In Search of the Castaways [165]
on the great oar that steered the raft. In half an hour they had made half a mile. But, strange to say, the black point still rose above the waves. John looked attentively, and in order to make it out, borrowed Paganel's telescope. "That is no reef," said he, after a moment; "it is something floating, which rises and falls with the swell." "Is it part of the mast of the MACQUARIE?" asked Lady Helena. "No," said Glenarvan, "none of her timbers could have come so far." "Stay!" said John Mangles; "I know it! It is the boat." "The ship's boat?" exclaimed Glenarvan. "Yes, my lord. The ship's boat, keel up." "The unfortunate creatures," cried Lady Helena, "they have perished!" "Yes, Madam," replied John Mangles, "they must have perished, for in the midst of these breakers in a heavy swell on that pitchy night, they ran to certain death." For a few minutes the passengers were silent. They gazed at the frail craft as they drew near it. It must evidently have capsized about four miles from the shore, and not one of the crew could have escaped. "But this boat may be of use to us," said Glenarvan. "That is true," answered John Mangles. "Keep her up, Wilson." The direction was slightly changed, but the breeze fell gradually, and it was two hours before they reached the boat. Mulrady, stationed forward, fended off the blow, and the yawl was drawn alongside. "Empty?" asked John Mangles. "Yes, captain," answered the sailor, "the boat is empty. and all its seams are open. It is of no use to us." "No use at all?" said McNabbs. "None at all," said John Mangles. "It is good for nothing but to burn." "I regret it," said Paganel, "for the yawl might have taken us to Auckland." "We must bear our fate, Monsieur Paganel," replied John Mangles. "But, for my part, in such a stormy sea I prefer our raft to that crazy boat. A very slight shock would be enough to break her up. Therefore, my lord, we have nothing to detain us further." "As you think best, John." "On then, Wilson," said John, "and bear straight for the land." There was still an hour before the turn of the tide. In that time they might make two miles. But the wind soon fell almost entirely, and the raft became nearly motionless, and soon began to drift to seaward under the influence of the ebb-tide. John did not hesitate a moment. "Let go the anchor," said he. Mulrady, who stood to execute this order, let go the anchor in five fathoms water. The raft backed about two fathoms on the line, which was then at full stretch. The sail was taken in, and everything made snug for a tedious period of inaction. The returning tide would not occur till nine o'clock in the evening; and as John Mangles did not care to go on in the dark, the anchorage was for the night, or at least till five o'clock in the morning, land being in sight at a distance of less than three miles. A considerable swell raised the waves, and seemed to set in continuously toward the coast, and perceiving this, Glenarvan asked John why he did not take advantage of this swell to get nearer to the land. "Your Lordship is deceived by an optical illusion," said the young captain. "Although the swell seems to carry the waves landward, it does not really move at all. It is mere undulating molecular motion, nothing more. Throw a piece of wood overboard and you will see that it will remain quite stationary except as the tide affects it. There is nothing for it but patience." "And dinner," said the Major. Olbinett unpacked some dried meat and a dozen biscuits. The steward blushed as he proffered the meager bill of fare. But it was received with a good grace, even by the ladies, who, however, had not much appetite, owing to the violent motion. This motion, produced by the jerking of the raft on the cable, while she lay head on to the sea, was very severe and fatiguing. The blows of the short, tumbling seas were as severe as if she had been striking on a submerged rock. Sometimes it was hard to believe that she was not aground. The cable strained violently, and every half hour John had to take in a fathom to ease it. Without this