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Amelia E. Barr - "The Man Between"

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"Well, and I'm inclined to agree with you, Ready; so we must send
topgallant yards down on deck, and all the small sails and lumber out
of the tops. Get the trysail aft and bent, and lower down the gaff. I
will go forward."

Their preparations were hardly complete before the wind had settled to
a fierce gale from the north-east. The sea rose rapidly; topsail after
topsail was furled; and by dusk the Pacific was flying through the
water with the wind on her quarter, under reefed foresail and storm
staysail. It was with difficulty that three men at the wheel could keep
the helm, such were the blows which the vessel received from the heavy
seas on the quarter. Not one seaman in the ship took advantage of his
watch below to go to sleep that night, careless as they generally are;
the storm was too dreadful. About three o'clock in the morning the wind
suddenly subsided; it was but for a minute or two, and then it again
burst on the vessel from another quarter of the compass, as Ready had
foretold, splitting the foresail into fragments, which lashed and
flogged the wind till they were torn away by it, and carried far to
leeward. The heavens above were of a pitchy darkness, and the only
light was from the creaming foam of the sea on every side. The shift of
wind, which had been to the west-north-west, compelled them to alter
the course of the vessel, for they had no chance but to scud, as they
now did, under bare poles; but in consequence of the sea having taken
its run from the former wind, which had been north-east, it was, as
sailors call it, cross, and every minute the waves poured over the
ship, sweeping all before their weight of waters. One poor man was
washed overboard, and any attempt made to save him would have been
unavailing. Captain Osborn was standing by the weather gunnel, holding
on by one of the belaying-pins, when he said to Mackintosh:

"How long will this last, think you?"

"Longer than the ship will," replied the mate gravely.

"I should hope not," replied the captain; "still it cannot look worse.
What do you think, Ready?"

"Far more fear from above than from below just now," replied Ready,
pointing to the yard-arms of the ship, to each of which were little
balls of electric matter attached, flaring out to a point. "Look at
those two clouds, sir, rushing at each other; if I--"

Ready had not time to finish what he would have said, before a blaze of
light, so dazzling that it left them all in utter darkness for some
seconds afterwards, burst upon their vision, accompanied with a peal of
thunder, at which the whole vessel trembled fore and aft. A crash - a
rushing forward - and a shriek were heard, and when they had recovered
their eyesight, the foremast had been rent by the lightning as if it
had been a lath, and the ship was in flames: the men at the wheel,
blinded by the lightning, as well as appalled, could not steer; the
ship broached to - away went the mainmast over the side - and all was
wreck, confusion, and dismay.

Fortunately the heavy seas which poured over the forecastle soon
extinguished the flames, or they all must have perished; but the ship
lay now helpless, and at the mercy of the waves beating violently
against the wrecks of the masts which floated to leeward, but were
still held fast to the vessel by their rigging. As soon as they could
recover from the shock, Ready and the first mate hastened to the wheel
to try to get the ship before the wind; but this they could not do, as,
the foremast and mainmast being gone, the mizenmast prevented her
paying off and answering to the helm. Ready, having persuaded two of
the men to take the helm, made a sign to Mackintosh (for now the wind
was so loud that they could not hear each other speak), and, going aft,
they obtained axes, and cut away the mizen-rigging; the mizen-topmast
and head of the mizenmast went over the side, and then the stump of the
foremast was sufficient to get the ship before the wind again. Still
there was much delay and confusion, before they could clear away the
wreck of the masts; and, as soon as they could make inquiry, they found
that four of the men had been killed by the lightning and the fall of
the foremast, and there were now but eight remaining, besides Captain
Osborn and his two mates.



Chapter V

Sailors are never discouraged by danger as long as they have any chance
of relieving themselves by their own exertions. The loss of their
shipmates, so instantaneously summoned away, - the wrecked state of the
vessel, - the wild surges burying them beneath their angry waters, -
the howling of the wind, the dazzling of the lightning, and the pealing
of the thunder, did not prevent them from doing what their necessity
demanded. Mackintosh, the first mate, rallied the men, and contrived to
fix a block and strap to the still smoking stump of the foremast; a
rope was rove through the block, and the main-topgallant sail hoisted,
so that the vessel might run faster before the gale, and answer her
helm better than she did.

