hope to weather the reef on this tack," he observed to thelieutenant, who was near him.

  The crew were all at their stations, attentive to obey the least signfrom their commander. Now a fiercer gust than ordinary made the shipheel lower in the water. Now she rose again. It was a critical momentas she rushed forward with headlong speed towards the threatening reef,over which the sea was already furiously beating. Still the youngcommander stood calm and collected. Now his hand was raised, and as heglanced towards the helmsman, now he looked once more to the sailsaloft. "Hands about ship," he shouted in a clear, ringing voice, whichevery man heard fore and aft. "Helm's-alee! Tacks and sheets! Mainsail haul!" It seemed as if in another moment the beautiful vesselwould spring forward upon the threatening rocks. She was in stays, butthe slightest shift of wind to the south would have driven her todestruction. Anxiously the commander looked at the fore-topsail stillaback. For an instant the ship's head appeared not to be moving. Thengradually the wind forced her round. "Of all haul!" he shouted in acheerful voice, as she sprang forward towards the opposite side of thebay. Still she was not free. The headway she made was counteracted bythe heavy seas which now rolled in upon the land, and forced her towardsit. Now she was standing towards Kilfinnan Castle. The commanderturning, looked at the reef they had left; then once more casting hisgaze ahead,--"We shall scarcely weather it the next tack," he said tohimself. "If the wind holds as it does now, however, and if it does notincrease much, the tight little ship will still work her way throughit."

  Anxiously those in the Castle watched the progress of the corvette.They well knew the danger to which she was exposed, for although many ayear had passed since any large ship had been cast away in their bay,yet there were traditions of men-of-war being driven on the coast, andthe whole of their gallant crews perishing. Numerous merchant vesselsand smaller craft had also from time to time been dashed to pieces onthe rocks, and many sad tales there were of lives being lost, when thepersons on board the vessels appeared within but a short distance of theshore.

  Nora had sufficiently recovered to go to the window and gaze forth uponthe vessel.

  "O, what a beautiful fabric she is," she exclaimed; "how rapidly shedraws near!" With the glass she could almost see those on board. "Butwill she, do you think, escape that reef to the north, when she oncemore tacks."

  "Oh, yes, I trust so," answered Lady Sophy, "he who commands on board isan experienced seaman, you know, and if any human being could carry theship out of the bay, he will do so."

  Besides the young ladies, several other persons on shore were watchingthe progress of the corvette, as she endeavoured to beat out of the bay.Far down below, in the sheltered cove, in front of her cottage, stoodWidow O'Neil. Her white locks, escaping from the band which generallybound them, streamed in the wind. The hood of her red cloak was thrownback, and while with one hand she steadied herself by one of thesupports of the deep eaves of the cottage, she stretched forth the othertowards the ocean, as if she would direct the course of the bark whichstruggled through the foaming waves.

  "They are brave men on board that craft," she exclaimed to herself, "butoh, it is hard work they will have, to get clear of the bay. Proud andtrim as that beautiful ship looked this morning, who can say but whatbefore another sun rises, she will be a shattered wreck upon yondercruel rocks. Such a sight I have seen night after night as I lay on mycouch, I know not whether asleep or awake; but, oh, may Heaven protectthose on board from such a fate, if their vessel, stout as she may be,is thrown upon yonder reef.

  "My boy, my boy! Even now he may be on the stormy ocean, threatenedwith shipwreck, as are those in yonder beautiful vessel. May Heavenprotect him and them!"

  As she spoke, the fishwife stretched forth her neck more eagerly overthe ocean, and again and again she offered up a prayer for the safety ofthose on board the ship which struggled below her. High up the glen, ina sheltered place, yet still commanding a view of the bay, sat anotherperson. It was Father O'Rourke. He, too, was watching the ship, with avery different feeling animating his heart, to that which worked in thebosom of the widow. No prayer for the safety of those on board escapedhis lips. He seemed to gaze with satisfaction on the fearful danger towhich she was exposed. He more than once exclaimed to himself, "Shecannot escape yonder rocks, and then that pert and daring youth who setme at defiance, with all his companions, will meet the fate which theyand their Saxon countrymen so well merit. Curses on the heads of thosewho execute the behests of King George and his ministers. While we havered-coats and blue-jackets arrayed against us, what hope is there ofliberty for old Ireland? I hate them all. From the king on his throneto the meanest soldier who trails a pike in his service!"

