diff options
Diffstat (limited to '23072.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 23072.txt | 3670 |
1 files changed, 3670 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/23072.txt b/23072.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f72a2c --- /dev/null +++ b/23072.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3670 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Voyage of the "Steadfast", by W.H.G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Voyage of the "Steadfast" + The Young Missionaries in the Pacific + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Release Date: October 17, 2007 [EBook #23072] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VOYAGE OF THE "STEADFAST" *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The Voyage of the "Steadfast"--The Young Missionaries in the Pacific, +by W.H.G. Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ +The "Steadfast" is a whaling vessel, based on Liverpool. The whaling +grounds are in the Pacific, so each voyage involves a long time away +from home. The story opens with the owner-captain's wife and daughter +sitting at home during a great storm, in which a vessel is wrecked very +near their house. + +On board the ship are Harry Graybrook, the skipper's son, and another +youngster called Dickey Bass. Leonard Champion is the mate, and is also +in love with the captain's daughter, whom we met in Chapter One. There +is an incident with a whale which results in the "Steadfast" being +separated from a small boat containing the above, as well as an old +seaman known as "old Tom", and several other seamen. They try to regain +contact with the mother ship, but fail. They run out of food and water, +but land on an island where they are catching fish and filling their +water containers, when they are attacked by a hostile band of natives +who kill some of the seamen. After a long time at sea with very little +water and food they are picked up by another whaling vessel, but are +treated very badly by her moody and eccentric captain. + +Shipwrecked again, and after various adventures, they meet up with some +missionaries. Eventually contact is made again with the "Steadfast", +and back they go to England, where Leonard Champion marries the +daughter, and takes command of the ship on old Graybrook's retirement. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +THE VOYAGE OF THE "STEADFAST"--THE YOUNG MISSIONARIES IN THE PACIFIC, +BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +CAPTAIN GRAYBROOK'S HOME. + +A heavy gale was blowing, which shook the windows of the little +drawing-room in which Mrs Graybrook and her daughter Hannah were seated +at their work. + +Their cottage was situated close to the sea on the north coast of Wales, +so that from it, on a clear day, many a tall ship bound for Liverpool, +or sailing from that port, could be seen through the telescope which +stood ever ready pointed across the water. + +A lamp burning on the table, for it was night, shed its light on the +comely features and matronly figure of the elder lady, as she busily +plied her needle, while it showed that those of Hannah, a fair and +interesting-looking girl just growing into womanhood, were unusually +pale. Every now and then she unconsciously let her work drop on her lap +while, with her eyes turned towards the window and lips apart, she +seemed to be listening for some sound which her mother's ear had not +noticed. + +A glance into the little room might have shown why both mother and +daughter should feel anxious when tempests were raging and the sea was +tossing with angry waves. + +The mantel-piece was ornamented with some beautiful branches of coral, +several large and rare shells, and two horns of the narwhal, or +sea-unicorn, fixed against the wall, and above it was the picture of a +ship under all sail, with boats hoisted up along her sides, and flags +flying at her mastheads and peak. On the top of a bookcase stood the +perfect model of a vessel; another part of the wall was adorned with +Indian bows and spears and clubs, arranged in symmetrical order; while +one side of the room was hung with pictures, in which boats in chase of +the mighty monsters of the deep formed the chief subjects, or which +represented scenes on the coasts of far-distant lands. + +Hannah had more than once risen and gone to the window, across which-- +for the weather was still warm--the curtain had only partially been +drawn. + +Another fierce blast shook the whole house. + +"Oh, mother, what a dreadful night it is!" she exclaimed, at length. "I +fancied I heard the sound of a distant gun; it must come from some ship +in distress. What can she do if embayed off our shore in this terrific +gale?" + +Mrs Graybrook looked up from her work. + +"I was thinking, my child, how thankful we should be that the +_Steadfast_ has long ago been far away from this. Your father and Harry +are enjoying, I hope, smooth seas and gentle breezes, and may such, I +pray, follow them wherever they go." + +"I trust that they are, mother; but still I cannot help feeling anxious +on such a night as this, with the wind howling and raging round us, when +I think in what condition a ship must be placed, exposed on the wild sea +to its fury." + +"Your father has often said that he cares little for the heaviest gale, +provided he has plenty of sea-room; and a better-found ship and +stauncher crew than his, he declares, does not sail out of the port of +Liverpool." + +"I know that he has great faith in the _Steadfast's_ good qualities; but +even the finest ship may meet with accidents; and oh, how many are the +dangers she must have to run before she returns home!" said Hannah, with +a sigh. + +"Your father is a careful navigator, my dear, and he has vigilant +officers. His first mate is a tried hand, and he considers Leonard +Champion, his second mate, young as he is, an excellent seaman and fully +capable of taking charge of a ship; he hopes, indeed, to get him the +command of one when he returns, though he would be sorry to lose him." + +"I know that, mother; and I am wrong to express my fears," answered +Hannah. "Still I cannot help feeling for the poor seamen who may be +battling with the tempest to-night; and that makes me more anxious, +perhaps, about those who are far away, and of the dangers to which they +may be exposed. Surely there was another gun!" + +She again went to the window, and, throwing it open, looked out into the +darkness. The fierce wind coming in made the curtains flutter, and +almost blew out the lamp. + +"I saw the flash of a gun, mother. It is in the direction of those dark +rocks which lift their heads above the water!" exclaimed Hannah. "Ah! +I heard the sound also. There is another flash! They must have come +from some unfortunate ship. Perhaps she is already on the rocks. Can +any boat venture out to her assistance in a storm like this? I will +shut the window directly, mother," she added, looking round, and trying +to catch the fluttering curtains. + +Again she looked out. "I cannot be mistaken!" she exclaimed, the tone +of her voice showing her anxiety. "There is another gun. The ship must +be in fearful peril! Can nothing be done to help the poor people?" + +Mrs Graybrook, convinced that Hannah was right in her conjecture, came +to the window, and mother and daughter stood gazing out for some +minutes, and trying to penetrate the thick gloom which hung over the +wild, tempestuous sea raging below them. + +A fiercer blast than before, which drove the rain and spray against +their faces, compelled them to close the window; yet Hannah could not +withdraw herself from it, for she still caught an occasional flash, and +could distinguish the roar of the guns even amidst the howling of the +wind. + +"What help can we render to them?" she again asked. + +"We may give them aid--all the aid which we have the power to give," +said Mrs Graybrook, placing her work on the table. "We can pray for +them as we pray for those who are far away." + +"I never cease to pray for those dear ones, mother, morning and evening, +and every hour of the day," said Hannah. "Oh, that they had learned to +pray for themselves," she murmured; "to seek that aid in time of need +which will never be withheld!" + +Together the mother and daughter knelt, and offered up their prayers to +the throne of grace, that help might be sent to those near at hand, +while their petitions went up also for those loved ones at a distance. +They knew that the all-seeing eye of the God of mercy could follow them, +that His far-reaching hand could protect them, and that, feeble as were +their petitions, He heard and would grant them if He saw fit. + +They rose with hearts cheered and comforted. + +"I should indeed be happier if Harry had known and accepted the truth," +said Mrs Graybrook, continuing the conversation just before begun. "He +is so light-hearted, and, enjoying health and strength, so confident in +himself, that his mind has hitherto appeared incapable of attending to +spiritual things; though, when I have spoken to him, he has respectfully +listened with a grave countenance; but the subject has evidently not +been to his taste. My grief is, also, that your father so admires his +bold and daring spirit, that he encourages him to think more of the +things of this world than of the future. Excellent as your father is, +too, he has not had the same advantages of receiving religious +instruction which we have possessed, and is therefore unable to impart +it to Harry. This made me very unwilling that your brother should go to +sea before he was a confirmed Christian; but your father was so +determined to take him that I was compelled to consent." + +Mrs Graybrook would not have spoken thus to Hannah of her father's want +of religious principle, but that she knew her daughter was well aware of +it, and mourned for it with her, while she had often joined with her in +prayer that he might be brought to know the truth. Mrs Graybrook had +far too much delicacy and sense of what is right, under other +circumstances, to have spoken to her daughter in any way which might +have appeared disrespectful of Captain Graybrook, for whom they both +entertained the deepest affection. Her true and faithful love for her +husband made her feel as she did; for, having learned the value of her +own soul, she was anxious about his and that of her dear boy. + +"I at first had hoped that Leonard Champion would have proved an +advantageous companion to Harry," continued Mrs Graybrook. "But, if +not inclined to laugh at religion, he is, I fear, ignorant of its vital +truths or indifferent to them, and Harry therefore cannot be benefited +through his means." + +Hannah sighed. + +"You are right, mamma; Mr Champion cannot lead Harry to the fountain in +which he does not see the need of being washed himself. I spoke to him +earnestly on the subject, but without avail, though he accepted some +books which I offered him, and promised to read them when he had time." + +The two ladies had, since they settled in Wales, enjoyed the ministry of +one of those gifted servants of God, to whom the honour has been given +of winning souls to Christ by their preaching and private exhortations. +He had been a frequent visitor at the cottage; and mother and daughter, +having accepted the truth, had been built up in their faith, becoming +earnest yet humble Christians. + +This was after Harry went to school. During his short holidays, though +his mother and sister had often earnestly and lovingly spoken to him, +they had made no apparent impression on his mind, all his thoughts being +set on going to sea. His mother had now deeply to regret that she +herself, ignorant of the truth during his childhood's days, had been +unable to instruct him while his young mind was ready to receive the +religious knowledge she might have imparted. + +How many a mother must feel as she did! + +Captain Graybrook had been constantly at sea, and when he came home for +a brief visit, though he remarked the change in his wife and daughter, +and found that they were unwilling to engage in any of the frivolous +amusements of society, he looked upon the opinions they expressed as +mere passing fancies, and begged to be excused from listening to the +preacher of whom they spoke so highly. + +"Those sort of things are very good, my dear wife, for some people," he +answered, carelessly; "but sailors have no time to attend to them; I, at +all events, have not, for I have to see to the refitting of the ship; +and you must acknowledge that I have been a good husband and father. I +have done my duty; and what more can you want of me?" + +"The best of human beings are sinful by nature, and have committed +numberless sins, and require to be washed in the blood of Jesus to fit +them to enter into the presence of a pure and holy God," answered Mrs +Graybrook, gently. + +"I dare say it is all true," said the captain, kissing his wife. "You +are a good creature, and mean well; but I have not time to listen now, +and must be off; so good-bye, Betty, good-bye!" and he hurried away. + +Hannah had entertained hopes of inducing her father's young mate, +Leonard Champion, to listen to the subject which occupied her thoughts. +He had been a frequent visitor at the house while the ship was +undergoing repairs in the dockyard, for he was an especial favourite of +her father. + +He was a young man of superior attainments, not having gone to sea till +he had completed his education at school and had entered college. At +that time, his father, who was a merchant, dying just as his firm, by +unforeseen circumstances, had become bankrupt, Leonard was left +destitute. He had always had a predilection for the sea, and Captain +Graybrook, an old friend of his father, at once offered, in the most +liberal way, to give him an outfit and to receive him on board his ship. + +Leonard thankfully accepted the offer, and, devoting all his energies +and talents to acquire a knowledge of the profession he had entered, +soon became an excellent navigator and a first-rate seaman. Delighting +in his new calling, generous and good-natured as he was cool and daring +in danger, he won the confidence of his captain, and was beloved and +willingly obeyed by the crew. + +He had not seen the captain's daughter till the last time the ship +returned home, and had not expected to find her so engaging and refined +a girl. He was, in her sight, superior to any one she had ever met, and +her affections were engaged before she was aware of the state of her own +feelings. He did not conceal his, and, little versed in the ways of the +world, while utterly free from deceit, he expressed his opinions with a +freedom which many persons under the circumstances would not have done. +Hannah, though admiring his many fine qualities, could not forget that +he was destitute of the most important of all things--sound religious +principle. Not denying the interest she felt in him, she distinctly +told him that she would never engage herself to marry one who did not +desire faithfully to serve the same God and Master whom she did. + +Leonard did not clearly understand her meaning, as, indeed, no one still +following the ways of the world can comprehend the spiritually minded. + +In vain she spoke to him. Perhaps not till he had sailed did she +discover how completely, in spite of her resolutions, she had given him +her heart. All she could now do was to pray that the young sailor might +be brought to a knowledge of the truth. + +That evening, while the storm was raging, her mind had been far away on +board the _Steadfast_, and her heart sickened as she remembered the +dangers to which he might be exposed, and the hazardous pursuit in which +he was engaged. + +"Perhaps Mr Champion may give Harry some of the books to read which he +took with him," observed Hannah. "I chose such as I thought most likely +to interest him." + +"I fear Harry is very little addicted to reading," answered Mrs +Graybrook. + +"Is there no one else on board likely to speak to Harry on religious +subjects, mother? Are none of the other mates Christians?" asked +Hannah, anxiously. + +"I fear not," said Mrs Graybrook. "There is, however, old Tom Hayes, +who has sailed for many years with your father, and has frequently been +at our house. I have at times heard him let drop expressions which +induced me to believe that he is a Christian man. Your father has +spoken of him as a Methodist, and observed that, though he did not think +much of his opinions, he was the most sober and steady man he ever had +with him, and one of his best boat-steerers and harpooners. I remember +being struck by the old man's calm and intelligent countenance and his +gentle and unassuming manners, which true and simple religious faith +could alone impart. When we were last on board the ship he expressed +himself more openly to me than he had ever before done. I spoke to him +about Harry, and he assured me that he would do his best to look after +him and keep him out of danger. He was going to say more, when he was +called away to attend to some duty, and I had no other opportunity of +speaking to him." + +"I remember the old sailor," said Hannah. "How I wish that I had +thought of talking with him! But I am afraid that Harry will not be +inclined to listen to anything which a person whom he will look upon as +his inferior may say to him. Still the old man may be able to speak to +him, and if he is, as you think, a true Christian, he will certainly +endeavour to do so." + +"After all, dear Hannah, while we rest assured that God will hear our +petitions, we must remember that He knows best how to answer them," +observed Mrs Graybrook. "Confiding in His love, let our hearts be +comforted." + +More than once the conversation of the mother and daughter had been +interrupted by the loud uproar of the storm, and Jane, their +maid-servant, who had been sitting by herself in the kitchen, came +running in, exclaiming that she was afraid the whole house would be +blown away. + +"It has stood many a severer gale than this, Jane," answered her +mistress. "But bring your work in here, as you are alarmed at being +alone," she added, kindly. "We should be worse off if we were to run +out into the garden." + +The girl thankfully took advantage of Mrs Graybrook's permission to sit +in the drawing-room; and her presence prevented the two ladies from +speaking further on the subject which occupied their thoughts. + +The usual time for their evening prayers arrived. + +It seemed to Hannah, even while they were on their knees, that the gale +blew with less fury than before. It was, indeed, one of those storms +which occasionally, during the equinox, sweep along the coast, and, +though brief, cause much damage to vessels caught near the shore, +especially to such as are ill-found and ill-manned. So do the trials of +life wreck those persons destitute of sound faith and religious +principle, while those who are resting on Jesus are carried through them +and preserved. + +Next morning the wind had ceased, and the sun shone forth. + +Hannah anxiously looked through the telescope in the direction she had +seen the flashes of the guns. There lay a large ship on the rocks, but +her masts were standing, and boats were passing to and fro from the +shore. She was greatly relieved when she soon afterwards heard that, +though the ship had received much damage, no lives had been lost. + +"I was wrong last night in giving way to my faithless fears and running +the risk of alarming