The ship was again before the wind, and comparatively safe,
notwithstanding the heavy blows she now received from the pursuing
waves. Night again came on, but there was no repose, and the men were
worn out with exposure and fatigue.

The third day of the gale dawned, but the appearances were as alarming
as ever: the continual breaking of the seas over the stern had washed
away the binnacles, and it was impossible now to be certain of the
course the ship had been steered, or the distance which had been run;
the leaky state of the vessel proved how much she had already suffered
from the violent shocks which she had received, and the certainty was
apparent, that if the weather did not abate, she could not possibly
withstand the force of the waves much longer.

The countenance of Captain Osborn showed great anxiety: he had a heavy
responsibility on his shoulders - he might lose a valuable ship, and
still more valuable cargo, even if they did not all lose their lives;
for they were now approaching where the sea was studded with low coral
islands, upon which they might be thrown by the waves and wind, without
having the slightest power to prevent it in their present disabled
condition.

Ready was standing by him when Captain Osborn said--

"I don't much like this, Ready; we are now running on danger and have
no help for it."

"That's true enough," replied Ready: "we have no help for it; it is
God's will, sir, and His will be done."

"Amen!" replied Captain Osborn solemnly; and then he continued, after a
pause, "There were many captains who envied me when I obtained command
of this fine ship, - would they change with me now?"

"I should rather think not, Captain Osborn, but you never know what the
day may bring forth. You sailed with this vessel, full of hope - you
now, not without reason, feel something approaching to despair; but who
knows? it may please the Almighty to rebuke those angry winds and
waves, and to-morrow we may again hope for the best; at all events you
have done your duty - no man can do more."

"You are right," replied Captain Osborn; "but hold hard, Ready, that
sea's aboard of us."

Ready had just time to cling with both hands to the belaying-pins when
the sea poured over the vessel, with a volume of water which for some
time swept them off their legs: they clung on firmly, and at last
recovered their feet.

"She started a timber or two with that blow, I rather think," said
Ready.

"I'm afraid so; the best vessel ever built could not stand such shocks
long," replied Captain Osborn; "and at present, with our weak crew, I
do not see that we can get more sail upon her."

All that night the ship flew in darkness before the gale. At daybreak
the wind abated, and the sea went down: the ship was, however, still
kept before the wind, for she had suffered too much to venture to put
her broadside to the sea. Preparations were now made for getting up
jury-masts; and the worn-out seamen were busily employed, under the
direction of Captain Osborn and his two mates, when Mr. Seagrave and
William came upon deck.

William stared about him: he perceived, to his astonishment, that the
tall masts, with all their rigging and sails, had disappeared, and that
the whole deck was in a state of confusion and disorder.

"See, my child," said Mr. Seagrave, "the wreck and devastation which
are here. See how the pride of man is humbled before the elements of
the great Jehovah."

"Ay, Master Willy," said old Ready, "look around you, as you well may.
Do you remember the verses in the Bible? - if not, I remember them
well, for I have often read them, and have often felt the truth of
them: 'They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great
waters, these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep'."

"But, father," said Willy, after a pause, "how shall we ever get to
Sydney without masts or sails?"

"Why, William," replied Ready, "we must do what we can: we sailors are
never much at a loss, and I dare say before night you will find us
under some sort of sail again. We have lost our great masts, so we must
put up jury-masts, as we call them; that is, little ones, and little
sails upon them; and, if it pleases God, we shall see Sydney yet. How
is Madam, sir?" continued Ready to Mr. Seagrave. "Is she better?"

"I fear she is very weak and ill," replied Mr. Seagrave; "nothing but
fine weather will do her any good. Do you think that it will be fine
now?"

"Why, sir, to tell you the truth, I fear we shall have more of it yet:
I have not given my thoughts to the captain, as I might be mistaken;
but still I think so - I've not been fifty years at sea without
learning something. I don't like the gathering of that bank there, Mr.
Seagrave, and I shouldn't wonder if it were to blow again from the very
same quarter, and that before dark."

"God's will be done," replied Mr. Seagrave, "but I am very fearful
about my poor wife, who is worn to a shadow."

"I shouldn't think so much about that, sir, as I really never knew of
people dying that way, although they suffer much. William, do you know
that we have lost some of our men since you were down below?"

"No - I heard the steward say something outside about the foremast."