  At a short distance on a high and projecting part of the cliff, stood awild and fantastic figure. It was that of mad Kathleen. She waved herarms round and round. Now she shouted, as if she would warn those onboard the ship of the danger they were approaching. Again and again shecried out, as if enc
ouraging them to perseverance in their bold attemptat beating out of the bay. Sometimes she uttered blessings on theirheads, especially that of their young commander.

  "A brave youth, a noble youth he is," she exclaimed; "even when I seteyes on him this morning I felt my heart drawn towards him. Grievouswould it be for him to lose that fine ship, his first command, and stillmore grievous were his life to be taken by the angry waves!"

  Thus she continued for some time, until she was interrupted by a handbeing placed on her shoulder. She turned round and saw Miss O'Reillystanding near her.

  "What, Kathleen, are you trying to show yonder ship the way to beat outof our bay?" asked Mr Jamieson, in his usual kind voice.

  "I would I were on board, minister, that I might help to guide them,"she answered, with a laugh. "There are many worse pilots than I am, andoften in girlhood's days have I sailed with my father on yonder sea,sometimes, as now, tossed with waves, at other times calm and blue, likea young maiden's eye, void of guile and treachery."

  "But, tell me, Kathleen, do you think the ship will manage to escapefrom the dangers by which she is surrounded?" asked Miss O'Reilly, in asomewhat agitated voice. "They say her captain is a brave and gallantofficer, and it would be grievous if he were to lose that beautifulvessel, for so I am told she is."

  "God who guides the winds and gives them power alone knows whetheryonder ship will gain the open sea in safety," answered Kathleen; "but Iwill tell you, dear lady, if you stay by me, what progress she makes.If the prayer of a poor mad creature can save her, she is safe enough,and the wind will hold as it does now, sufficiently to the south toenable her to clear the reef. Oh, Miss O'Reilly, even now she seemsrushing forward to destruction."

  "Whereabouts is she?" asked Miss O'Reilly eagerly.

  "Not two hundred fathoms, it seems at this moment, from the reef,"answered Kathleen. "If she can come about without difficulty, she willescape, but if not, in a few minutes she will be cast on the rocks, andthen you know too well what will happen."

  "Tell me, good Kathleen, tell me," said the blind lady, after a shortsilence; "has she gone about? is there once more a prospect of herescaping?"

  "Again she is in stays!" exclaimed Kathleen. "See, see! the wind seemsto have caught her. Oh, may merciful Providence watch over her! Itseems to me that her head is once more turning towards the dreadfulrocks. Alas, alas! no power can save her."

  "Oh, may Heaven protect them!" exclaimed the blind lady, turning hersightless eyes in the direction of the ship. "Oh, may those brave menon board escape the fearful danger in which they are placed!"

  "Your prayers are heard, lady! your prayers are heard!" shoutedKathleen; "the wind has taken her head-sails, and once more she is onthe starboard tack, standing away from that fearful reef."

  Mr Jamieson and his niece stood for some time watching the progress ofthe corvette, till the shades of evening, increased by the thick cloudswhich obscured the sky, hid her from their sight; but they could notpersuade Kathleen to leave the spot, for she declared that she couldstill see the ship through the mist. At length, the minister and hisniece returned to their home, leaving poor Kathleen still wildly wavingher arms and shouting, until her voice was hoarse, as if she wouldaddress those on board the vessel.

  "See, see! she is once more about! Surely her bowsprit is pointing moreseaward than it was before, and if the wind was to shift a little moreto the south, she would soon be clear of yonder fearful reef."

  The corvette once more going about, stood to the north. Although thewind might have drawn a little more to the south, yet this advantage wascounteracted by the fierceness with which it blew. The masts, with moresail on them than it would have, under other circumstances, been deemedprudent to set, bent with the unusual pressure. Sometimes, indeed, asCaptain Denham gazed up at them, they seemed like fishing-rods, sofearfully did they bend before the breeze. The first lieutenant andmaster were also looking up at them with not less anxiety than did thecaptain. "They will scarcely stand this pressure," observed the former;"what say you, master?"

  "We must keep the canvas set, at all events, and trust to Providence,"answered the master. "This is no moment for taking in a reef. If theygo and the ship refuses to stay, we must bring up, though I fear thelittle vessel will scarcely hold her own against the heavy seas whichcome rolling into this bay; and, to my idea, both she, and some of us onboard, will leave our bones to rot on the strand under our lee, if itcomes to that."

  "Let's hope for the best, master," answered the first lieutenant. "Seehow calm our captain looks. You would never suppose that he is aware ofthe danger in which we are placed."

  "He knows it pretty clearly, though," observed the master. "Hold on,good sticks, hold on," he exclaimed, looking up at the masts. "They aretough spars, I know, and they are now giving good proof of theirquality."

