CHAPTER SIX.
ON THE RAFT--THE SHARK--THE SEA-FIGHT.
The raft still floated uninjured; the sea continued perfectly calm.Harry and David retained their health and spirits, hoping that theyshould reach the land at last; and the old man appeared to be steadilyrecovering. The calm tried them in one respect more than when the windblew, because after the raft had been strengthened they had nothing todo. They talked of the past and of the future, but even friends cannottalk on all day, especially if they are hungry and thirsty, and areanxious about any matter. At last David recollected that they had takensome fishing lines and hooks out of the boat, and thrown them with otherarticles on the raft. They were soon discovered, and the lads flatteredthemselves that they had nothing more to do than to bait the hooks, ifbait could be found, and to throw them overboard. Old Jefferies smiledwhen he saw their preparations, and told them that, although certainfish were to be caught occasionally in the open sea, the greater numberwere to be found along the coasts of the different countries of theworld. "To my mind God has so ordered it that all the fish which bestserve for the food of man swim round and round the coasts of thecountries of the world, in shallow water, where they can be got at andcaught, or else they visit certain known spots, like the banks ofNewfoundland, or the fishing grounds in the North Sea. Now if they alllived in the deep seas, or kept wandering about to all parts just asfancy led them, fishermen would never know where to go and look forthem. Instead of that, as I have said, as the seasons come round, Godleads them to the same places and almost on the same day every year; andso the fisherman is prepared with his nets or lines to catch them.However, I don't mean to say that there are no fish out even inmid-ocean, and if we get our lines, perhaps we shall catch some."
The lines were fitted in different ways; one with a heavy lead that itmight sink towards the bottom, the other to throw to a distance, andthen to drag quickly back again. The chief difficulty was with regardto the bait. David, however, proposed using a piece of salt pork,though old Jefferies thought that no fish would bite at it.
"I'll try, at all events," he answered; and baiting his hook he threw itskilfully to a considerable distance. He tried over and over again tillhis arm grew tired, while Henry let his line down to its entire end, butneither of them got a bite.
"Very little use, I am afraid," said Harry, drawing up his line.
"Let it hang out, at all events. It can do no harm, and something maytake a fancy to it," observed David, again throwing his own line."Halloa! I have got something--a big fellow, too--he'll pull me off theraft if I don't take care. Lend a hand, Harry."
Harry took hold of the line. Now they were able to haul in some of theline, and then again the fish swam off in an opposite direction,actually moving the raft.
"It may be a porpoise," said Harry.
"Perhaps it is a shark!" exclaimed David. "It can't be a young whale."
"It is a big fish of some sort, of that there is no doubt," respondedHarry. "The fellow will get tired before long, and then we will makehim show his nose."
"If he does not cut through the line before that," observed oldJefferies, who would not pronounce as to what fish it was.
"If the line does not break I have little fear of its being cut through,for there is a long shank to the hook, and the line has never beenslack," answered David, hauling in more of the line.
The fish, if such it was, at length began to grow weary of towing theraft, and allowed himself to be drawn nearer and nearer till his mouthwas seen for an instant close to the surface.
"Ah! I know him," exclaimed old Jefferies. "A shark! a shark! he's asmischievous a fellow as any that swims, though he will hurt no one whodoes not put his hand down his mouth."
He explained that the fish they had hooked was the _blue shark_, which,although he does not attempt to take the fisherman's life, is yet one ofhis greatest foes. If he cannot bite through a line he often rolls itround and round himself in a way that is most difficult for thefisherman to undo; and sometimes he will swim among the nets, killingthe fish in mere wantonness apparently, and biting the meshes. Now andthen, however, he gets caught himself--a small satisfaction consideringthe damage he causes.
It took some time before his sharkship was wearied out, and when atlength he was hauled up on the raft, it was found that he had contrivedto wind several fathoms of the line round his body. From the linehaving been kept tight, it was not so cleverly twisted as is often thecase, and a blow on the tail quieted him before he had managed furtherto wriggle it round himself after he was out of the water. When theline was unwound, and the shark stretched out, he was a handsome-lookingfish of a blue lead colour, about four feet long. Harry and David didnot feel disposed to eat any of the shark, but when assured by the oldfisherman that neither he nor any of his ancestors had ever touchedflesh, they got over their reluctance, and as their appetites told themit was dinner-time, they each took a thin slice with some biscuit. Theyagreed that when cooked it would be tolerable food.
After this meal David, having got his line in order, and both theirlines being baited with shark, they commenced fishing. After some timeHarry got a bite.
"A fine fish, I am sure, by the way he tugged," he exclaimed, hauling upthe line.
It came up very easily, though, and instead of the large fish heexpected, a small whiting appeared. Several others were pulled up insuccession. As Harry was hauling in his line after a bite, he felt aheavy weight suddenly come on it. Still he was able to get it in.