"We have lost five of our smartest and best men - Wilson was washed
overboard, Fennings and Masters struck dead with the lightning, and
Jones and Emery crushed by the fall of the foremast. You are young,
Master Willy, but you cannot think too early of your Maker, or call to
mind what they say in the burial service, - 'In the midst of life we
are in death'."

"Thank you, Ready, for the lesson you have given my son," said Mr.
Seagrave; "and, William, treasure it up in your memory."

"Yes, William, they are the words of an old man who has seen many and
many a one who was full of youth and spirits called away before him,
and who is grateful to God that he has been pleased to preserve his
life, and allow him to amend his ways."

"I have been thinking," said Mr. Seagrave, after a silence of a minute
or two, "that a sailor has no right to marry."

"I've always thought so, sir," replied Ready; "and I dare say many a
poor deserted sailor's wife, when she has listened to the wind and rain
in her lonely bed, has thought the same."

"With my permission," continued Mr. Seagrave, "my boys shall never go
to sea if there is any other profession to be found for them."

"Well, Mr. Seagrave, they do say that it's no use baulking a lad if he
wishes to go to sea, and that if he is determined, he must go: now I
think otherwise - I think a parent has a right to say no, if he
pleases, upon that point; for you see, sir, a lad, at the early age at
which he goes to sea, does not know his own mind. Every high-spirited
boy wishes to go to sea - it's quite natural; but if the most of them
were to speak the truth, it is not that they so much want to go to sea,
as that they want to go from school or from home, where they are under
the control of their masters or their parents."

"Very true, Ready; they wish to be, as they consider they will be,
independent."

"And a pretty mistake they make of it, sir. Why, there is not a greater
slave in the world than a boy who goes to sea, for the first few years
after his shipping: for once they are corrected on shore, they are
punished ten times at sea, and they never again meet with the love and
affection they have left behind them. It is a hard life, and there have
been but few who have not bitterly repented it, and who would not have
returned, like the prodigal son, and cast themselves at their fathers'
feet, only that they have been ashamed."

"That's the truth, Ready, and it is on that account that I consider
that a parent is justified in refusing his consent to his son going to
sea, if he can properly provide for him in any other profession. There
never will be any want of sailors, for there always will be plenty of
poor lads whose friends can do no better for them; and in that case the
seafaring life is a good one to choose, as it requires no other capital
for their advancement than activity and courage."



Chapter VI

Mr. Seagrave and William went down below into the cabin, where they
found that there was plenty of employment; the steward had brought a
basin of very hot pea-soup for the children. Tommy, who was sitting up
in the bed-place with his sister, had snatched it out of Juno's left
hand, for she held the baby with the other, and in so doing, had thrown
it over Caroline, who was screaming, while Juno, in her hurry to assist
Caroline, had slipped down on the deck with the baby, who was also
crying with fright, although not hurt. Unfortunately, Juno had fallen
down upon Vixen the terrier, who in return had bitten her in the leg,
which had made Juno also cry out; while Mrs. Seagrave was hanging her
head out of her standing bed-place, frightened out of her wits at the
accident, but unable to be of any assistance. Fortunately, Mr. Seagrave
came down just in time to pick up Juno and the baby, and then tried to
comfort little Caroline, who after all was not much scalded, as the
soup had had time to cool.

"Massa Tommy is a very naughty boy," cried Juno, rubbing her leg.
Master Tommy thought it better to say nothing - he was duly admonished
- the steward cleaned up the mess, and order was at length restored.

In the meantime, they were not idle upon deck; the carpenter was busy
fixing a step for one of the spare topmasts instead of a mainmast, and
the men were fitting the rigging; the ship unfortunately had sprung a
leak, and four hands at the pumps interfered very much with their task.
As Ready had prophesied, before night the gale blew, the sea rose again
with the gale, and the leaking of the vessel increased so much, that
all other labour was suspended for that at the pump. For two more days
did the storm continue, during which time the crew were worn out with
fatigue - they could pump no longer: the ship, as she rolled, proved
that she had a great deal of water in her hold - when, melancholy as
were their prospects already, a new disaster took place, which was
attended with most serious results. Captain Osborn was on the
forecastle giving some orders to the men, when the strap of the block
which hoisted up the main-topgallant yard on the stump of the foremast
gave way, the yard and sail came down on the deck, and struck him
senseless. As long as Captain Osborn commanded them, the sailors had so
high an opinion of his abilities as a seaman, and were so encouraged by
his cheerful disposition, that they performed their work well and
cheerfully; but now that he was, if not killed, at all events senseless
and incapable of action, they no longer felt themselves under control.
Mackintosh was too much disliked by the seamen to allow his words to
have any weight with them. They were regardless of his injunctions or
requests, and they now consulted among themselves.