  Sometimes, from the direction of the vessel's head, it appeared possiblethat she might weather the reef towards which she was approaching.Then, again, she fell off, and it was evident that she must make anothertack before there was a chance of her doing so. The commander seemed ofthis opinion, and was clearly unwilling to approach again as near asbefore to the reef. Again he shouted, "Hands about ship!" As before,the helm was put down, the tacks and sheets were raised, the men hauledwith a will at the braces, and the ship's head, coming up to the wind,continued for some moments pointing west, to the open part of the bay.Anxiously the commander watched her movements. At one time it seemed asif she had got stern way, and he opened his mouth about to give theorder to let go the anchor and to shorten sail. Those on board knew theorder would have been followed by another, dreaded by all seamen--to cutaway the masts, the only mode of proceeding to enable the corvette toride out the gale. Again and again the captain looked up at thehead-sails. "She is paying off!" he exclaimed. A shout, thoughimmediately suppressed, burst from the throats of the crew. For themoment they were safe from the threatened danger. Again the corvettestood across the bay. The topmasts, as before, bent to the gale.

  "We shall easily clear that reef," observed the master. "Well, it is apleasure to see a man con a ship as our fine young skipper does. Theseare moments to try a man's mettle, and he has shown that he is of thetrue sort."

  The corvette flew across the bay, almost, it seemed, with lightningspeed, so soon was she again on the opposite side. Another criticalmoment had arrived, and it was only to be hoped that the gale would notcome down with greater force than before while she was in stays, or verylikely at that moment her topmasts would be carried away. Again aboutshe came; this time without difficulty, and now her head pointingseaward, she stood out from the bay, still as those on shore watched herthrough the fast gathering gloom of evening, she seemed to be drawingnearer and nearer to the reef. Now once more she looked up to the west,then again to the north; still the masts and spars stood. Yet, afterall, she was nearer the reef than under such circumstances a seamanwould wish to find his ship.

  "Mr Matson," said the commander, looking down at his first lieutenant,"we must at once take two reefs in the topsails; but it is a risk forthe hands aloft, a fearful risk indeed," he added.

  "I am ready to lead the way, sir," exclaimed a young seaman, who was noother than Ned Davis, the commander's old companion.

  "Give the orders then, Matson," said the captain.

  "Aloft, there," shouted the first lieutenant. Scarcely, however, hadthe men sprang into the rigging, when there was a loud crash. Themain-topmast had gone close to the cap. The straggling sail and wreckof the spars hanging over the side.

  "Clear away the wreck," cried the captain. "Not a moment to be lost.We must save the other masts."

  The men flew aloft, Ned Davis being among the first drawing out theirknives from their pockets as they did so. In a few seconds the ropeswere severed, and the mast and spar fell overboard, with the stillloudly flapping sail. At the same moment the crew throwing themselvesout on the fore-topsail yard, that sail was quickly reefed. "You musttake
another reef in it, Mr Matson," said the commander, "closely reefit, or that mast will go also." The mizen-topsail with greater ease wasclosely reefed. In consequence of the ship having been deprived evenfor that short time of the power which urged her through the seas, shehad drifted down, it seemed, close upon the reef. Once more the captainlooked anxiously to leeward.

  "We shall still weather the reef," he exclaimed to the first lieutenant,who, after gazing at it, looked in his face as if to ask a question,"Unless," the commander added, "the wind draws more out of the west."

  Heeling over, however, less than she had before done to the blast, herhead pointed seaward, clear of the reef, still, should she be makingmuch leeway, it would be doubtful whether, after all, she would clearit. To tack close to it, crippled as she was, would be dangerous in theextreme. The commander stood, as before, at his post.

  "She will do it, Matson," he said, speaking to his first lieutenant.

  "God grant she may," answered the officer.

  On she flew. The sea dashed in masses of foam high above the dark rockswhich formed the extremity of the reef. On, on, she stood. A fewseconds almost would decide her fate. Many an eye glanced over thelee-bulwarks. The water washed up through the scuppers, and rose highon deck. The crew sheltered themselves as best they could under theweather-bulwarks, for the seas were breaking in masses of foam over theweather-bows, deluging the decks fore and aft. The commander gazed alsoanxiously at the reef. The corvette darted on. Already the foam whichflew over her seemed to unite with that which broke above the rocks.Still, he did not turn pale, nor did his eye quiver. In another instantshe would be hurled to destruction or be free. The crew watched thethreatening reef, and many an old seaman felt that he had never been ingreater danger.