"It is something curious, but what it can be I am sure I don't know," heexclaimed, hauling away, while David looked eagerly on.
"What a monster!" they cried out both together, when a huge mass, withwhat looked like a number of snakes wriggling about round it, was seenon the surface amidst a circle of dark water.
"That's a squid," remarked old Jefferies. "Some of them are awkwardcustomers in the water, but he can do you very little harm out of it."
The truth of this last assertion was put to the test when, in spite ofits struggles, the creature was hauled up on the raft, and its long armschopped off. It had expected simply to catch a whiting, and had itselfbeen caught by the hook sticking through the whiting's mouth. It wasvery untempting-looking for food, though they might have preferred it toshark flesh. The whiting, however, supplied them with as much fish asthey could eat raw. Altogether they agreed that they had had a goodevening's sport, and that if they could have forgotten where they were,and that their friends were anxious about them, they should have enjoyedthemselves amazingly, only that they should have preferred cooked fishto raw. As night, however, crept on, they began to feel the lonelinessand helplessness of their position. Still, the calm continued, and thestars shone forth, each spark of light being reflected in themirror-like ocean; and Harry made out the polar star, and wished thatthere was a good breeze that they might steer by it towards England.The air was very chilly, but as they had saved several blankets, theywrapped themselves up, and kept tolerably warm. As they had not got alantern or candle, or any means of striking a light, they could donothing, and so they chatted away till they both went off to the land ofdreams.
"Sleep on, my poor lads," said the old man, guessing by their silencewhat had happened. "You little think of the danger you are in. If agale springs up, how is this small raft to weather it? For myself, I amworn out, and my time must come in a year or two, or a few months it maybe; but life is fresh and pleasant for the young lads. Well, well, Godis kind and just. He knows what is best for them. His will be done."
The lives of most men are metaphorically varied by storms and calms,clouds and sunshine, and so in reality was the existence of our twoyoung friends on the raft. The night passed away quietly, and towardsmorning the old man, in spite of his intentions to keep watch, fellasleep. David was the first to rouse up. The sun had not risen, but astreak of red in the sky showed in what quarter he was about to appear.David stood up to look around him. He would not call Harry till it
wasnecessary, for he was sleeping so calmly, with a smile on hiscountenance, dreaming of some pleasant scenes at home, probably with hismother and sister present. As David was thus standing up, holding on tothe mast, he felt a light air fan his cheek. It came from the south.He turned his eyes in that direction to look for a further sign of thewished-for breeze. As he did so he observed in the horizon a sail--hejudged a large ship. Directly afterwards another appeared, in adifferent part of the horizon. He watched them attentively for sometime. Their sails were filled with wind, and they seemed to be drawingnearer to each other, and also nearer to the raft. As soon as it struckDavid that this was the case, he could no longer resist the temptationof rousing up his companion. Harry sprang to his feet. Midshipmen donot rub their eyes and yawn, and groan and growl, before they get up,especially if they happen to be sleeping on a raft in the chops of thechannel.
"Yes, they are standing this way," he exclaimed. "They are frigates,and what is more, though one is English, I doubt by the cut of the sailswhether the other is."
"At all events we shall have a good chance of being picked up," saidDavid.
"I hope so; but if an idea which has struck me is correct, they willhave too much to do to look after each other to take any notice of us,"observed the midshipman.
"What do you mean?" asked David.
"That one is English and the other French, and if so, it is not likelythat, having come in sight of each other, they will part withoutexchanging shots," remarked Harry.
"Unless the Frenchman runs away," said David.
"No fear of that. The monsieurs are brave fellows, though we can lickthem, and it is not often they show the white feather," remarked Harry."I really think that I am right. They look to me like two frigates, andone I am sure is French. We'll rouse up the old man, and hear what hehas to say about the matter. He'll not thank us for letting him sleepon."
"The old man is awake," said Jefferies, sitting up and gazing in thedirection indicated by the boys, under his open hand. For some time hewas silent. "Yes, there's little doubt about the matter," he said atlength. "They are frigates, and one is English; the other is aforeigner, but whether Spaniard, Dutchman, or French, is more than I cansay. If they are going to fight, as you think, we can't help it,neither can we make them sail near enough to see us, and pick us up; butI'll tell you what we can do, young gentlemen, we can lift up our voicesin prayer to God to thank Him for His favours, and to ask Him for Hisprotection."