you, my dear mother," she said, with a smile. "I +feel my heart happier this morning, and believe that God will protect +those we love, and that we shall yet see the _Steadfast_, with a full +cargo, sailing back towards the Mersey, and, better still, that father +and Harry" (she could not bring herself to utter the name of Leonard +Champion aloud) "may have accepted the truth, and then--" and she looked +upwards--"when we are called upon to part, we may know that we shall +meet together to enjoy the glorious happiness which our gracious Saviour +has prepared for all those who love Him." + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +WHALING IN THE PACIFIC. + +The _Steadfast_, South Sea whaler, having doubled Cape Horn, was +traversing the broad waters of the Pacific. Royals and studding-sails +were set to catch the light breeze which sent her gliding majestically +along over the calm ocean; her six whaleboats, with stem and stern +alike, hung from the davits above her black sides. A tropical sun shone +down on her deck, making the pitch hiss and bubble in the seams, and +driving all on deck whose duty did not compel them to keep elsewhere, +into such shade as the sails and bulwarks afforded. + +Captain Graybrook, a fine-looking man, with an open, intelligent +expression of countenance, stood aft, sextant in hand, prepared to take +a meridional altitude. Near him was his second mate, Leonard Champion, +with two boys, one of whom also held a sextant. + +"You can now, Harry, take an observation as well as I can, and before +long, if you pay attention, you will become a good navigator," observed +the young mate. + +"Thank you for teaching me, Mr Champion; that's just my wish," answered +Harry. + +"Where there's a will there's a way; and you, Mr Bass," said the mate, +turning to the other boy, "ought to do as well as Harry by this time." + +"Dickey is fonder of skylarking than shooting the stars," remarked +Harry, laughing. + +"Not fonder than you are, Harry," retorted Dickey Bass, who was the son +of a former shipmate of Captain Graybrook, and brought by him to sea +through regard for the boy's father. "I don't happen to understand sums +as well as you do, and so I don't always get my day's work done as +correctly as yours." + +"Always! why, if we were to go by your reckoning, Dickey, we should have +been in the middle of the forests of South America, or on the top of the +Andes, before now. When did you ever make a right calculation?" asked +Harry, who delighted in bantering Dickey, though they were really great +friends. + +"Why, for the last fortnight I don't suppose I have been more than eight +or ten degrees out at the utmost." + +Mr Champion and Harry laughed heartily. + +"Rather a serious error, Mr Bass." + +"I meant minutes," said Dickey, "or perhaps seconds; I always forget +which is which." + +At that moment Captain Graybrook lifted his instrument to his eye, and +the mate and Harry followed his example. + +"The sun has dipped; make it noon," said the captain; and the ship's +bell was struck. + +Having written off their observations and quickly made their +calculations, the ship was found to be about seventeen degrees south of +the line, off the coast of Peru. + +Look-out men were sent aloft, for they were now approaching a part of +the ocean where whales were in those days likely to be found. As they +looked over the side, many polypi, medusae, and squid were observed +floating on the surface; and occasionally a covey of flying-fish, rising +from the water, darted rapidly over it, quickly again, as their +brilliant wings dried, to sink down and become the prey of their +enemies, the dolphin or bonito. A seaman had just hauled a bucket of +water on deck. Within it was a gelatinous-looking mass. The mate and +his young companions examined it. + +"That is part of a squid," he observed, "the whale's food. Probably the +remainder is down the monster's maw. We shall sight a whale before the +day is over, I hope." + +"I hope so too," said Harry. "I long to see one killed and brought +alongside. We have had a dull time of it since we touched at +Valparaiso. I thought we should have captured a dozen or more before +this." + +"You will have to learn patience at sea, my boy," observed the mate. +"We have three years to remain out, and may consider ourselves fortunate +if we get a full ship at the end of that time." + +The sextants had been returned to their cases in the cabin, and Harry +and his chum, Dickey Bass, finding it very hot, seated themselves in the +shade by the side of a gun, of which the _Steadfast_ carried eight, +besides a good supply of muskets and cutlasses and other weapons; for, +having to visit regions inhabited by fierce and savage tribes, she was +well armed. + +"I say, Harry, what was old Tom talking to you about in your watch last +night, and what made you look so grave this morning? I could not tell +what had come over you," said Dickey Bass. + +"He asked me whether I was prepared to die. I thought it an odd +question." + +"I should think it was," said young Bass. "What did you say in return?" + +"I told him that I had not thought about it, and that, as I enjoyed +life, I had no intention of leaving it," answered Harry. "He then +reminded me that I might fall overboard any day, or the ship might be +lost with all hands, or the boat in which I happened to be might be +capsized, or I might die of fever, or be cut off by savages, or that I +might lose my life in a number of other ways. He asked me, if any of +these disagreeable things were to happen, where I expected to go. I +told him, of course, that I wished to go to heaven; and he then inquired +what right I had to go there." + +"I do not think he had any right to ask you any such questions," +observed Harry's companion. "I should have told him to mind his own +business. I do not like to be bothered by that sort of questions." + +"I could not answer him in that way," replied Harry, "for he spoke very +kindly. He is, besides, an old man, and has been for a number of years +with my father, who thinks highly of him, for I have heard him say so. +Besides, he has taken great pains to teach me seamanship, always tells +me anything I ask him; and if it were not for him I should not know half +as much as I do." + +"Still, I do not see why he should try to frighten you about dying, or +ask you where you expect to go if you do. It looks as if he doubted +that you would go to heaven," said Dickey. + +"He told me very distinctly that I had no claim whatever to go there, +and that unless my sins were washed away, the Bible says that I should +be unfit to go there; that heaven is a pure and holy place, and that all +people are impure and unholy," said Harry, in a graver tone than usual. + +"But I suppose he wants you to become religious, and read good books, +and give up laughing and singing and being the capital jolly fellow you +are now, Harry," interrupted Dickey Bass. "If I were you, I would not +listen to him; neither your father nor Mr Champion ever speaks to us in +that way. Just forget all he said, and drive dull care away." + +"I have already forgotten, I am afraid, a great deal that he said," +answered Harry; "but he seemed, at all events, very much in earnest, and +I cannot help remembering some of the things. Besides, Mr Champion has +lately spoken to me more seriously than he has ever done before; and +only last Sunday he gave me a book to read, and told me that he thought +it would do me good. As I found my sister Hannah's name in it, I +suppose she asked him to give it to me, and that he had forgotten to do +so till then." + +"I saw you with one in your hand. Did you read it?" asked young Bass. + +"It seemed very dry, and I fell asleep over it, so that I cannot say I +know much about it," answered Harry. + +"The best thing you could have done," remarked Dickey. "Whatever you +do, Harry, don't turn Methodist. I cannot say that I admire old Tom, +and do not want you to become like him. To my mind he is a dull, stiff +old fellow, with a very good opinion of himself, and I have never felt +inclined to be intimate with him." + +"I did not at first; but he seemed so anxious to help me, and to put me +up to all sorts of things, that I could not help liking him, though I +own that I would rather he did not talk to me about religion. The next +time he does so I shall try to get him to change the subject." + +"Of course you must," said Dickey Bass. "It's all very well for parsons +and ministers, but an old boat-steerer has no business to trouble one +with such things. Why, I only yesterday heard him lecturing Rob Burton +there, the merriest, happiest fellow in the ship;" and he pointed to a +fine, active-looking young seaman at work on the other side of the deck. +"I have a notion that he was talking to him about his soul and death, +as if he was not likely to live as long as any one on board, and longer +too than most of the old hands. Why should he put melancholy thoughts +into his head, and take the pluck out of him?" + +"I suppose he thought Rob Burton careless about religious matters, and +wanted to get him to read his good books and tracts," observed Harry. +"Old Tom means well, at all events." + +"He may mean well, but for my part I don't like those well-meaning +fellows," answered Dickey. "If I catch him lecturing you I will join +in, and we will soon put a stop to his preaching." + +The thoughtless lads talked on for some time in the same strain, till +any good effect which the conversation Tom Hayes had held with Harry +might have produced on him was completely eradicated. + +They were interrupted by a startling cry from the masthead, so welcome +to a whaler's ears, of "There she spouts!" and in a moment the crew, +hitherto so lethargic, were aroused into action. Some flew to the +falls, to lower a couple of boats, others sprang up the shrouds, to +observe the position of the whale; and soon afterwards the boats, of +which the first and second mates had the command, shoved off from the +ship's side. Another cry came of "There again!" indicating that the +whale had once more come to the surface, and was spouting. The monster +was at no great distance. Mr Gibson, the first mate, took the lead, +pulling the bow oar of his boat, that he might be ready to strike the +harpoon into the animal as soon as it was reached. + +Harry and his friend were in the rigging watching the proceedings. + +Quitting his oar, the mate stood up, harpoon in hand; it flew from his +grasp just in time to strike the monster, which was about to "sound," or +dive. The line attached to the weapon led aft to a tub, in which it lay +coiled at the bottom of the boat. The mate, who acted as boat-steerer, +now came to his proper place in the stern, where he guided the boat by +an oar passed through a ring called a grummet, while the headsman, who +had before been steering, took his place in the bow, armed with several +lances, ready to plunge into the body of the whale the instant it again +appeared. + +After some minutes, up came the monster, lying somewhat exhausted with +its exertions to escape and the effects of the harpoon in its body. The +boat pulling close up to it, the headsman thrust first one lance and +then another into its body, near the fin, shouting as he did so, "Stern +all." Instantly the boat backed away as fast as the crew could use +their oars, only just in time to avoid the violent movements of the +monster, which now reared its tail, lashing the water into foam, and, +lifting its enormous head, threatened destruction to its assailants with +its formidable jaws. Suddenly its movements ceased, and the +boat-steerers, believing that its last struggles were over, and eager to +secure their victim, urged their men to give way towards it. + +The first mate's boat still took the lead, and approached with less +caution than usual. The apparently vanquished monster, as it saw her, +without a moment's warning whirled round its enormous tail, which, +striking her, sent the boat flying into the air, scattering her crew on +either side in the blood-stained water, when it rushed forward with open +mouth to attack Mr Champion's boat. He narrowly avoided the fierce +assault, and then boldly steered to the assistance of his shipmates, who +were struggling for their lives. Once more the whale turned, dragging +the boat after it, swimming directly through the midst of the men in the +water. + +The accident had been clearly seen from the ship. Several had been +picked up. Mr Champion then steered towards the whale, which was in +its death struggle a short distance off. Another boat had been lowered +to go to his assistance, under the command of Tom Hayes. + +In a short time, the first mate's boat having been righted, all three +were seen returning. + +"Any one hurt, Mr Gibson?" inquired the captain, as the whale was +brought alongside. + +"Sorry to say, sir, that Rob Burton has gone," was the answer. "Either +the whale or the boat struck him, and he went down like a shot." + +"Poor Rob Burton!" exclaimed several voices. "The gayest and +best-hearted fellow aboard." + +"Dickey, you said he was likely to live as long as any of us," remarked +Harry, very much shocked. "I wonder whether he listened to what old Tom +said to him?" + +"It's not a subject I like to think about," answered Dickey. "I wish it +had not happened." + +"So do I. But our wishes cannot bring poor Burton to life again," +observed Harry. "I cannot help thinking that old Tom must be right; and +when he speaks to me I think I ought to listen to what he says." + +"Now, Harry, don't let this thing make you turn Methodist!" exclaimed +Bass, after a silence of some minutes. "It is very shocking, of course; +but that's no reason why we should mope and grow serious, and fancy that +the same is going to happen to us. I don't feel quite comfortable +myself, I own; but we shall get over it in a few days, and all hands +will be as merry as ever." + +Such, indeed, was the case. Poor Burton's clothes were put up to +auction and disposed of among the crew, and his name was seldom or never +mentioned afterwards. Too often the same thing happens on board ship +when a seaman is lost, much as his shipmates may mourn for him at the +time. + +Old Tom did not, however, fail to speak to Harry about Burton. + +"I was talking to him on the state of his soul only just two or three +days before he had to go and stand in the presence of his Maker, and +give an account of the deeds done in the body," said the old man. "I +asked him whether he knew that it was washed in the blood of the +Saviour, or whether he had his sins still clinging to him. He did not +know, poor lad, that his soul needed cleansing; and when I said that it +was vile and foul, and loaded with sin, and that unless it was washed he +could not enter heaven and stand before the all-righteous Judge, he +asked me how that was to be done. So I told him the way God has +appointed--the only way by which it could be done--through faith in the +blood of the risen Saviour shed for us on Calvary. And I tell you, +Harry, that it gives me great joy to think that his answer was, `I do +believe Jesus died for me. May God in His mercy help my unbelief.' I +told him to pray, and that he might be sure God would answer his prayer. +He said he would that very night; and next morning he told me that he +had prayed, and that he felt happier than he had ever done before. I +had not another word with him after that; but I only wish that you and +every one in the ship were like Rob Burton. I know little more about +him than what I have told you, but that is enough to give me comfort; +and if I ever get home and can visit his mother, it will give her +comfort too, for she is a Christian woman, and had taught him to pray, +and had never ceased praying for him, he said. Of that he was sure." + +"Then do you think he has gone to heaven?" asked Harry. + +"Yes," answered old Tom; "for God has promised that He will receive all +who trust in Jesus. Whatever are their sins, He will put them as far +from Him as the east is from the west; that though they be red like +scarlet, they shall become white as wool." + +"I wish that I understood these things better than I do," said Harry, +earnestly. + +"You have your Bible, Harry; read that, with prayer for grace to +understand it." + +Harry said he would try and find time; and he actually took out a small +Bible which his mother had put into his chest, and carried it in his +pocket; but he did not like reading it when Dickey was looking on, and +somehow or other never found the time he expected. + +Dickey tried his best to do away with the impression old Tom had made on +Harry's mind; and the thoughtless boys soon, like the rest of the crew, +forgot the fate of poor Burton. All hands were, indeed, kept actively +employed. Numerous whales appeared, several of which were captured, and +night after night the crew were engaged in "cutting in" and "trying +out"--that is, cutting the blubber off the body of the animal and +boiling it in huge cauldrons on deck. The bright glare falling on the +masts and rigging, and the sturdy frames of the sailors, as they stirred +up the cauldrons, placed on tripods, with their forks, gave them the +wildest and most savage appearance. + +"I don't think my mother and sister would recognise the ship if they +were to see us now," observed Harry to his companion, as they stood aft, +ready to cast off the carcase of a whale which had been stripped of its +blubber, and had an opportunity of observing the scene going on beyond +them. + +"They would think we were a set of spirits from the lower world busy +over some diabolical work, I suspect," said Dickey. + +The business was not exactly pleasant, but as there was no disagreeable +smell, Harry did not mind it; and even Mr Champion, whom he looked upon +as very refined, was so accustomed to the work that he took it as a +matter of course. + +After the oil was thus extracted, it was ladled into casks, which were +stowed below. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +ADVENTURE WITH SEA-LIONS. + +The _Steadfast_ had made so successful a commencement of her voyage that +all hands hoped she would get full much sooner than many had expected, +and be able to return home. The whales, however, having disappeared +from the fishing-ground where she had been engaged, she was about to +proceed to the western part of the Pacific, when a mass of rugged rocks +was sighted out of the ocean. + +"An awkward spot to run against on a dark night," observed Harry, as +they approached them. "Hark! what is that strange roaring noise? I +could fancy that a thousand lions or more were assembled together +holding a concert." + +"They are sea-lions, Master Harry," observed old Tom; "the whole rock is +covered with them and their cubs. If we could manage to get hold of +some of them, we should find their skins very useful." + +Captain Graybrook was of this opinion, and as the wind was light and +there was no dangerous current running, the ship was hove to, and he +ordered two of the boats to be got ready to capture some of the +sea-lions, the ordinary species of seal found in the southern seas. Mr +Champion took command of one boat and old Tom of the other, and the boys +got leave to accompany the second mate. + +They pulled away towards the rocks. As a heavy surf broke on the rocks, +rushing up some distance with great force and then back again, which +would have dashed the boats to pieces, had they got within its +influence, they were compelled to pull a considerable distance round +before a spot was found on which a landing could be effected with any +degree of safety. Even there, those who were to land had to watch for +an opportunity, as the boat was sent forward on the crest of a breaker, +to leap out and spring up the rocks, while the boats, with a couple of +hands in each, were pulled back again out of danger. + +No sooner had the party scrambled up the rocks than the seals, alarmed +at their approach, made towards the water, rushing down impetuously, and +working themselves along by means of their fins--their heads and manes +giving them the appearance of lions. Their threatening aspect, and the +loud roars they uttered, were enough to daunt any one not accustomed to +encounter them. + +"I wish that I had remained on board," cried Dickey. "See, here comes a +fellow; he will knock us over to a certainty. What shall we do?" + +The men, however, had brought heavy clubs, with which they struck right +and left as the monsters, with glistening fangs, rushed down on them, +snapping their jaws, powerful enough to bite off a limb in an instant. +The position of the party was dangerous in the extreme as the monsters +came rolling and sliding down the rocks. To avoid them, the men were +compelled to climb over the bodies of those which had been stunned; but +still more met them, and Harry would have been knocked over by a big +seal, and probably carried into the sea, had not Mr Champion, close to +whom he kept, struck the creature on the head and dragged Harry out of +the way. Old Tom saved Dickey in the same way. + +Though most of the seals which had not been killed had made their +escape, a few remained on the higher ground, among which was an enormous +male seal. The monster seemed determined to give battle to his +assailants, and came down the rocks towards them shaking his mane and +extending wide his jaws armed with sharp tusks. Old Tom, who boldly +went forward to meet the creature, inflicted a tremendous blow with his +club on its head, but without stopping its career. Wishing to secure +it, he took a harpoon which one of the men, by his orders, had carried +with a line attached to it, and plunged it into the animal, trying to +make fast the line to a jutting point of rock. The seal, however, +rendered only more furious from its wounds, rushed into the midst of the +party, dragging the rope, which, as Mr Champion sprang forward to meet +it, became entangled around his leg. Before any one could rescue him, +he was carried away into the midst of the wild surf dashing up against +the rocks. + +A cry of horror and dismay rose from all the party as they saw the young +mate buried beneath the waves. Old Tom and several of the men sprang +forward in a vain attempt to seize him, and were nearly swept away. + +The boats were at too great a distance to render assistance. The next +instant Leonard Champion was seen struggling amid the curing crest of a +breaker; but, alas! much too far off to be reached. + +"Oh, he is gone! he is gone!" cried Harry, wringing his hands. + +Little did he think of the agony his gentle sister would have suffered +could she have witnessed the scene. Happily, those at home are not +aware of the dangers to which their loved ones are exposed till they are +over. When ending fatally there comes, it is true, the unavoidable +sorrow; but even that does not equal the intense suffering of mind which +is endured when the peril is witnessed and no help can be sent. + +Again the young mate disappeared. + +"There, there he is!" cried Harry, as he was seen struggling on the +snowy summit of an enormous roller. + +Onward he was borne. His shipmates, clasping each other's hands, formed +a line, the strongest bravely dashing in towards him. He was already +almost senseless; one outstretched hand was seized. Exerting all their +strength, the men worked their way up the rock, and then, two of them +clasping him in their arms, he was borne in triumph out of the power of +the greedy waves. Harry threw himself down by his side overcome by his +feelings. + +"You are safe, Mr Champion!" + +"Thank God for it!" answered the young man, pressing Harry's hand; but +he could say no more. + +The task of embarking was a hazardous one. The mate was first placed in +his boat, when the seal-skins, which had been quickly stripped off, were +thrown on board; and, thankful to escape from the treacherous rocks, the +party returned to the ship. + +Leonard Champion was for several days confined to his cabin. He thought +much, and he was constantly reading. Harry recognised the books which +had been his sister's. "You must find them very interesting, Mr +Champion," he observed. + +"I wish that I had begun reading them sooner, Harry," was the answer. +"I feel that I have been rescued from the jaws of death through God's +mercy; and how unprepared I was to die." + +"But I hope you will not be exposed to the same danger again, Mr +Champion." + +"I pray not, for it was terrible--I can scarcely make you understand how +terrible. I cannot help seeing that I should be indeed ungrateful if I +did not acknowledge the loving mercy of God, who preserved my life, and +endeavour from henceforth to serve Him faithfully, instead, as I have +hitherto done, of rebelling against Him. Yet I am sure that we should +accept the offers of God, and serve Him from love and gratitude, and not +from fear of death; I do not mean simply the death of the body, but +eternal death--the doom of all who die unreconciled, and therefore at +enmity with God." + +"Is that what Hannah's books say?" inquired Harry, in perfect sincerity. + +"Yes, and much more. You would have found what I now say in the book I +lent you," observed the mate. + +"I have not yet read it, but I will try and do so," said Harry; "still, +except on a Sunday, I have not much time, as you know, and the book +appeared to me very dull." + +"I am not surprised at that, for I thought it so myself, though I read +it. But now, Harry, that I have had time for reflection, and feel how +nearly I was lost, I see its value," said Mr Champion. "Let me ask you +to read it, Harry, even although you do find it dull." + +Harry promised that he would, and fully intended to read it. + +Captain Graybrook observed the change which had come over his mate, but +he forbore to ask him questions; he could scarcely suppose, however, +that a peril to which seamen are so constantly exposed should have +produced the change. + +"I thought Mr Champion was as brave as any fellow in the ship," +observed Dickey Bass to Harry. "It seems to me that he must have been +in a terrible fright, being carried off by the seal, or he would not +look so grave and down-hearted as he seems." + +"I don't think it was fear, for I am very sure he is as brave as any man +alive," answered Harry; but he made no other remark, for of late he had +become less willing than formerly to talk to Bass on such a subject, +suspecting as he did the real cause of the change which his young +shipmate had observed in the second mate. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +A NIGHT ADVENTURE. + +The _Steadfast_ now steered westward across the Pacific. Leonard +Champion was indeed much changed. He no longer took pleasure in the +light reading and frivolous conversation in which he had previously +indulged. He knew that he was a sinner, and he believed that Jesus +Christ died to save sinners; but he had not discovered that by simple +faith in the all-sufficient atonement of the Saviour's precious blood +shed on Calvary, his sins were already washed away, and that he might +live rejoicing in the love of God, and go to Him as a child goes to an +affectionate parent, with the certainty of obtaining all he asks for, if +it is for his good. + +Leonard, however, took every opportunity of talking to Harry. Harry +listened respectfully; but he thought that the mate was ill and out of +spirits, and he did not feel, therefore, that he need be much influenced +by what was said. + +Several weeks passed, and once more the cheering cry of "There she +spouts!" was heard, and several whales were captured. + +The ship was in sight of a rocky island. Three of the boats had already +gone away in pursuit of a whale in an opposite direction from the +island, the captain himself being in one of them, when another was seen +spouting towards the land. The boat of which old Tom had charge was +immediately lowered. Harry and Dickey, who had long been eager to go in +chase of a whale, slipped down just as she was shoving off. The first +mate, who remained in charge of the ship, hailed them to come back. + +"The captain promised to let us go some day, and we could not have a +better opportunity," shouted Bass. + +The mate, understanding that the captain had given them leave, told them +that they might go; and old Tom, who had been busy arranging his +harpoons, was under the same impression. + +The crew giving way, the boat was soon at a distance from the ship. +Before she got up to the whale, the monster had sounded; but from the +direction it had taken old Tom felt certain that it would rise again +still nearer the island. The boat accordingly pulled on. He was not +mistaken, but the whale was still some way off. Once more the men bent +to their oars. The monster, unconscious of danger, was still above +water. As the boat drew near, old Tom was standing up in the bow, +harpoon in hand, ready to plunge it into the whale's side. Its flukes +were just going up as, with unerring aim, he darted his weapon, which +sunk deep into its side. With rapid strokes the boat was backed away, +and old Tom returned aft to manage the line, now running rapidly out as +the whale sounded. The second line was got ready and made fast to the +first, that had almost run out before it began to slacken, as the whale +returned to the surface. The crew were hauling it in when the monster +appeared. They had just time to make it fast round the bollard, when +the whale darted off, towing the boat at a rapid rate towards the +island. It seemed in no way disposed to slacken its speed; but old Tom +knew that if the harpoon held they would at length come up with it. + +The ship had in the meantime been standing after the other boats, and +was now almost hull down; still, as the island would mark their +position, they had little fear of not being picked up after the other +whales were captured. + +The sun was by this time near the horizon, and the wind had increased +considerably since they left the ship, but, as it blew off the shore, +the sea was tolerably smooth. + +At length the monster, growing weary, slackened its speed, and the line +was hauled in. The boat had got nearly up to it when it again sounded, +but only for a short time. On its return to the surface, old Tom was +able to plunge several lances into its body, and then, the boat backing +away from it, after it had struggled and lashed the water with its tail +for a few minutes, it turned over on its side, and a shout proclaimed +that the crew were victors. They now prepared to tow their prize +towards the ship; but darkness had come on, and when they looked out for +her she was nowhere to be seen. Still, as they knew the direction in +which she was to be found, they hoped to get alongside before midnight, +and bending lustily to their oars, pulled away. They had not gone far +before they had to meet the wind, which had hitherto come off the shore, +and was in their favour; and the sea rising rapidly, they made but slow +way with the whale in tow. No sound was heard but the roaring of the +surf on the rocky island and the breaking of the sea-caps, which ever +and anon leaped on board. Harry and Dickey heartily wished themselves +safe on board again, while old Tom, as he stood up steering with his +oar, looked out anxiously ahead, in the hope of seeing a light from the +ship. The sea-caps, however, came tumbling on board faster than ever. + +"There is work for you, boys," he observed. "We must get rid of some of +this water, or else we shall have more than enough." + +The boys turned to and bailed with might and main; but their efforts +were not sufficient, and one of the men was obliged to assist them. + +"There is the light, lads!" cried old Tom; "but it's a long way off," he +murmured. + +Far away, just above the breaking seas ahead, could be seen the glare of +a blue light; it seemed to come out of the water, and showed that the +ship was indeed a long way off. + +"We shall not get alongside with the whale to-night," observed old Tom. + +"Neither with it nor without it," answered one of the men. + +"It will be lucky if we get anywhere," said another. + +The sea had now risen still more than at first, and dark heavy masses +crested with foam came rolling on towards the boat. + +It was proposed to hang on to the whale, and wait till the ship stood +towards them. The boat was made fast under the lee of the monster's +body, which served somewhat to break the force of the seas. + +Again a pale blue light was seen, but it was evidently only the upper +rays, showing that the ship was hull down. The captain might not dare +to venture so near a rocky coast, off which unknown reefs might lie hid, +even to save their lives. + +In a short time the body of the whale scarcely afforded them shelter, +and the seas, rolling over it, broke on board. The crew cried out that +they should be swamped, and proposed pulling for the island and landing +on the rocks. + +"We shall have a chance of saving our lives, and it will be better than +being swamped out here!" exclaimed the man who had first spoken. + +"We shall have but a poor chance if we attempt to land on the rocks, I +tell you that, lads," said old Tom. "I would rather keep hold of the +whale." + +Still the men declared that they would, at all events, rather chance it. + +Just as they were speaking, the clouds to windward appeared to open, and +a bright light darted from the sky. This decided old Tom, for he knew +that it was the sign of a still further increase of wind. + +"I hope we shall not have to run on the rocks," he said; "just, however, +as we made fast to the whale, I observed an opening in the surf. It was +a very narrow one, though. If we can find it we will attempt to run +through, for there is sure to be a harbour inside, and we have no other +hope of saving our lives that I can see." + +The boat was accordingly cast off from the whale, and her head being +kept to the seas, to prevent her from being swamped, the crew exerted +all their strength to gain the land. Ahead appeared a long line of +roaring, foaming breakers, with a rocky shore beyond, and the dim +outline of the dark hills farther on. For an hour or more they pulled +on, but no opening in the mass of foaming breakers could be discerned. +They were beginning to despair, when old Tom said that he could see the +place he was in search of, for he had remarked the peculiar shape of the +hills at that spot. He accordingly steered in for the shore. Harry and +Dickey, however, could see nothing but the threatening breakers. + +"It's very awful!" observed Dickey to his companion. "I wish I was +prepared to die. It's bad enough now, and if the boat once gets caught +in those breakers it will be all over with us. Harry, can you say any +prayers?" + +"I am trying to do so," said Harry, who saw the danger as well as +Dickey. + +Old Tom was too much occupied to make any remark. He kept his eye +steadily fixed on a dark patch of water which appeared in the white line +of foam, and he steered towards it. The roaring sound of the surf as it +dashed against the wild rocks grew louder and louder. Still old Tom +urged the men to pull as hard as they could. Many of them thought, +however, that they were only pulling to meet destruction the sooner. + +"I see the passage now!" exclaimed Harry, as he looked up for a moment +while bailing the water out. + +"You are right, lad," said old Tom. "Steady, lads! there is One above +who will protect us. We will do our best, and trust to Him." + +The men gave way. They knew well that in a few minutes more they should +be safe, or struggling helplessly among the foaming waters. The loud +roar of the breakers sounded in their ears. They bent to their oars; +the boys bailed as hard as they could. Old Tom kept his eye ahead. A +huge wave lifted up the boat, and seemed about to heave her into the +midst of the boiling surf. Onwards she was borne; now she was between +two walls of white hissing foam, which flew in thick masses over her; +but still she went on, and, gliding downwards with the rapidity of an +arrow, in a few seconds she shot into smooth water, leaving the dark +rocks and the roaring breakers astern. The wind blew fiercely, the +thunder roared, and the lightning flashed vividly; but she was now safe +within the shelter of a deep bay. By the glare of the lightning it +could be seen that there were cliffs on either side. The crew pulled +steadily up the centre till they reached a sandy beach at the farther +end, where they landed, and hauled their boat up. + +"Now, lads, let us return thanks to God for preserving us from the +greatest danger I have ever been in, or any of you either, probably," +said old Tom. "If we had not been guided into the passage when we were, +it is my belief that the boat would in a few minutes have gone to the +bottom, for the gale is blowing nearly twice as hard as it did when we +cast off from the whale." + +Though most of the men had refused to join with old Tom in prayer on +board ship when in safety, no one now declined to do as he suggested; +and, led by him, they knelt down on the sands, and offered up +thanksgivings for their preservation from the danger in which they had +been placed. Even Dickey Bass uttered a fervent "Amen," and Harry felt +that God had indeed been merciful to him. + +"Where should we have been now, Bass, if we had missed the passage?" he +asked. + +"I don't know," answered Dickey; "but I am very thankful that we are +safe." + +It was too dark to enable them to go in search of shelter, if shelter +was to be found; so they stretched the boat's sail out from her side, +and formed a low tent, beneath which they lay down to shelter themselves +from the storm till the return of daylight. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +ON THE DESERT ISLAND. + +The storm raged furiously all night, the thunder roared, the lightning, +darting forth from the dark sky, flashed ever and anon, in a zigzag +course, from side to side of the cliffs around the bay, and the howling +wind threatened frequently to tear off the sail and carry it away. +Still the weary seamen slept, although Harry and young Bass did not for +a long time close their eyes. + +"I feel, Harry, that old Tom is right; and next time he speaks to me I +will listen to him," said the latter. "He was as cool and collected +from the beginning of the storm as if there had been no danger. If it +had not been for him, I do not think we should have been where we are." + +Harry agreed with his companion, and urged him not to forget his good +resolutions should they ever again get on board the ship. What had +become of her they could not tell, and they felt very anxious about her +fate. She might have been cast on some of the numerous reefs which lay +thereabouts, or have been driven far away from the island. + +"At all events, the captain will probably suppose that the boat is lost, +and not think it worth while to come and look for us," observed Dickey. + +"I am very sure my father won't give us up, if he thinks there is a +chance of finding us," answered Harry. + +"But what if the ship is lost?" said Dickey, thoughtlessly. + +"Oh! do not talk of anything so dreadful!" exclaimed Harry; "I could not +bear to think that we are not again to see my father and Mr Champion +and the rest. My father is a good seaman, and our ship is stout enough +to weather out the worst gale that ever raged." + +"I hope so," said Dickey, in a mournful voice; "but it blows a regular +hurricane; and, oh! what a fearful crash of thunder that last was! See, +see! The lightning seems to stir up the very water of the harbour; and +oh! there is another peal! I cannot help feeling as if the sky itself +was coming down upon us." + +The last peal was succeeded by a loud rending and crashing sound, as if +a number of trees had been torn up by their roots or the stout branches +wrenched off from the stems. + +"Lie down, boys, and try and get some sleep." It was old Tom who spoke. +They were not aware that he was awake and overheard them. "God will +take care of us, for we can do nothing more to take care of ourselves. +We are safer here than we should be farther inland among the trees." + +It was some time, however, before they followed his advice. At length +there was a lull, and they both lay down. Scarcely had they placed +their heads on the ground, than they were lost in forgetfulness, and +took no more notice of the storm than the seamen who had slept through +it all. + +When morning dawned all hands awakened. The fury of the gale was over. +The sun arose, and, bursting through the clouds, his rays soon dried +their damp clothing. + +The ground rose slightly from the head of the bay, and on the lower +portion grew a grove of cocoa-nut trees loaded with fruit. One of the +men, by means of a belt round his waist and the trunk, soon managed to +climb to the top of one of them, when he threw down a number of nuts, +which were eagerly seized by the rest. The outer husks were quickly +torn off, and a nut was given to Harry, the eye being pierced. He +declared that he had never tasted so delicious a draught of milk. The +meat served the party for food, but did not satisfy their hunger, as +they had eaten nothing since leaving the ship. + +"This is better than nothing, but it won't keep body and soul together," +said one of the men, in a grumbling tone. + +"Lad, we should be thankful that God has sent us where we can find such +wholesome food, instead of complaining that we have not better," said +old Tom. "Maybe, too, there are shell-fish and crabs to be got, and +perhaps other food besides; and see, there is a rill of fresh water. We +should be thankful for that. We have an axe and our knives, and if we +are obliged to live here we may build ourselves a hut, though we need +not think about that, as I hope the ship has escaped and will come to +look for us before long." + +Still the men grumbled. They were all out of spirits, and had made up +their minds that the ship was lost. They had begun to wander about, as +sailors generally do under such circumstances, one in one direction and +one in another, when Harry, who had gone to the boat, exclaimed, "See, +here are some fishing-lines. Who put them there I do not know, but we +shall not be in want of a dinner if we make use of them." + +"This is a godsend," observed Dickey. + +"Everything good is sent by God," said old Tom; and he called to the men +to come and assist him in launching the boat. + +A short search along the shore enabled them to find mussels and other +shell-fish, which they hoped would serve for bait; and, shoving off, +they went down towards the mouth of the harbour, where they quickly +caught as many fine fish as they could eat. Returning to the beach, +sticks were collected, and a tinder-box, which was in the tub with other +articles always carried in a whale-boat, enabled them to light a fire. + +An ample meal raised their spirits. They once more embarked and pulled +down to the mouth of the harbour, in the hope of seeing the ship +standing towards the island. The heavy surf which rolled in, however, +made it impossible for them to get out. Old Tom and the two boys, +therefore, landed and climbed to the summit of a high cliff overlooking +the ocean. Hence they gazed round in every direction, but no ship was +in sight. In the far distance they could discern here and there some +dark rocks, over which the sea broke in masses of foam. Harry's heart +sank within him as he thought that possibly the _Steadfast_ might have +been driven upon those fearful rocks, when, as he knew too well, she +must speedily have gone to pieces without a chance of any one on board +escaping. He scarcely liked to ask Tom Hayes what he thought, but he +observed that the old man looked unusually grave as his eye turned in +that direction. + +"This is no place for us to build our hut on, though it is the best spot +for a look-out," observed old Tom, as he surveyed the rough broken +ground all around them. "We must take it by turns, however, to spend +the day here, though it will be best to take up our quarters near where +we first landed." + +They waited for some time watching the dark, heaving sea, which still +rolled and tumbled in huge billows before them; but not even a speck +which might be the topsails of the _Steadfast_ appeared above the +horizon. At length they returned to the boat. + +The men had, in the meantime, caught a large supply of fish, and, in +better spirits than before, they pulled back to the head of the bay. + +Old Tom advised that they should put up some shelter for the night; and +while one of the men cooked the fish, the remainder cut down some young +trees and a quantity of boughs, with which they formed a tolerably +substantial arbour, while some dried leaves and smaller boughs supplied +them with as good beds as they required. + +"If we had a good stock of grog, and some bread and potatoes, we should +be as happy as princes," observed one of the men. + +"You are right, Ned," said another. "For my part, I do not care how +long we stay." + +"What if there should be savages on the island! Most of them are +cannibals in these parts, I have heard say; and, as we have no arms to +defend ourselves, we should look foolish," remarked a third. + +"I have seen no signs of any natives, so I do not think we should make +ourselves unhappy about them," said old Tom. "If there are any we must +make friends with them, and it's more than likely that they will give us +help and show us where we can obtain food." + +Thus old Tom did his utmost to keep up the spirits of the men, and to +prevent them from falling into despondency. Harry, however, could not +help feeling sad as he thought of the possible loss of the ship. He +eagerly set off the next morning to look out for her, and while two of +the men who pulled the boat remained fishing below he and Dickey climbed +the cliff. The gale had considerably abated, but the ocean still +swelled and broke with the effects of the gale. They returned with an +unsatisfactory report. + +The men who had remained in the camp had, in the meantime, been looking +out for traces of natives. None had been discovered. They had also +begun to build a hut. As they had only one axe, this was a slow +process. They had cut out a couple of rude spades with which to dig the +holes for the foundation, and, as all hands worked hard, by the close of +the day they had made some progress. The cocoa-nut fibre, twisted into +rope, enabled them to bind the rafters together, and the long leaves of +some palms, which grew farther inland, served for thatch. Old Tom +encouraged them to proceed, though he had lost all hopes that the ship +would return. + +As had been agreed on, one man went down and remained on the look-out +during the first part of the day, and a second took his place in the +afternoon. Thus all were employed. + +Harry took the afternoon of the second day. Climbing to the top of the +hill, he gazed, as before, anxiously round the horizon. A sigh escaped +him when no sail appeared. Sitting down, he remembered his Bible, which +he had always carried since he formed the resolution of doing so. He +took it out. From its sacred pages he drew that comfort which it always +affords. Never before had he read it with so much satisfaction, for he +prayed earnestly that his mind might be enlightened; and he now was +enabled to see many of the important truths he had never before +comprehended. He read and read on, page after page. + +"I would rather have this than every book on board!" he exclaimed. + +He was surprised when he heard a hail from below, and found that the +boat had come for him. + +Sunday came round, and old Tom urged his companions to make it a day of +rest. Harry now produced his Bible, greatly to old Tom's delight. +Morning and evening Tom had offered up a prayer, Harry and Bass and one +or two of the seamen joining him, though others showed no inclination to +do so. + +Harry offered to read from his Bible, to which the men agreed; but +though they sat quiet and listened, some did so with apparent +indifference. He, however, selected such portions as he thought that +they would best understand. By degrees they became interested. He was +reading the fourteenth chapter of Matthew--the account of our Lord's +feeding five thousand men, besides women and children; followed by that +of Peter walking on the sea, when, through want of faith, he began to +sink, and the Lord stretched forth His hand and saved him, saying, "O +thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" + +"So, lads," observed old Tom, "you see how Jesus Christ fed the +multitudes when they were hungering, and saved Peter when in danger, +though his faith was weak. We have been fed, you will all allow, when +we thought we had reached a barren island where no food was to be found; +and in the same way, though I fear our faith is weak, He will take care +of us. Then it seems to me that we must give Him our hearts, just as +Peter stretched out his hands to Christ for safety." + +"Old Tom speaks the truth, it seems to me," observed one of the men to a +companion, in an undertone. "If I thought that Jesus would hold out His +hand as He did to Peter, I should not despair; but I am such a terrible +bad fellow, that I am sure I could not keep straight by myself." + +"Jesus is ready, not only to grasp the hand of every one who cries for +help, but when once He has got the man's hand in His He does not let it +go," said old Tom, who had overheard the remark. + +When evening closed and the boat's crew lay down in their hut, several +of them acknowledged that they had never spent so happy a Sunday in +their lives. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +IN AN OPEN BOAT. + +A fortnight had elapsed, still the _Steadfast_ did not return. The +whole island had been explored. It was found not to be more than a +couple of miles long, and scarcely half a mile in width, the greater +portion consisting of black volcanic rocks thrown up by some mighty +convulsion of nature. No other harbour was discovered; indeed, there +was not a spot besides the bay they had entered on which a landing could +be effected without danger. They probably were the first people who had +entered the bay, for there were no signs of the island ever having been +inhabited. There was but a very small portion of ground fit for +cultivation; the only trees were those which clothed the side of the +valley and the little cocoa-nut grove on the shore of the bay; while no +other stream of water was discovered besides that near which they had +formed their camp. + +As the trees could not be perceived from the sea, Harry thought that, +even if the island was marked on the chart, it was probably set down as +a barren rock on which no one could land. + +"My father, depend upon it, thought that our boat was swamped in +attempting to regain the ship, or else that she was driven on the rocks, +when he might well suppose that none of us could have escaped. He would +otherwise, I am sure, have come back before this," he observed to old +Tom. + +"I hope that is the reason why he has not come back," was the answer; +for old Tom had come to the conclusion that the ship, with all hands, +had been lost, though he did not like to say so to Harry. + +The men were beginning to get very impatient at their long detention on +the island. Old Tom did his best to keep them employed; but it was +difficult to find work for them. It was evident, too, that the +cocoa-nuts would not last for ever; and when they had come to an end, +what would they do for food? the men inquired. They might live on fish; +but three or four of their hooks had already been lost, and in time they +might be unable even to catch fish. + +"One thing is clear, lads," observed Tom; "if we are to get away, we +must carry water with us as well as food. Our small breaker will only +hold enough for two or three days on short allowance, and, though we may +carry some in the tubs, it will be difficult to keep that from being +spilled. My advice is, that we set to work and scoop out a number of +cocoa-nuts--they will hold a good supply--and we must try and smoke or +salt some fish. I calculate that we can carry enough to last us three +or four weeks, and in that time we may be able to reach a more fertile +island than this is--one likely to be visited by whalers--if we are not +so fortunate as to be picked up by a ship first." + +The men were eager to be off, and set to work readily to prepare for the +voyage. Harry would rather have remained, still believing that the ship +would come back to look for them. Some time, however, was occupied in +catching fish, and in drying and salting them, for it was necessary +first to erect a building of stone for the former operation, and they +had to collect the salt in the holes of the rock along the shore. + +A lovely day, just a month after they landed, found them ready, with the +cocoa-nut bottles and tubs full of water, and as many whole cocoa-nuts +and as much dried and salt fish as they could stow away. + +"Before we shove off, lads, let us return thanks to God for bringing us +safely here and giving us food to eat, and then let us pray that He will +take care of us in the voyage we are about to make," said old Tom. "I +tell you that we shall meet with many dangers, from which He alone can +preserve us." + +The men agreed to old Tom's proposal; and then in good spirts they +pulled down the harbour and glided out into the open ocean, now shining +in the bright sun of the early morning. The surf, which broke on the +rocks on either side in a gentle murmur, glittered brightly, presenting +a very different appearance to the wild fury it exhibited when they took +refuge within the bay. A light breeze springing up from the northward, +the sail was hoisted, and the whale-boat stood to the south, away from +the dark, forbidding-looking island. The small compass which is usually +carried in a whale-boat enabled them to steer in a tolerably direct +course. + +"Now, lads," said old Tom, "we may reach land in about a fortnight; but +it may be a month or six weeks before we fall in with an island where +provisions are to be found. It will be well, therefore, to put +ourselves on an allowance both of water and food. Remember that God +helps those who help themselves, and if we take more than we require to +keep up our strength, we cannot expect Him to send us a fresh supply." + +Harry and Dickey were always ready to support him, and the men, without +murmuring, agreed to do as he advised. + +The crew having been divided into watches, old Tom taking charge of one +and Harry of the other, and all other arrangements being made, old Tom +lay down to rest, saying that he would keep the first night-watch. + +They had a few candles for their lanterns, which had been carefully +husbanded; these were kept to be used should any night prove +particularly dark and cloudy, and the compass be required, for when the +stars were shining they were sufficient to steer by. + +For several days the boat sailed on over the tranquil ocean. Sometimes +it fell calm, when the men took to their oars. The rest of the day they +spent lying along the thwarts. Morning and evening, however, Tom +offered up prayer, and Harry read some chapters in the Bible, to which +most of the men listened attentively. + +"What we should have done without your Bible, Mr Harry, I do not know," +observed old Tom. "I believe it has mainly contributed to keep the men +contented and happy; I only hope that they will remain in the same +temper." + +"I at all events will read the Bible to them," said Harry. Harry kept +to his resolution. Dickey was one of the most attentive of the +listeners. + +"Harry," he said, one day, "I confess that I did not before know what +was in the Bible when I used to sneer at old Tom for being religious, +and was afraid that he would make you so. I wish that he would make me +like himself or like you." + +"God's Holy Spirit can alone make you, Mr Bass, what you ought to be," +observed old Tom, who had been listening to the boys' conversation. +"But you have to seek His grace, and to trust in Jesus, according to the +teaching of His word; for we are there told that faith cometh by +hearing, and hearing by the word of God. I never yet met an infidel or +careless, bad fellow who really had read the Bible with prayer. It is +only thus that we can benefit by it. Many complain that they have no +faith, and that it is no fault of theirs--and yet they will not do the +very thing that God tells us to do; so you see that it is not God's +fault if a man does not believe, but the man's own fault. Do you read +and pray earnestly and faithfully, and depend upon it God's Holy Spirit +will do His part and help you." + +"I will try, Tom, indeed I will," said Dickey; "and will you and Harry +pray for me?" + +"That we will, Mr Bass, because God has said that earnest, believing +prayer availeth much; but you must pray for yourself--you must not trust +to others praying instead of you. God will hear your prayers, though +they may be very weak and imperfect, just as He heard the prayer of the +poor publican who smote on his breast and said, `God be merciful to me a +sinner.'" + +It cannot be said that all in the boat listened to Harry when he read +the Bible, or to old Tom when he spoke, or followed their example. + +While the weather remained fine and they had enough to eat, they kept up +their spirits, and began to talk of what they would do when they got on +shore. Two or three of them indeed declared that they had had enough +knocking about at sea, and that if they should land on a pleasant island +with good-natured natives, they would take up their quarters there and +marry wives and live a life of ease. + +"If you do so, lads, you will run the risk of becoming heathens like +them, and forget God and all His benefits," observed old Tom. +"Remember, if we do land safely, it will not be our own right arm or our +own strength which will have preserved us, but His merciful kindness; +and I tell you, you will be ungrateful fellows if you do as you +propose." + +"Old Tom is always preaching," muttered one of the men to whom he spoke. +"I don't see why we have not a right to please ourselves." + +Old Tom did not hear this remark, and he probably would not then have +answered even if he had. + +For ten days or so the voyage had continued without any change in the +weather. The sun was very hot, and the fish, which they thought had +been well salted and smoked, began to taste very strong. Harry and +Dickey could only eat very