"The gale is broke, my men, and we shall have fine weather now,"
observed Ready, going up to the sailors on the forecastle. "The wind is
going down fast."

"Yes," replied one of the men, "and the ship is going down fast, that's
quite as certain."

"A good spell at the pumps would do us some good now," replied Ready.
"What d'ye say, my lads?"

"A glass of grog or two would do us more," replied the seaman. "What
d'ye say, my boys? I don't think that the captain would refuse us, poor
fellow, if he could speak."

"What do you mean to do, my lads?" inquired Mackintosh: "not get drunk,
I hope?"

"Why not?" observed another of the men; "the ship must go down soon."

"Perhaps she may - I will not deny it," said Mackintosh; "but that is
no reason why we should not be saved: now, if you get drunk, there is
no chance of any one being saved, and my life is precious to me. I'm
ready to join with you in anything you please, and you may decide what
is to be done; but get drunk you shall not, if I can help it, that's
certain."

"And how can you help it?" replied one of the seamen, surlily.

"Because two resolute men can do a great deal - I may say three, for in
this instance Ready will be of my side, and I can call to my assistance
the cabin passenger - recollect the firearms are all in the cabin. But
why should we quarrel? - Say at once what you intend to do; and if you
have not made up your minds, will you listen to what I propose?"

As Mackintosh's courage and determination were well known, the seamen
again consulted together, and then asked him what he proposed.

"We have one good boat left, the new yawl at the booms: the others, as
you know, are washed away, with the exception of the little boat
astern, which is useless, as she is knocked almost to pieces. Now we
cannot be very far from some of the islands, indeed I think we are
among them now. Let us fit out the boat with everything we require, go
about our work steadily and quietly, drink as much grog as will not
hurt us, and take a good provision of it with us. The boat is complete
with her masts, sails, and oars; and it's very hard if we do not save
ourselves somewhere. Ready, do I give good advice or not?"

"You give very good advice, Mackintosh - only what is to become of the
cabin passengers, the women, and children? and are you going to leave
poor Captain Osborn? or what do you mean to do?"

"We won't leave the captain," said one of the seamen.

"No - no!" exclaimed the others.

"And the passengers?"

"Very sorry for them," replied the former spokesman; "but we shall have
enough to do to save our own lives."

"Well, my lads, I agree with you," said Mackintosh. "Charity begins at
home. What do you say I - shall it be so?"

"Yes," replied the seamen, unanimously; and Ready knew that it was in
vain to expostulate. They now set about preparing the boat, and
providing for their wants. Biscuits, salt pork, two or three small
casks of water, and a barrel of rum were collected at the gangway;
Mackintosh brought up his quadrant and a compass, some muskets, powder
and shot; the carpenter, with the assistance of another man, cut away
the ship's bulwarks down to the gunnel, so as to enable them to launch
the boat overboard, for they could not, of course, hoist her out now
that the masts were gone. In an hour everything was prepared. A long
rope was made fast to the boat, which was brought to the gunnel ready
for launching overboard, and the ship's broadside was brought to the
wind. As this was done, Mr. Seagrave came on deck and looked around
him.

He perceived the boat ready for launching, the provisions and water at
the gangway, the ship brought to the wind, and rolling slowly to the
heave of the sea; at last he saw Ready sitting down by Captain Osborn,
who was apparently dead. "What is all this, Ready?" inquired Seagrave.
"Are they going to leave the ship? have they killed Captain Osborn?"

"No, sir, - not quite so bad as that. Poor Captain Osborn was struck
down by the fall of the yard, and has been insensible ever since; but,
as to the other matter, I fear that is decided: you see they are
launching the boat."

"But my poor wife, she will never be able to go - she cannot move - she
is so ill!"

"I'm afraid, Mr. Seagrave, that they have no idea of taking either you,
or your wife, or your children, with them."