All three knelt down, and lifted up their voices to God in prayer, witha heartiness which might be sought for in vain within the lofty walls ofmany a proud building. Such is the spiritual worship in which God theSpirit alone has pleasure. The party on that wave-tossed raft rose fromtheir knees greatly refreshed in spirit, and sat down to enjoy theirmorning meal with hearts grateful that they had food sufficient tosustain life. Soon after, the sun rose, as it were with a spring out ofhis ocean bed, and shed his light across the expanse of waters on thesails of the approaching ships, which seemed to have drawn suddenlynear, so clear and defined did their forms become. Harry watched witheven greater eagerness than before one of the ships, which he declaredwas, he believed, that to which he belonged. David was rather inclinedto laugh at the notion, as he considered that it was impossible Harryshould be able to know his own ship at so great a distance off. Thereseemed to be no doubt that both were frigates--of that the old manexpressed himself sure; that they were not both English he thought verylikely. As to the other point, it was, if correct, a guess of Harry's.They continued to draw nearer and nearer to each other, and as theyapproached the raft at the same time, the breeze which filled theirsails reached her.
"Shall we hoist our sails, and stand for the shore as before?" askedDavid.
"We should miss the chance of being picked up if we did so," answeredHarry. "Besides, I should not like to run away without knowing afterall whether the ships would fight, and who was the conqueror."
"Not much chance of our getting out of sight before they begin, for theyare already not far off gun-shot of each other," observed the old man,who again raised himself to look out, but sunk down once more to hisseat in the centre of the raft.
The two boys, however, stood up, holding on by the mast, in spite of theincreasing rocking of the raft, watching eagerly the movements of thetwo frigates--for frigates there was no doubt they both were.
"Up go the colours!" exclaimed Harry, with a shout. "Hurrah! There'sthe glorious old flag of England, and the other is French--there's nodoubt about it. Then there'll be a fight. Hurrah! I wish I was aboardthe old ship; I'm sure it's her. Couldn't we manage it even now? Pullthe raft up to her. I wish that she would see us and pick us up. Ohdear! how provoking! I'd give anything to be on board!" Such were theexclamations to which the young midshipman gave utterance, as he stoodwatching the ships. "The old ship has tacked, she is standing away fromus! The Frenchman is about also. They'll be away. We shall not seeany of the fighting after all."
"We shall be less likely to suffer from their shots, and for that we maybe grateful," observed the old man.
The midshipman, so eager was he, scarcely listened to what was said.The frigates were manoeuvring, each endeavouring to gain theweather-gauge before commencing the action, which it was very evidentwould take place. There appeared to be no lack of a disposition tofight on either side, for they both took in their lighter sails, andfinally hauled up their courses. Now the English frigate wore round,her example being followed by the Frenchman, both running back towardsthe raft, which it seemed that the former would pass by, or even runover, when suddenly she tacked, and standing close to a wind towards theFrench frigate, fired a broadside into her quarter, while the latter wasin stays. The effect of the broadside must have been severe, for it wassome time before she actually got about, leaving to the English frigatethe advantage of the weather-gauge, which had been the object of all theprevious manoeuvres. For some time the two ships ran on alongside ofeach other, rapidly exchanging shots, without any great apparent damageto the masts or rigging. They were so placed that many of the shotswhich missed came flying towards the raft, but providentially she wastoo far off for them to reach her. Once more the after-yards of theFrench ship being shot away, she kept off the wind, and, followed by herantagonist, stood towards the raft, still keeping up a hot fire at her.In a short time the damage was repaired, and once more the French shiphauling her wind, the two stood on together close-hauled. It wasevident, from the rapid way in which the French frigate's damages hadbeen repaired, that she was well manned, and that the result was by nomeans so certain as Harry had at first anticipated. The firing had hadthe effect, it appeared, of lessening the little wind there hadpreviously been. The two frigates, therefore, moved but slowly, andconsequently kept within sight of those on the raft. Harry was almosttoo eager to speak. David now and then made a few remarks. More thanan hour had passed away since the commencement of the action, and as yetthere was no visible advantage gained by either party. Suddenly Harrygave a cry of anger and annoyance, in which David joined him. The oldman looked up. There was cause for it. The flag of England was seen todrop from the masthead of the frigate. Could it be that she had struck?The firing continued as furious as ever. No, it was impossible!
"See! see! there's another flying out!" exclaimed the midshipman,exultingly. "All right, some fine fellow has climbed up and nailed itthere. Only the halliards were shot away. My captain would go downsooner than strike; I know that."
The loud reports of the guns came succeeding each other rapidly over thecalm ocean. Now a loud crash, then a broadside was fired by bothparties at once, the sound of the different guns blending into one; nowa perfect silence, and then again single shots, and after a cessationanother broadside. At length the combatants scarcely moved, and becameenshrouded in a dense cloud of smoke, which nearly concealed them fromview. The firing was more furious than ever. They were yard-arm toyard-arm, discharging their broadsides into each other.
A light breezeplayed over the water--the ships emerged from the cloud of smoke. TheEnglish frigate had lost her mizen-mast, and its wreck lay over herquarter.
Harry groaned, but directly afterwards he shouted, "They'll not give in,though--they'll not give in, I am sure they won't."