"What! leave us here to perish I Merciful Heaven! how cruel - how
barbarous!"

"It is not kind, Mr. Seagrave, but still you see it is the law of
nature. When it is a question of life, it is every one for himself, for
life is sweet: they are not more unkind than they would be to each
other, if there were too many for the boat to hold. I've seen all this
before in my time," replied Ready, gravely.

"My wife! my children!" cried Mr. Seagrave, covering his face with his
hands. "But I will speak to them," continued he after a pause; "surely
they will listen to the dictates of humanity; at all events Mr.
Mackintosh will have some power over them. Don't you think so, Ready?"

"Well, Mr. Seagrave, if I must speak, I confess to you that there is
not a harder heart among them than that of Mr. Mackintosh, and it's
useless speaking to him or any one of them; and you must not be too
severe upon them neither: the boat is small, and could not hold more
people with the provisions which they take with them - that is the
fact. If they were to take you and your family into the boat, it might
be the cause of all perishing together; if I thought otherwise I would
try what I could do to persuade them, but it is useless."

"What must be done, then, Ready?"

"We must put our trust in a merciful God, Mr. Seagrave, who will
dispose of us as he thinks fit."

"We must? What! do not you go with them?"

"No, Mr. Seagrave. I have been thinking about it this last hour, and I
have made up my mind to remain with you. They intend to take poor
Captain Osborn with them, and give him a chance, and have offered to
take me; but I shall stay here."

"To perish?" replied Mr. Seagrave, with surprise.

"As God pleases, Mr. Seagrave I am an old man, and it is of little
consequence. I care little whether I am taken away a year or two
sooner, but I do not like to see blossoms cut off in early spring: I
may be of use if I remain, for I've an old head upon my shoulders, and
I could not leave you all to perish when you might be saved if you only
knew how to act. But here the seamen come - the boat is all ready, and
they will now take poor Captain Osborn with them."

The sailors came aft, and lifted up the still insensible captain. As
they were going away one of them said, "Come, Ready, there's no time to
lose."

"Never mind me, Williams; I shall stick to the ship," replied Ready. "I
wish you success with all my heart; and, Mr. Mackintosh, I have but one
promise to exact from you, and I hope you will not refuse me: which is,
that if you are saved, you will not forget those you leave here on
board, and take measures for their being searched for among the
islands."

"Nonsense, Ready! come into the boat," replied the first mate.

"I shall stay here, Mr. Mackintosh; and I only beg that you will
promise me what I ask. Acquaint Mr. Seagrave's friends with what has
happened, and where it is most likely we may be found, if it please God
to save us. Do you promise me that?"

"Yes, I do, if you are determined to stay; but," continued he, going up
to Ready, and whispering to him, "it is madness:- come away, man!"

"Good-bye, Mr. Mackintosh," replied Ready, extending his hand. "You
will keep your promise?"

After much further expostulation on the part of Mackintosh and the
seamen, to which Ready gave a deaf ear, the boat was pushed off, and
they made sail to the north-east.



Chapter VII

For some time after the boat had shoved off from the ship, old Ready
remained with his arms folded, watching it in silence. Mr. Seagrave
stood by him; his heart was too full for utterance, for he imagined
that as the boat increased her distance from the vessel, so did every
ray of hope depart, and that his wife and children, himself, and the
old man who was by his side were doomed to perish. His countenance was
that of a man in utter despair. At last old Ready spoke.

"They think that they will be saved and that we must perish, Mr.
Seagrave; they forget that there is a Power above, who will himself
decide that point - a power compared to which the efforts of weak man
are as nought."

"True," replied Mr. Seagrave, in a low voice; "but still what chance we
can have on a sinking ship, with so many helpless creatures around us,
I confess I cannot imagine."

"We must do our best, and submit to His will," replied Ready, who then
went aft, and shifted the helm, so as to put the ship again before the
wind.

As the old man had foretold to the seamen before they quitted the
vessel, the gale was now over, and the sea had gone down considerably.
The ship, however, dragged but slowly through the water, and after a
short time Ready lashed the wheel, and went forward. On his return to
the quarter-deck, he found Mr. Seagrave had thrown himself down
(apparently in a state of despair) upon the sail on which Captain
Osborn had been laid after his accident.

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