small pieces at a time, with the help of some +cocoa-nut and a sip of water between each mouthful. Next day a perfect +calm came on, and the sun beat down with intense force on the boat. +Although their provisions were covered up and kept as cool as possible, +the fish grew worse and worse. Several of the men, when it was served +out to them, threw it overboard with disgust, declaring that they could +eat it no longer. + +"Seeing we have nothing else to live upon, we should be thankful that we +have got that, and not throw it from us," observed old Tom. "It's +bad-tasted, I'll allow; but as long as we can manage to get it down it +will help to support life, and we should try to eat it." + +Harry and Bass did as he advised, and as yet they did not find their +strength much diminished. + +Most of the men, however, began to complain of pains and aches, and +unwillingly got out their oars. Tom urged them to pull on, in the hope +that they might in a day or two reach some island which Harry thought +could not be far off. + +Day after day they had gone on, ever appearing to be in the midst of the +same circle where sky and sea met, without sighting land or a distant +sail. At night, while one watch rowed the other slept. + +Another morning came, but still the glass-like ocean showed no signs of +a coming breeze. They had put in their oars, and were munching their +share of cocoa-nut and such small pieces of the fish as they could still +eat, when suddenly, at a little distance, the surface of the water was +broken, and a covey of flying-fish darted through the air towards them. +A dozen or more fell into the boat, and were eagerly seized and killed +by the famishing crew. + +"Let us thank God, who sent them to us," said Tom, as several of the men +greedily began to bite at the fresh, tempting-looking morsels. + +Half the number were cut up, and the remainder Tom advised should be +reserved for dinner. + +The food somewhat restored the men's spirits, and they pulled on for +some hours without murmuring. + +Another and another day passed by, and then a breeze sprang up, and the +sail was hoisted, and they ran on before the wind. All felt that unless +they should shortly reach land or be picked up by a ship their fate was +certain. Their cocoa-nuts and water were nearly exhausted, and even old +Tom could with difficulty manage to eat a small portion of fish. Still +he appeared calm and happy, and did his best to encourage his +companions; he sat at the steering oar for the greater part of the day +and night, taking but little rest. When he lay down he charged those +who were on the watch to keep a bright look-out for land, while he +himself, when awake, had his eyes moving round the horizon in the hope +of discovering it. + +At length all the water was gone, and not a piece of cocoa-nut remained. +One of the crew, who had long been complaining, had lain down in the +bow, saying he should go to sleep. When it was his turn to keep watch, +Jack Harding, one of the men, tried to arouse him. Jack lifted his arm, +which fell down by his side. + +"Bill has slipped his cable, I am afraid," said Jack, in a hollow voice. + +Harry went forward to ascertain if such was the case. Bill was indeed +dead. + +"Lads," said old Tom, "I don't know which of us will go next, but this I +know, that the case of those who are not trusting in Christ is a very +terrible one. I won't say anything about poor Bill, but I speak to you +as a dying man to dying men. The day of grace has not yet passed-- +to-morrow it may have gone by for some, if not for all those who are +still unreconciled to God. I said this before to you when you were in +health; God in His mercy has allowed you to suffer from starvation and +sickness, that He might lead you to Himself." + +"We dare say you speak the truth, Mr Hayes," answered one of the men; +"but it's hard to believe that God, if He is as kind as you say, should +allow us to suffer as we are doing." + +"He allowed His faithful apostles of old, and many thousands of +Christians since then, to suffer far more than we are doing; and yet +they acknowledged to the last that He does all things well," answered +old Tom. "I have just told you why He allows you to suffer; and +remember what Saint Paul says, `The sufferings of this present time are +not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in +us.'" + +Tom's address served as the funeral sermon of poor Bill, who was shortly +afterwards lifted overboard by his sorrowing companions. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +SAVAGES AND MISSIONARIES. + +It was again night. For the greater part of it old Tom sat at the helm, +while a gentle breeze wafted them on. Once more the sun rose. It was +Harry's watch. As he glanced round the horizon, he caught sight of a +blue undulating line to the south-west. At first he thought that it was +a bank of clouds, but at length he was convinced that it was land he +saw. + +"Land! land!" he cried out. + +His shouts aroused all the sleepers. + +"Land it is! there is no doubt about that!" said old Tom, taking his +seat at the helm and steering towards it. + +As they approached they saw it was an island of some extent, with hills +covered with trees, but a coral reef intervened. A passage, however, +was at length discovered. How eagerly the famished crew longed to get +on shore to quench their burning thirst and satisfy their hunger! + +The first object which met their sight, as they pulled into a small +picturesque bay, was a stream of water, which came sparkling and foaming +down the side of the hill. Not far off was a grove of cocoa-nut palms, +near which were several other fruit-bearing trees. Without stopping to +ascertain whether any natives, were in the neighbourhood, they pulled to +the shore, and leaping out, rushed forward to quench their thirst at the +nearest point of the stream which they could reach. Some cocoa-nuts +were also quickly obtained, and sitting down, they soon emptied the +contents of the shells of several. + +"If we had fallen in with this island two or three days ago, poor Bill, +maybe, would have been alive and merry now," observed one of the men. + +"It might have been so, lads," said Tom; "but one thing I know, that we +should be thankful for God's mercy in bringing us thus far in safety." + +The strength of all the party was revived by the food and water. By +Tom's advice they refilled the casks and cocoa-nut bottles. He then +proposed that they should push off into the bay, and try and catch some +fish. Two of the men replied that they had had food enough, and +preferred remaining in the shade under the trees; the rest, however, +agreed to accompany him. Some crabs and shell-fish, as before, served +them as bait. + +They had been fishing for some time with good success, and were +contemplating returning to the shore to cook the fish and to rest for +the night, when they caught sight among the trees, at some distance from +the beach, of several savages, who had apparently been watching them. +These were joined by others, who began flourishing their weapons and +shouting. The two men who had been left on shore, on hearing their +voices, started up, and, observing their menacing attitude, ran towards +the beach. The crew of the boat, seeing the danger of their companions, +pulled in as fast as they could bend to their oars, in the hope of +rescuing them. The distance was considerable. Neither of the poor +fellows could swim. They rushed into the water up to their necks. The +natives came on yelling towards them. Long before the boat could get up +to them they were dragged back, and in another instant dispatched by the +clubs of the savages. + +"It's too late, lads!" cried old Tom, who saw what had occurred; "we +shall be treated as they have been if we let the savages get hold of us. +We must make the best of our way out of the bay. It's a mercy that we +have got the water and food." + +There was indeed no time to be lost, for at that moment another party of +savages were seen bringing several canoes down to the beach. Old Tom +told Harry to take the helm, while he and the three remaining men pulled +away out to sea. Happily, just as they got near the passage through the +reef, a breeze sprang up, and they were able to hoist the sail. At that +instant four canoes were seen paddling out of the bay. It still seemed +doubtful whether they would escape. The breeze, however, freshened, and +the whale-boat darting ahead, soon distanced her pursuers. + +Tom urged his companions not to despair. + +"We may still reach another island where the natives will treat us more +kindly than these have done," he observed. + +Harry thought that there were other islands to the southward, the +natives of which were well spoken of. That was all he could say on the +subject. How far off they were he could not tell. + +They had now a good supply of water; but they had put only a few +cocoa-nuts into the boat, and though they had several fish, they would +very soon be unfit to eat. + +"He who has brought us thus far will still take care of us, lads, if we +will but trust Him," said old Tom. + +This was the burden of his address day after day. + +The fish they were still able to eat on the second day, so that they +could reserve their cocoa-nuts. + +They had been living on the latter, with some water, for two days +longer, when again a covey of flying-fish passed over the boat, nearly a +dozen falling into her. This afforded them the means of subsistence for +two days more, then again they had to resort to the remainder of the +cocoa-nuts. These were, however, at length finished. + +Day after day they sailed on, no land appearing in sight. Even should +they reach shore, they were aware that they might be received in the +same hostile way that they were before. + +The last cocoa-nut was eaten, the last drop of water exhausted. The +hapless wanderers gazed with lack-lustre eyes in each other's faces. +What would next happen? + +"All we can now do is to lay ourselves down and die," said Harry. + +"No, no, lad; trust still in God," answered old Tom. "He has preserved +us hitherto. If He thinks fit He can still carry us safe to shore. See +away there over the starboard bow--what do you make out?" + +Harry and Dickey lifted their heads and gazed in the direction in which +old Tom pointed. + +"My old eyes are sharper than your young ones," he observed, when they +made no reply. + +"I make out the top of a mountain rising above the horizon. We shall +see more of it before nightfall if the wind holds; let us pray that it +may." + +The rest of the people would not believe old Tom, and declared that he +was mistaken; but he persisted in his assertion that land was ahead, and +urged them to keep up their spirits. + +Before nightfall land appeared clearly in view, but still at a great +distance. All night long they ran on, old Tom sitting at the helm, for +he would trust no one else, while Harry and Dickey did their best to +keep a look-out ahead, for, young as they were, they endured their +sufferings better than the older men, who lay stretched out on the +thwarts. + +When morning dawned a beautiful island, with rocks and trees and +mountains in the centre, appeared about two miles ahead; but it was +surrounded by a reef, over which the sea dashed in masses of foam, +barring their approach to the shore. + +"Never fear, boys, we shall find a passage through it," said old Tom. + +They sailed on, and in a short time the expected passage was seen, the +water shining calm and blue within it. + +They glided on towards a bay, beyond which a valley opened up into the +interior of the country. On one side, on the slope of a hill, appeared +a few neat cottages, and among them a building of larger size. + +"If my eyes don't deceive me, that's a chapel!" exclaimed old Tom; "and +where there is a chapel there will be Christians, and we shall be +received by them as friends." + +The men roused up on hearing this, for in their despair they believed +that on landing they should be murdered like their companions. + +Old Tom steered without hesitation towards the cottages. As they +approached, several persons were seen coming down to the beach. Two +were in European costume, one of whom was a woman, while most of the +rest were dressed in shirts and trousers. Before the boat's keel had +touched the shore, several of the latter came rushing forward into the +water; and, seeing the condition of those on board, they carefully +lifted them out, and bore them to the shore in their arms. The white +people, who were at once recognised by old Tom as missionaries, kindly +pressing his hand, invited him and his companions to their house. + +"We will not ask questions now," they said; "your appearance shows the +sufferings you have endured." + +The natives, receiving directions from the missionary, again lifted them +up, and followed him, while his wife hastened on with two native girls +to make preparations for their reception. + +Food and water were, however, what they most required. + +"I can allow you to partake of them but sparingly at first," observed +the missionary. "God's greatest blessings are too often abused by being +enjoyed in excess." + +Harry and old Tom thanked him, and said they did not wish for more than +would be beneficial; but the men grumbled at not being allowed to have +as much as they could devour, when they were so hungry. Poor Dickey was +unable to speak, and could scarcely eat the food given to him. + +The missionary, who told them that his name was Hart, and that he and +his wife had resided scarcely a year on the island, showed them the +greatest sympathy and kindness. Mrs Hart took poor Dickey under her +especial care, and gave him nourishing food in small quantities till she +saw that his strength was returning, and that his pulse was beating more +regularly. He could not help feeling, indeed, that it was mainly owing +to her care that his life was preserved. + +In the course of two or three days the strength of all the party was +much restored, and Harry and old Tom were able to get up and join Mr +and Mrs Hart at their meals. They then gave an account of their +adventures. "You have indeed been mercifully preserved," observed Mr +Hart. "What confidence does it give us when we know that we are under +the protection of our Heavenly Father! Were it not for that, my wife +and I could not live as we do in this island, surrounded by hostile +savages, far away from other Europeans. It is true that we have with us +a small band of Christian natives; but their numbers are insufficient +for our defence, even if we wished them to fight. We have often been +threatened, but hitherto the heathens have been restrained from +attacking us. Many, indeed, have come to listen to the doctrines we +preach, and now one and now another has acknowledged Jehovah to be the +true God. The more progress we have made, the greater has been the +animosity of the heathens, and of late, instigated by their priests, +they have threatened our destruction. Still we persevere, in the hope, +whatever may happen, of gaining more souls for Christ's kingdom." + +Harry was surprised to hear Mr Hart speak so calmly of the dangers +which surrounded him, and to observe that Mrs Hart did not appear in +any way alarmed. + +"But if the heathen party attack you, what do you propose doing?" he +asked. + +"We know that our friends will protect us as long as they have the power +to do so," answered the missionary. "We are perfectly resigned to +whatever God, in His providence, may allow. Should the heathens have +resolved to put us to death, we are sure that if God allows them to +succeed He has an important object in view, and that our death will +ultimately tend to His honour and glory. At the same time, should means +of escape be afforded us, we should consider it our duty to take +advantage of them. Our friends know of some hiding-places in the +mountains to which they have promised to take us, should they obtain +timely notice of an intended attack on the station; but we suspect that, +even should we succeed in reaching a place of concealment, it may be +discovered by our enemies, and we have little expectation of being in +safety even there." + +Mrs Hart spoke to the same effect, but expressed a hope that the enmity +of the heathens might abate, or that friends might arrive who would turn +them from their purpose. + +Notwithstanding the threatening aspect of affairs, Mr and Mrs Hart +attended zealously to their missionary duties. Mr Hart not only +preached the gospel, but held a school for men and boys, whom he +instructed in various branches of knowledge, while Mrs Hart taught the +women and girls and young children. Mr Hart also instructed them in +several mechanical arts, and showed them improved methods of cultivating +the ground. + +With their assistance he had built the house he inhabited, and had +manufactured most of the furniture it contained, as also the +school-house and chapel, and many of the natives had erected neat +cottages after the same model. Indeed, the whole place already wore an +air of civilisation and comfort, which contrasted greatly with the +heathen portion of the island. + +The missionary and his wife were employed from morning till night among +their converts, and much of the time spent in their own house was +devoted to study. They enjoyed, indeed, none of that luxurious ease +which some people in England suppose falls to the lot of missionaries in +the sunny isles of the Pacific, but, harassed by numerous cares and +anxieties, their days were spent in toil, while they knew that their +lives were in constant danger. + +As soon as Harry and old Tom were able to move about, they begged that +Mr Hart would allow them to assist him in his labours. Harry would +gladly have tried to teach the natives, but his ignorance of their +language prevented him being of use in that way. They both, however, +could carpenter and dig, and accordingly helped in fitting up the +school-house, which had just been erected. + +Dickey was soon able to join them. Two days afterwards the three men +had sufficiently recovered to take their share of the work. + +Again a rumour reached the settlement that the heathens were about to +attack it. + +"I'll tell you what, Harry," said old Tom, when they happened to be +alone together. "There is one thing we ought to do, and that is to get +the boat ready for use. I don't fancy Mr and Mrs Hart hiding away in +the mountains. They are pretty sure to be starved to death, if the +savages don't get hold of them, which I fear it is very likely they will +do. And as to fighting to defend them, though we should be ready enough +to risk our lives, yet as we have no arms we cannot hope to succeed. If +we had had half a dozen muskets we might have thrown up a fortification +and defended our friends, but without them the naked savages are our +superiors when it comes to fighting; besides, Mr Hart does not wish to +fight." + +"He is, I suspect, right on that point," said Harry. "He wishes to show +the savages that the religion of the gospel is one of love and mercy and +long-suffering; and musket bullets, even if we had arms, would not +contribute to do that. I agree with you, however, that the sooner we +can get the boat ready the better." + +Old Tom on this called the other men, and they all set to work to +prepare the boat for sea. Harry also informed the missionary and his +wife of their intentions, and urged Mrs Hart to get ready such a stock +of provisions as she could collect. + +"For your sakes I will do so," she answered; "but if my husband still +thinks it right that we should remain, I cannot try to persuade him to +fly. We ought to stop and share the lot of the poor converts." + +"You would, I think, by remaining, only increase their danger," observed +Harry. "They might, if alone, escape to the mountains and hide +themselves; but if they have you to attend to, they would run a much +greater risk of being discovered. Whereas if you accompany us, and our +lives are preserved, you may return when the rage of the heathens is +abated, and re-establish the mission." + +These arguments seemed to have considerable effect on Mrs Hart, and +Harry hoped that she and her husband would no longer hesitate to embark, +should the heathens seriously threaten to attack the station. + +Things, however, went on much as usual for several days. The boat was +made ready for sea, while as much water and provisions as she could +carry were prepared to be put on board at a moment's notice. + +The three men had by this time grown weary of the monotonous life they +were compelled to live at the station, and, notwithstanding the dangers +they had gone through, they were anxious again to be off in search of +some other island, where they could live at their ease among the +natives, without running the risk of being murdered, as they were +assured they would be should they wander away among the heathens. Old +Tom and the two boys did their best to persuade them to remain +contentedly where they were; but, from some remarks overheard by Bass, +Harry was afraid that they contemplated running off with the boat, +should they be detained much longer. + +"If they make the attempt they will lose their lives to a certainty," +observed old Tom, when Harry told him. "But I think better of them. We +will make them understand that we remain for the sake of the poor lady +and gentleman who have left their home in England to try and benefit the +ignorant savages, and that while they are in danger we should be cowards +to desert them." + +The men acknowledged, when Tom spoke to them, that he was right, and +promised to remain contentedly to assist the missionary and his wife. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +ATTACK AND FLIGHT. + +Old Tom and the three men had built a hut for themselves at a short +distance from the missionary's house, that they might not incommode him +and his wife. He, however, kindly insisted that the two lads should +continue their guests. + +The more Harry saw of Mr Hart, the more anxious he became to assist +him, and in order to do so he commenced studying the language of the +natives. + +"I wonder you take so much trouble, Harry," observed his companion Bass; +"it seems to me like labour lost, when we may at any moment be compelled +to run away." + +"But I hope, if we do, we shall be able to return," said Harry. "I +think, of all the works in which man can engage, that of converting the +heathen, and instructing them in the truths of the gospel, is the first +and noblest. I would rather be employed in it than in any other. We +look with respect on a man who has saved the life of a fellow-creature; +but surely, as the soul is of infinitely more value than the body, it +must be infinitely more noble to be the means of saving souls. If it +were not for my mother and sister, I would rather remain out here and +labour with Mr Hart than return home. But still I feel that it is my +first duty to try and go back to England, that I may comfort my mother +and sister, should, as I fear is the case, the _Steadfast_ and all hands +have been lost." + +"Each man to his task," answered Dickey; "but I should have thought that +you, who have a good chance of some day getting the command of a ship, +would have preferred remaining at sea, even should the _Steadfast_ be +lost." + +"I have not given up all hopes of her even yet," answered Harry; "though +I cannot account for her not coming to look for us." + +Harry was soon able to speak a few words to the natives, and, as they +were anxious to learn English, they took pains to teach him their own +tongue in return for the instruction he gave them, and he and they were +thus able to understand each other on ordinary subjects. + +Rumours that the heathens were meditating an attack again reached the +station. A large body of savages had been seen on the hills a short +distance off flourishing their weapons, and making fierce and +threatening gestures. Perhaps they had been deterred from their purpose +by the arrival of the boat, and, believing that all white men were +possessed of firearms, been unwilling to encounter them. As, however, +heathens were constantly coming to the village and going away again, +some of them would probably report that they had seen no muskets, and +that the number of white men was very small. + +One evening, after prayers had been offered up in the missionary's +house, and old Tom and his companions had returned to their hut, just as +Harry and Bass were about to go to bed, a knocking was heard at the +door, Harry opened it, when a native appeared, and, in an agitated +voice, told them that a friend who still lived among the heathens had +just stolen into the village with the intelligence that a large band of +savages, led on by one of their priests, was approaching at a rapid +rate, having vowed to destroy all the Christians before the morning. + +Harry at once told Mrs Hart, who was at first inclined to believe that +it was only another false report, such as had often before reached them. +The native, however, was positive that his friend was not mistaken, and +declared that if their dear missionary and his wife would not fly, he +and the other converts would carry them off by force to the mountains. +Harry proposed that scouts should be sent out to ascertain the fact, and +entreated Mr and Mrs Hart to embark at once, and to wait in the boat +till the return of the scouts. In the meantime he sent Bass to summon +Tom and his companions. Several of the converts were ready to act as +scouts, though they declared that there was no doubt of the truth of the +report, and that it would be wiser to escape at once to the mountains. + +The whole population now gathered round the mission-house, and urged Mr +and Mrs Hart to go on board the boat, which had been sent, they +asserted, on purpose to preserve their lives. The missionary and his +wife at length agreed to act as they were advised, though still loth to +leave the converts. The people, though they knew the danger they +themselves ran by remaining, would not commence their flight till they +had seen their white friends, whom they hurried down to the beach, safe +on board. At the same time, some of them carried the provisions which +had been prepared on board, while others brought from their own stores a +still further supply, and would have added more, had not old Tom assured +them that the boat was already overloaded. She had just been launched +into deep water, when one of the scouts came hurrying back with the +intelligence that the savages were close to the village, and that there +was but little time for their countrymen to make their escape. While +the Christian natives hurried off in the direction of the mountains, the +boat pulled away from the shore towards the passage which led into the +open sea. + +The night was cloudy and dark, but a strong breeze was blowing, which +sent the surf high over the reef, so that the passage could easily be +distinguished. Mr Hart, even to the last, was very unwilling to desert +his station, and begged old Tom to remain inside the lagoon till they +could see what would happen. They were not left long in doubt, for a +few minutes only had elapsed after they had quitted the beach when +fearful shouts and yells rent the air. The savages, expecting to entrap +their victims, had evidently surrounded the village, and were rushing +forward with the intention of putting all within it to death. + +In a short time torches which they had lighted were seen flaring up, +their glare being cast on the tall trees and rocks and the sides of the +hills, as they rushed forward to throw them into the buildings. In a +few seconds more the whole village was in a blaze, and burning +furiously. The dark figures of the savages could be seen as they stood +ready with uplifted weapons to strike those whom they expected to issue +forth. Their rage and disappointment must have been great when no one +appeared. The delay, however, it was hoped, would enable the fugitives +to escape to their proposed hiding-places. As the bright light from the +burning buildings shed a glare over the water, at length the savages +perceived the boat, and rushed down to the beach, shouting loudly to +those in her to return, some darting their spears, and others shooting +arrows towards her. She was happily too far off for the weapons to +reach her. + +"The heathens have been allowed to triumph for a time," said Mr Hart. +"I pray that our poor converts will escape their fury. We must now +trust to the protection of Him who is able to guide us over the stormy +ocean to a haven of rest. His will be done." + +"The sooner we are out of the reach of those savages the better, or they +will be coming after us in their canoes," observed old Tom. "When we +are outside we shall be able to make sail and stand to the eastward. If +the wind favours us we shall reach a Christian island in the course of a +week, where we are sure to meet a hearty welcome. We have provisions +enough on board to last us a month, so we need have no fear of starving, +whatever happens." + +This address encouraged the men, who pulled away in good spirits, Harry +and Bass, who had each an oar, setting them an example. Mr Hart +offered to row. + +"No, no, sir," answered old Tom. "You are not accustomed to the sort of +life we shall have to lead for the next few days, and you will have +enough to do to look after your poor wife. We all feel more for her +than for ourselves, and will do our best to make her as comfortable as +we can." + +Mrs Hart thanked old Tom, and assured him that she was resigned to +whatever might happen, and felt no alarm, notwithstanding the fearful +scene they had witnessed. + +The boat now reached the passage, and passing between the two walls of +foam which rose up on either hand, was soon tossing on the wild sea +outside. Harry, as he pulled away, had watched the shore anxiously, and +was thankful to find that they were not as yet pursued. He had little +doubt, however, that, as soon as the savages could reach their canoes, +they would put off in chase, they not supposing that so small a boat +would venture out into the open sea on so stormy a night. + +"Now, lads, we will set up the mast and make sail," said old Tom, after +the boat had got some distance from the reef. "You need not be alarmed, +marm," he continued, addressing Mrs Hart; "this whale-boat of ours is +strong, and will go through twice as much sea as we have now." + +Old Tom did not over-estimate the good qualities of the boat. Though +the dark seas rose up capped with foam around her, she sprang lightly +over them, guided by his experienced hands, scarcely shipping a drop of +water. + +Thus she went on during the night. + +When morning dawned she had run the island out of sight. As the wind +had been gradually decreasing, and the sea going down, they were able to +re-stow the boat. + +By Harry's forethought several articles had been put on board which +might conduce to Mrs Hart's comfort. Among them was a small mattress +and a tarpaulin, which had served to protect their luggage when they +first landed. With this a cabin was fitted in the stern of the boat, +which, though narrow and confined, afforded her the shelter she so much +needed. Within, shaded from the rays of the sun, she could recline +during the heat of the day, while by lifting up the edges, sufficient +air was admitted. Not a murmur escaped her lips, while she warmly +expressed her thanks for the attention bestowed on her. + +"We should be very ungrateful, marm, if we did not do our best to make +you comfortable; for if it had not been for you and Mr Hart, I am +pretty sure none of us would have been now alive. If we had landed on +another part of the island, the savages, judging from the way they +behaved last night, would have knocked us all on the head. I am sure, +lads, I say what you all feel." + +The men acknowledged that old Tom spoke the truth, and promised to do +their best to take care of the missionary and his wife. + +Mr Hart began the day by offering up a prayer for protection, and +thanking their Father in heaven for preserving their lives from the fury +of the savages. Then, opening his Bible, he read several portions +showing how full of loving-kindness and mercy God is; at the same time, +being just, He can by no means overlook iniquity. On this account it +was that He gave us the inestimable gift of His Son, the Lamb without +spot or blemish, to die instead of sinful man. And He requires now that +men should believe that Christ thus died for their sakes, that His blood +atones for all their sins, that God receives them, rebels though they +have hitherto been, as His dear children, and makes them holy by His own +good Spirit, fitted to enter the glorious heaven which He has prepared +for all those who love Him. + +Again and again, with earnest prayer that they might receive it, Mr +Hart impressed these truths on his hearers. They had heard them before; +but their minds were so dull, and their hearts so hard even now, that +but slight impression appeared to have been made on them. Young Bass +alone at length murmured, "I do believe, and desire to give my heart to +Jesus; pray for me, Mr Hart, for I am afraid if I were to get back +among careless companions, that I should again become as they are." + +"From that God will assuredly guard you, my young friend, if you +earnestly seek for His guidance; and our prayers, as well as yours, will +be heard at the throne of grace." + +Day after day went by, the boat making but slow progress, for it was an +almost perfect calm; and, though the oars were got out, and kept going, +the men either could not, or would not, make much exertion in rowing. +Mr Hart, and Harry and Bass, and old Tom, took their turns at the oars, +and endeavoured to encourage the men. Still no land appeared in sight. +The men grumbled, and declared that they would rather have a gale than +this long continuance of calm. + +"Let us rather be thankful, my friends, for the fine weather; and, +though our voyage is prolonged, we may still hope to reach a haven of +safety," observed Mr Hart. + +The gale the men were wishing for came, however, with more fury than +they desired. Once more the boat was tossing on the foaming waves, when +the sea, breaking over her, washed away a portion of their provisions, +and compelled them to be constantly bailing to keep her afloat. She was +driven, too, far out of her course, and often it seemed as if she could +not live amid the raging seas which rose up around her. Old Tom, +however, sat at the helm, calm and undismayed, steering with his +accustomed skill. All knew well that their lives depended, under +Providence, on him. + +Still the tempest was increasing. In spite of the admirable way old Tom +managed the boat, another sea broke on board, washing out of her more of +the provisions, and almost carrying away one of the men as he lay asleep +in the bows. He was caught by the man next to him, and hauled in, and +all hands had instantly to set to work to bail out the water. + +"It looks to me as if this hurricane was never going to cease!" cried +the chief grumbler of the party. "We might as well have stopped and +fought the savages, and if they had killed us there would have been an +end of it." + +"My friend, God will cause the hurricane to cease when He thinks fit," +said Mr Hart, solemnly. "Be thankful rather that you are yet alive, +and that the day of grace still lasts. You had not then accepted +Christ, and heaven would never have been your home. Have you done so +now? God is still willing to receive you; and He shows it by having +preserved you hitherto from the perils by which we have been +surrounded." + +"You are right, sir," answered the man, at length touched; "I am an +ungrateful fellow, God be merciful to me a sinner! I will never +complain again." + +"God is always merciful, my friend; He has offered you the means by +which you may be saved. He has not thought fit to establish any other +means, or opened up any other way by which you can enter heaven but that +one single way, and He says, `Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou +shalt be saved.' Believe, my dear friend; think how precious your soul +is. Remember the thief on the cross; and if, like him, you can truly +say, `I believe,' should the boat be overwhelmed the next minute, you +will be where he is, with Jesus in heaven." + +The storm at length ceased, and the sorely battered boat was left +floating calmly on the water; but nearly all the provisions were gone, +two of the oars had been washed overboard, and there was a leak in her +side which it was found impossible altogether to stop, while the crew +were well-nigh worn out. + +Mr Hart sat with his beloved wife in his arms, feeling that it might be +God's will that they should not again see land. They were prepared for +whatever He might decree, and they felt more for their two young +companions, and for Harry's mother and sister, of whom he had been +speaking to them, than for themselves. As they gazed at the haggard +faces of the two boys and the old man, it seemed to them that before +long one or the other would be called away. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +SAVED AND WRECKED. + +Well might the unhappy fugitives have despaired. The larger portion of +their provisions had been washed overboard; the remainder were almost +exhausted; their boat was battered and leaky, the seamen were apparently +dying, and unable to determine in what direction to seek for land. For +weeks they might sail on and not find it. Still the missionary and his +companions placed their trust in Him who is able to save them. + +A light breeze once more sent the boat through the water. They were +gliding on when Harry observed that old Tom's eye was intently gazing +towards the south-west, yet he did not speak. Harry looked in the same +direction. + +"What do you see, lad?" asked old Tom. + +Harry rubbed his eyes. + +"Yes, it is. A sail! a sail!" he exclaimed. + +"I thought so, but feared that my hopes might have deceived me," said +old Tom. "She is standing this way, and is close-hauled." + +The boat was steered so as to intercept the stranger. Harry kept his +gaze fixed on her. She was evidently a whaler. + +"Can she be the _Steadfast_?" exclaimed Dickey, who was also earnestly +looking at her. + +"I was in hopes that she might be," exclaimed Harry. + +"The _Steadfast_ would be deeper in the water, and has a new cloth on +her foretopsail, and that ship has not," observed old Tom. + +"We should be thankful, whatever she is," said Mr Hart. "Let us return +thanks to God for sending her to rescue us." + +The men roused up on hearing that a ship was approaching, and managed +even to get their oars out to pull alongside her. + +As they drew near they saw clearly that she was not the _Steadfast_. + +The stranger hove to. A person, whom they supposed to be the captain, +asked whence they had come and what they wanted. + +"We are escaping from savages, and entreat you to receive us on board, +for we are almost starved," answered Mr Hart. + +"You may come on deck, then," said the captain; but that was more than +any one in the boat unassisted could do. Even old Tom, the strongest of +the party, could not manage to clamber up the side. A ladder was +therefore let down, and two seamen descending carried up Mrs Hart and +then her husband. The boys followed, old Tom being the last to leave +the boat, which was then hoisted up, but almost fell to pieces in the +operation. + +"You people have had a narrow escape," observed the captain, as he +examined the boat. "You and your wife can have a cabin, though I am not +fond of missionaries, I tell you," he observed, turning to Mr Hart. +"The rest can manage to shift for'ard among the men." + +"I shall be grateful for any accommodation you will afford my wife and +me," said Mr Hart. "You see how much she requires attention;" and he +pointed to his wife, who was seated on a hencoop almost fainting. "I +would ask you, too, to allow those two young gentlemen to live in the +cabin; one is a captain's son, the other an apprentice." + +"Oh, they can shift for themselves well enough forward," answered the +captain, gruffly. "We are bound for the Sandwich Islands, which I hope +to make in the course of a couple of weeks, and we shall then part +company, as you will then be able to find a vessel to carry you wherever +you may wish to go. I cannot undertake charge of you for a longer +time." + +"All I can say is that we shall be grateful to you for preserving our +lives; for I believe, humanly speaking, we should have perished before +many days had elapsed," said Mr Hart. "I do not at present see how we +can repay you, but if I have the power be assured I will gladly do so." + +The crew, though rough in appearance and rough spoken, paid every +attention in their power to old Tom and his companions, and put them +into their berths, where they all in a few minutes fell fast asleep. + +Next day Harry and Bass, having somewhat recovered, crawled on deck. +They learned that the ship was the _Swordfish_; that Captain Boucher, +the master, was an odd-tempered man, and that, as she had been out more +than a year and caught but few whales, and had of late had nothing but +ill-luck, he was in an especial bad humour. The captain was walking up +and down, abusing the officers, who behaved in the same way towards the +men, while the latter growled in return and performed their work in a +sulky way. + +Harry was afraid that poor Mr and Mrs Hart would be neglected, and, +waiting till the captain was quiet, humbly asked leave to be allowed to +go down and pay them a visit. + +"What do you want with them?" asked the captain. + +"They are my friends," said Harry, "and I wish to see if they require +anything." + +"If you go below you shall wait upon them and on me too, youngster. My +cabin-boy fell overboard the other day, and I want another." + +"While I remain on board I will do as you wish," answered Harry, glad to +have the means of being of service to his friends. + +He found them in a small cabin--poor Mrs Hart still very weak and ill, +and Mr Hart seated by her side, though much requiring rest himself. + +One of the men who had taken in the captain's breakfast had brought them +some, but they had received no other attention, while they had heard the +captain abusing missionaries as a useless, idle set who never did any +good. + +Harry set about the duty he had undertaken with alacrity, though for +some days he had great difficulty in moving about. He said nothing when +the captain abused him as an idle young dog, but did his best to do as +he was required. He spread the table as he had seen it arranged on +board the _Steadfast_, and tried to keep the cabin in good order. He +was constant in his attendance on Mr and Mrs Hart, though he had often +a difficulty in obtaining proper food for them from the cook. + +Dickey was anxious to assist him, and proposed to ask the captain's +leave. + +"I am sure he would not grant it," said Harry; "he would only say that +one boy is more than enough, and that we should be playing tricks +together." + +Harry could not help acknowledging that he had an uncomfortable life of +it; but he willingly bore all the captain's abuse for the sake of his +friends, and his chief consolation was to remain in their cabin and to +listen to Mr Hart's conversation. The captain, however, who at length +one day found he was there, ordered him on deck. + +"What are you and that man plotting about?" he asked, abusing him as an +idle young dog. "I'll give you work to do;" and Harry was sent to +assist Bass in blacking down the rigging. + +After that the captain kept him constantly employed in the dirtiest work +about the ship. + +Harry bore this treatment without murmuring. + +"I only wish that the voyage was over," he remarked to Bass. "Still, +whatever he does, we should be thankful to him for saving our lives." + +"I am not so certain that he will let us go free, even when we reach the +Sandwich Islands," answered Bass. "The men say he will swear we are +apprentices, and keep us on board." + +"Don't let him suppose that you think so. If we have our wits about us +we may make our escape," said Harry. + +Day after day the wind continued light, and the voyage was prolonged. +The captain treated the boys in the same tyrannical way as at first. +Harry could only exchange a few words with his friends when he took them +their meals; he was thankful that the captain had not deprived him of +the opportunity of doing so. + +"It is our duty, my dear Harry, to bear with ill-treatment," observed +Mr Hart. "It is hard to do so, but let us pray for grace, and we shall +not seek it in vain." + +At length the Island of Oahu, in which the capital Honolulu is situated, +was sighted. As the ship approached the harbour, and Harry and Bass +were congratulating themselves that their emancipation drew near, the +captain ordered them to go down into the cabin. When there they found +themselves suddenly seized by two of the mates, who thrust them into a +small side cabin. + +"You will remain there; and take care that you make no noise," said one +of the mates. "When we are at sea again you will be let out." The poor +boys expostulated in vain. The door was locked upon them, and they were +left in almost total darkness. + +"I told you so," said Bass. "I was sure he meant us mischief." + +"I am very sure that Mr Hart will make every effort to obtain our +release," observed Harry. "So will old Tom; and I should think the +captain would scarcely venture to detain him." + +In a short time they heard the anchor let go, and they knew that the +ship had entered the harbour. They waited in the hope that Mr Hart +would discover where they were and come at least to speak to them, but +night came on and they were left alone. They had to coil themselves up +and go to sleep. + +Next morning the first mate opened the door and put in some breakfast, +saying that it would be worse for them if they made any noise. + +Several days passed by and they were thus kept in durance. They heard +at different times voices in the cabin; but not knowing who the speakers +were, they were afraid of crying out. At last they knew by the +movements of the ship that she was once more under way; and shortly +afterwards the mate came to the door and told them that they might go on +deck to attend to their duty. Greatly to their satisfaction, they saw +old Tom. He made a sign to them not to speak to him and turned away. + +They waited till it was dark. He then came up to them as they were +standing together. + +"I discovered that the captain had shut you up," he said; "and I did all +I could to get him to allow you to go on shore, but he said that he had +a right to detain you, and I of course would not leave the ship without +you. We must therefore watch for an opportunity of getting on shore at +some place where English authority is established, and we can make +complaints of the way you have been treated." + +"I would rather land among savages than remain on board," said Harry. + +"And so would I," exclaimed Bass. "And if you will come with us we will +try to escape at the first place we touch at." + +"We must learn what sort of a place it is first," said old Tom, "or we +may be worse off than we are on board." + +"We will talk about that by-and-by," said Harry. "I am very anxious to +know what has become of Mr and Mrs Hart." + +"I am thankful to say they are among friends," answered old Tom. +"Missionaries have been for some time settled in these islands, and the +king and a considerable number of his people have become Christians. +Mr Hart did not forget you either, and he came on board to try and +learn what had become of you. The captain must have deceived him, and +persuaded him that you were no longer in the ship. He was coming off +again just as we were getting under way, and the captain would not then +allow him to come up the side." + +"I am thankful, at all events, to hear that our friends are safe," said +Harry; "and we must try to make the best of it." + +"That's a wise resolution, Harry," said Tom. "Even though the captain +should continue to ill-treat you, behave as you have hitherto done, and +even his hard heart may be softened. However, we must not be found +talking together, so now go and turn into your berths, and try and get a +better night's rest than you could have had in that close cabin." + +Harry and Bass followed old Tom's advice; and next morning when they +came on deck they found that the ship was off the magnificent coast of +the large island of Hawaii, with the two lofty mountains, Mouna Kea and +Mouna Roa, rising far off. + +The weather looked threatening, and in a short time a heavy gale began +to blow. The wind increased in fury till it became a perfect hurricane. +The sails were closely reefed. The captain endeavoured to beat out to +sea, as there was no port under his lee into which he could run. +Notwithstanding all the efforts made to keep off the land, the ship +drove closer and closer to it. A terrific line of breakers could be +seen dashing on the shore. Should the ship be driven among them, her +destruction would be certain; and there was little hope of an anchor a +holding to save her from her impending fate. To avoid this, sail was +kept on the ship, though, under any other circumstances, with an open +sea before her, she would have been running under bare poles. + +Harry and Bass were standing together. + +"What do you think of it, Tom?" asked Harry, as the old man came up to +them. + +"Badly enough, as far as this world is concerned," answered old Tom. +"Happy are those who are prepared to enter another world, as I know you +are, and I hope Mr Bass is too. He who died for us is ready to welcome +us there, if we are trusting to Him alone down here, and not to our own +strength and doings, however good our fellow-men may think us. That's +my comfort, whatever happens, though for your sakes, and that of the +poor fellows aboard, I pray we may escape. I cannot say, however, that +I see much prospect of it. If the worst comes, do you boys stick by me, +and I will do my best to save your lives." + +The ship drifted nearer and nearer the shore. The captain and mates, +hardy and bold as they were, looked pale and anxious, now gazing up at +the bending masts, now at the shore under their lee. + +"If we get a slant of wind we may do it yet," said the captain. + +"But if not?" observed the first mate. + +"We must let go our anchors, and cut away the masts. There is nothing +else to be done," was the answer. + +The hoped-for change of wind did not come. + +"Let go the best bower," shouted the captain. "Stand by with the axes." + +The order was obeyed. The ship for a moment rode head to wind. At the +same instant the men, with gleaming axes in their hands, were seen +cutting away at the masts. + +Tom led his young friends under shelter of the poop deck. + +Down came the masts with a crash. Not a hundred fathoms astern the sea +in wild masses was breaking furiously. The next instant the anchor +parted; another was let go, but it scarcely held for a moment; and then +the ship drove broadside into the midst of the wild, raging tumult of +waters. Now she rose for a moment on the summit of a huge wave, now +borne onwards she sank into a hollow between the waves. The next sea +swept her decks, carrying many of the hapless crew overboard, and +washing away the caboose and a large portion of the bulwarks. + +By Tom's advice Harry and Bass clung to a stanchion near which they had +taken their post. Tom held on to another near them. + +Another sea struck the devoted ship, and threw her with tremendous force +on the coral rocks, crushing in her bottom and sides. Others of the +crew were carried off as the seas continued to strike her. Now portions +of her bows, now the remainder of her bulwarks, were swept away, while +on each occasion the fearful crashing and rending of timbers showed that +she was rapidly breaking up. + +"What had we best do?" asked Bass. + +"Hold on to the last," answered Harry; "perhaps the gale may abate, and +we may yet reach the shore." + +There seemed, however, but little hope of their doing this. Every +instant larger portions of the wreck were carried away. It was evident +that in a short time she would break up completely. Tom handed to each +of the boys a length of rope. + +"Make yourselves fast to any piece of timber you can get hold of," he +said; "it will give you the best chance of safety." + +Few of the people had by this time escaped, and every sea which broke +over the wreck carried one or more away. + +At length another tremendous sea came rolling towards them. A fearful +crash followed. Harry and Bass found themselves floating together amid +the boiling waters, with pieces of wreck tossed to and fro near them, a +blow from which would have proved fatal, but not one struck them. Not +far off they caught sight of Tom clinging to a portion of the poop deck. +A sea carried them towards him. He hauled them up, and they made +themselves fast to some ring-bolts. Though the seas washed over them, +and they felt as if the breath would be knocked out of their bodies, +they were not carried off; and they found that their raft was being +driven rapidly towards the shore, now scarcely a quarter of a mile from +them. Every instant they expected the raft to be turned over and over, +but it floated as before, and, now lifted high on the summit of a +breaker, and now sunk down into the hollow of the sea, went on and on +till they felt it ground on the beach. + +Tom told them to cast themselves adrift, when, seizing each by the arm, +he dragged them forward, and in another instant they were on dry ground. + +"Praise God for His mercy! We are safe!" cried Tom. "But now, boys, +let us see if we can help any of our shipmates." + +They looked along the beach on either hand, but for some minutes they +could discover no one. + +"There is a man!" at length cried Tom. "I caught sight of his head and +hand among the foam." + +They ran in the direction Tom pointed, waiting anxiously, in the hope of +dragging the man out of the surf as it broke on the shore. Tom rushed +in and seized him, as for an instant he was thrown on the beach, or the +receding waves would have carried him back. The boys assisted Tom. +They recognised the features of the captain, but the hue of death was on +his face. His arms fell down as they placed him on the ground. + +"He has gone!" cried Tom. + +They did what they could to revive him, but life was extinct. + +Two other bodies were washed up, but not a human being besides +themselves reached the shore alive. They looked around them. The whole +bay into which they had been thrown presented a scene of barren wildness +and grandeur. A valley opened up from it, and in the distance rose the +summit of a lofty volcano, the stream of lava from which had caused the +desolation they saw around. + +"I am glad we have got ashore alive; but I am afraid we shall die of +hunger if we cannot manage to get out of this soon," said Bass. + +"He who brought us on shore will take care of us," observed Tom. "But +we must do our best. The sooner we set off to look for some natives the +better." + +"If there are any Christians about here, we are sure, if we can find +them, to be treated kindly." + +Having examined the coast as far as they could see on either hand, they +agreed to move to the east, in which direction some green shrubs and +trees were distinguishable. As they all felt weak and exhausted, there +was no time to be lost. + +"Won't it be well to get hold of something to defend ourselves if we are +attacked?" said Bass. "I should like to have a club to fight with." + +"It would be no use, Mr Bass," answered Tom. "We must try to make +friends with the natives; I have no fear about the matter." + +"Nor have I," said Harry. + +Tom and the two boys made their way along the shore. Sometimes they had +to climb over rocks, sometimes to wade through black sand. At length +they reached a firmer beach, and got on better than at first. + +The day was wearing on. They had had nothing to eat or drink since the +previous evening. They all felt faint and hungry. + +At length they caught sight of a stream of sparkling water trickling +down the rocks. How eagerly they drank of it! It revived them, and +they pushed on. They were anxious to fall in with natives before dark +who might give them food and shelter. + +The appearance of the country rapidly improved. At last, after climbing +some rocks, they found themselves looking down into a beautiful bay, on +the shore of which a number of women and girls were collected, who, from +the way they were employed in combing their dark hair or dressing their +heads with flowers, had apparently just come out of the water. + +On seeing the three strangers several of the girls shrieked out. Among +them was a tall, dignified-looking person, who, on observing Tom and the +boys approaching, rose from the ground on which she had been seated and +advanced towards them. To their surprise, she addressed them in broken +English. + +"Who you? where you come from?" she asked. + +Tom replied that they were English, and had escaped from their ship, +which had been wrecked some way along the coast. + +"And, please, marm," he added, "we are very hungry, especially these two +boys, and shall be thankful if you will give us some food as soon as +possible." + +"We are not more hungry than he is," said Harry; "but he always thinks +more of us than of himself." + +The lady smiled and made signs to them to accompany her, evidently +understanding what they said, though she herself had soon apparently +exhausted her stock of English words. She led the way, followed by her +maidens. + +Climbing the rocks, which were easily surmounted, they found themselves +in a level country with trees growing luxuriantly, while plantations of +various descriptions were seen in every direction. At a little distance +was a cottage, which, though built after the native fashion, was of +considerable size. + +"There is my house," said the lady, pointing to it. "You welcome food, +plenty sleep till to-morrow, and praise Jehovah." + +"What! marm, if I may make so bold to ask, are you a Christian?" +exclaimed Tom. + +The lady nodded and smiled. + +"You Christian too, I hope?" she said. + +"That I am, marm, and so are these boys," answered Tom. + +"I told you all would be right, Harry," he added. "You see we could not +have fallen into better hands." + +On reaching the house, the girls, by the directions of their mistress, +hurried to prepare food, and several dishes of fish and fruits were soon +placed on mats on the floor. Before bidding her guests to eat, the +lady, who had been sitting, rose and said a grace in her own language, +adding a few words of English. Tom and the boys uttered "Amen," at +which she seemed pleased, and she then served each of them with her own +hands. + +As soon as she saw that her guests had eaten enough, she assembled her +family and attendants, who seated themselves before her; she read to +them the Bible in her own language, and then offered up a prayer. After +this, she leading, the rest joined in singing a hymn, the tune of which +Tom recognised, though the words were strange to him. The evening's +devotions being thus concluded, she led them to a part of the house +screened off by mats, and bidding them enter, pointed to three beds, +also covered with matting, which her maidens had in the meantime +prepared for them. + +Their clothes had been thoroughly dried during their journey. She +showed that she had thought of their comfort by presenting each of them +with some cotton garments, and making them understand that their own +clothes, saturated with the salt water, should be washed and ready for +them the next day. + +"We have indeed fallen into good hands, as you say, Mr Hayes," observed +Harry, after they had all three knelt down and said their prayers. + +"No doubt about that," answered old Tom. "We shall find that a +missionary has been here; and I hope by his means to gain tidings of our +friends and be able to rejoin them." + +With this pleasant thought they lay down to rest. Harry hoped not only +to meet Mr and Mrs Hart again, but to be able to find a ship returning +to England. He longed once more to be with his dear mother and sister, +and to comfort them in their affliction. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +KAPOIOLANI. + +After a long sleep, produced by weariness, Tom and the two boys dressed, +and made their appearance before their hostess. They found an ample +meal provided for them. She told them that her name was Kapoiolani, +that she was the wife of one of the chief men of the island, who had +gone away on a preaching tour with the missionary by whose means she and +her husband had been taught the truth, and begged Tom and the boys to +remain till their return. This they were very glad to do, as they still +felt weary, and Bass complained of aches in all his limbs. + +At every hour of the day people were coming in to receive instructions +from Kapoiolani, who was evidently better acquainted with the truths of +Christianity than her neighbours. She had for some time accepted the +gospel, and showed the deepest earnestness and zeal in making it known +to others. + +"If people at home, who profess to be true Christians, were as anxious +as this lady is to teach others, there would not be so many poor men and +women who sink into their graves without ever having heard of the love +of Christ for sinners," observed old Tom. "She puts many civilised +people to shame." + +"But in England there are regular ministers to do that sort of work," +observed Harry. + +"Every one who loves Christ is a regular minister, to my mind," answered +Tom; "and is bound, when he can find the opportunity, to tell others +that Christ died for them, and that His blood cleanseth from all sin." + +"I hope that I may be able to find opportunities when I get home; though +I don't think I shall be able to preach," said Harry. + +"You must make opportunities," answered Tom. "You can preach in your +life and daily conversation, in gently speaking a word to those among +whom you mix. Souls are won to Christ as much by that as by preachers +in their pulpits; and the only object of preaching is to win souls." + +Two days passed by, when the chief, Kapoiolani's husband, returned, +saying that the missionary had gone on with some other friend to a +distant part of the island. + +Naihi, the chief, seemed as zealous and earnest as his wife; and as he +spoke more English than she could, he was able to give his guests a +considerable amount of information about the island. He told them that +the larger portion of the inhabitants were still heathens, and +worshippers of their great goddess, Pele, whose abode, he said, they +supposed was in the lofty volcano. + +"There is need without delay to preach the gospel to them, for our +people are rapidly passing away; and unless we hasten they may sink into +their graves still ignorant heathens as they now are," he observed, in a +solemn and sad tone. + +Naihi, after remaining at home two days, again set off to join his +friend the missionary. + +Tom and the boys wished to accompany him, but he advised them to remain +with his wife, telling them that the journey was fatiguing; and as they +could not speak the language of the people, they could be of no use, +whereas if they remained with Kapoiolani, they might assist her in +acquiring a knowledge of English, which she was anxious to do, so that +she might read books in that language. Harry was her chief instructor; +and never was there a more attentive pupil. He was surprised at the +rapidity with which she learned to read. + +Some time had thus been spent, when there was a commotion in the +village, and it was announced that a person of importance was +approaching, no less than the high-priestess of Pele, if not Pele +herself, as the heathen inhabitants asserted. + +"She is an impostor, and I will prove her to be so!" exclaimed +Kapoiolani, when she heard of it; and, attended by a band of Christians, +she went out to meet the priestess. + +A woman appeared descending from the hills, dressed in a fantastic way, +with her robes scorched and partially consumed by fire. She was +followed by a band of women and girls, dressed in the same manner. As +she drew near, she shouted with a loud voice that she was come to warn +the followers of the new faith to be prepared for the fearful punishment +she was about to inflict on them for deserting their ancient gods. + +"You are but a miserable woman, and a wretched impostor!" answered +Kapoiolani, in an authoritative tone. "The worshippers of Jehovah are +not to be frightened by your foolish threats." + +On hearing this the pretended Pele became very indignant, and, drawing a +document written on native cloth from her bosom, declared that it would +prove her authority. + +"It will prove that you yourself cannot write, but some one else has +assisted you in your imposture, and that is all it will prove, foolish +woman!" exclaimed Kapoiolani. "I have a book which announces that there +are many false gods, among whom is the one you serve, but that there is +only one true God, Jehovah, whom I serve. Let me advise you to throw +away your idols, and to turn to Him, I know Pele can do me no harm, +because Pele does not really exist, and to prove it I intend to ascend +the mountain where you say she resides, and to eat the berries which you +hold sacred to her, that when I come back, as I know I shall do, +uninjured, my people may see their folly and turn to the true God. I +advise you in the meantime to give up your follies, and to labour +industriously for your support." + +The pretended priestess and her followers appeared very indignant at +this; but when Kapoiolani offered them food they gladly partook of it, +the priestess of Pele herself joining in the feast. Kapoiolani pointed +her out to her people, remarking, "If she were a goddess she would not +require food; but see, she eats as greedily as any one." + +The next morning Kapoiolani, who had long resolved to visit the volcano +Kilauea, the supposed abode of Pele, was ready to set out. She sent +word to her husband and the missionary of her intention, saying that it +was necessary to do so at once, in order to convince the people of the +imposture of the pretended priestess, and that they might understand +that Jehovah was the only true God. + +With this laudable object in view, she was ready to undergo the fatigue +of the journey. She did not object to old Tom and the two boys +attending her. + +"My people," she said, "believe that any strangers approaching the +crater will meet with certain destruction; your going will more easily +convince them of their folly." + +Kapoiolani performed her journey on foot, as there were at that time no +horses in the island, and she objected to be carried by her people. She +was attended by a number of persons, with baskets of provisions, who +were to proceed to the foot of the mountain, while she, with a select +band, proposed mounting to the summit. + +The country through which they passed was wild and savage in the +extreme. In some places they had to penetrate through thick woods, in +others over wide fields of lava. + +After many days' journey the base of the mountain was reached. Resting +for the night, the next morning at daybreak Kapoiolani and her +attendants, aided by long poles, commenced the ascent. Some carried +provisions and others materials for building a hut for the accommodation +of the chieftainess. + +It was past noon before the edge of the crater was reached, near which +grew the bushes bearing the supposed sacred berries. It seemed +surprising that any vegetation could be produced on such a spot. + +They now stood on the edge of a vast basin upwards of seven miles in +circuit and nearly a thousand feet deep. At the bottom was a level +floor two miles in length, in the centre of which was a vast lake of +liquid lava, out of which rose numerous cones sending forth jets of +smoke. + +Harry had not imagined the existence of so wild and terrible a scene, +and he was not surprised that the ignorant inhabitants should have +believed it the abode of a goddess delighting in fire and heat. + +Kapoiolani told him that at times the lake which they saw below them +rose up high above the cones, filling the whole space within a hundred +feet of the edge with a sea of liquid lava, and that it occasionally +burst its way through the edges, carrying destruction in its course, +towards the ocean, while at other times new cones arose in the side of +the mountain, through which the lava burst its way, flowing down in all +directions. + +Having plucked some of the berries, Kapoiolani ate them, and desired her +attendants to do the same. + +"Now watch the lake!" she exclaimed, extending her hand towards it. +"Does it rise because we few poor mortals have eaten the fruit which God +allows to grow here? No!" she said, lifting her hand, and pointing +towards heaven. "He who lives there, the great Jehovah, has ordained +that these things should be, for a wise purpose. There is no such +person as Pele, whom, in their ignorance, our fathers have worshipped. +You now understand, my friends, that we have nothing therefore to fear." + +While some of her attendants were building the hut, Kapoiolani, with old +Tom and the boys, and a few other persons, descended the side of the +crater, where it sloped sufficiently to enable them to make their way. + +The scene around was wild and sombre in the extreme. Mighty cliffs of +jet black rock were on every side, with the lake of shining lava below +them, though relieved by the blue sky overhead, to which Kapoiolani +looked up and pointed. + +"There!" she said, "above us is the glorious heaven, which is to be the +future home of believers; below, the dark pit, the dwelling-place of +those who reject the Lord of light and love." + +On regaining the edge of the crater, they saw several persons +approaching, among whom, to Kapoiolani's great satisfaction, was the +missionary, accompanied by her husband. + +The people who followed her, as soon as they saw them, set up a loud +shout of joy; for many of them till then had fully believed that their +chieftainess would have been destroyed by the vengeance of Pele. + +The missionary now offered up a prayer, and having addressed the people, +a hymn was sung. + +The party remained on the summit of the mountain during the night. The +early portion of it was passed by Tom and the boys seated round the fire +with the missionary, who told them that they would find little +difficulty in returning to Honolulu, where they would soon, probably, +find a ship sailing for England. + +While they were speaking they were aroused by a brighter light than +usual, and on going to the edge of the crater they perceived that the +numerous cones, in the centre were now in violent action, some emitting +flame, which darted upwards to a height of fifty and a hundred feet, +while boiling lava flowed down the sides of others into the lake, out of +which they arose like so many islands. + +Kapoiolani came out of the hut to witness the scene. She remained calm +as before, and quieted the fears of her attendants by observing-- + +"I know in whom I trust. Even should the lava continue flowing, many +days must elapse before the crater is full, and long before it is so we +shall be in safety. Pele has nothing to do with it." + +Having watched the eruption for some time, Kapoiolani and her female +attendants returned to their hut, while the rest of the party gathered +round their camp fires to spend the remainder of the night. + +After breakfast, having plucked more of the berries and again descended +the crater, they proceeded down the mountain. + +On reaching the camp where the chief body of her attendants had +remained, she addressed them, and urged them from henceforth to dismiss +all thoughts of the pretended Pele, and other false deities, from their +minds, and to trust alone to Jehovah, the only true God, and His Son +Jesus Christ, whom He had sent into the world to die instead of them, +and to reconcile them, His outcast children, to Himself. With one voice +the people shouted out, "There is no such being as Pele; Jehovah is the +only true God; we will serve Him!" + +The news of the pious and heroic Kapoiolani's visit to the mountain of +Pele was carried through the island; and the people from henceforth +acknowledged that they had been foolishly frightened by believing in a +being who had no existence, and were everywhere ready to listen to the +addresses either of the missionaries or of their own chiefs who had +turned from idols. + +It is a remarkable circumstance that in the Sandwich Islands the chiefs +set the example of overturning their idols, and were generally the first +to accept the truth. + +After visiting several places on the coast, Kapoiolani and her +attendants, accompanied by Tom and the boys, returned to her village. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +HAPPY RE-UNIONS. + +Several weeks passed away, and no vessel appeared in which the voyagers +could obtain a passage to Honolulu. They were rapidly acquiring a +knowledge of the language of the island, and Harry and Tom employed much +of their time in instructing the natives. Bass did not make so much +progress as the rest, and began to grow very weary of the life he led. + +"The truth is, Dickey," observed Harry to him one day, "your heart is +not in the matter. I wish to reach home, I confess; but if it were not +for the dear ones there, I should be content to labour on as I am now +doing. I never find the day too long." + +"I wish I were like you," said Bass; "but I cannot bring myself to care +about the people." + +"My dear Dickey," said Harry, "you must pray for grace, then, to do what +you know to be right. Think of the great value of human souls, and of +the inestimable price which was paid that they might enjoy the happiness +of heaven, and then you will become more anxious to win them." + +Bass tried to do as his friend advised, and in a short time he was +almost as eager as Harry to instruct the natives, and found himself +rapidly acquiring their language to enable him to do so. + +One day Tom and the two boys set off to visit a village at some distance +along the coast. After going some way they saw, by the appearance of +the sky, that a storm was threatening, but they hoped to reach their +destination before it broke. It came on, however, more rapidly than +they had expected. + +As they doubled a headland they caught sight of a ship close in with the +land, in nearly the same dangerous position that the _Swordfish_ had +been. Tom stopped and looked at her. + +"She appears to be a whaler, and pretty full," observed Harry. + +"A whaler she is; there is no doubt about that," answered Tom. "Just do +you scan her narrowly, and tell me if you have ever seen a ship like +her." + +"What!" exclaimed Harry, shading his eyes, and gazing at her earnestly. +"Do you really think she is the _Steadfast_? She is wonderfully like +her, as far as I can judge at this distance." + +"I know every yard in her canvas, and the _Steadfast_ she is, I am +nearly as certain as that we three stand here!" said old Tom, his voice +showing the unusual agitation he felt. + +"If she is not, she is very like her," observed Bass. + +"Oh, she is--I am certain that she is the _Steadfast_!" cried Harry. +"But I wish she were farther off the coast, or she may be driven on the +rocks and lost after all." + +"There is a deep bay two miles on," said Tom, "with a good entrance. It +must be down on the chart, and it's my belief the ship is standing for +it. If the wind holds as it is now she will be safe." + +"I pray that the wind will hold, then!" cried Harry. "Oh, my dear +father! I little thought to see him again, and Mr Champion, and the +rest. I cannot believe that they will be lost, now that we are about to +meet them." + +"God knows what is best--you must always remember that, Harry," observed +Tom. "It is our business, however, to pray for them. If He thinks fit +He will grant our prayers; and even though He does not as we may wish, +we must not doubt His justice and mercy." + +Right earnestly Tom and his young companions, as they knelt on the +ground, offered up their prayers for the safety of the ship, and then +hurried on towards the harbour of which Tom had spoken. + +The wind continued increasing. They saw first one sail and then another +furled till the ship stood on under close-reefed topsails. They hurried +forward, every now and then getting a glimpse of her as they reached +some elevation overlooking the sea. + +They met several natives, who seemed to sympathise in their anxiety, and +accompanied them towards the harbour. + +The ship heeled over to the blast. Still her canvas stood. Every +moment, however, they expected to see it blown from the bolt-ropes. + +At last they were obliged to leave the coast to reach the shore of the +harbour, and now came the most anxious time of all, when they could not +watch the progress of the ship. Hurrying on, they arrived at length at +a point of land which projected out into the harbour, and made their way +over the rough rocks towards the end. + +"There she is! there she is!" shouted Harry, as at that moment he caught +sight of the ship, with her yards squared away, running into the +harbour. + +The natives, who had accompanied them, got a canoe ready, and Tom and +the boys jumping into her, their friends paddled away to show the +stranger the best spot for anchoring. Their signals were understood by +those on board, and the sails being quickly furled and the anchor let +go, she rode in safety. + +"Harry," exclaimed old Tom, "there is no doubt about her being the +_Steadfast_. I caught sight of Mr Champion on the forecastle, with +many another well-known face, though I don't think any one recognised +us. Let me go up the side first, and learn if it is all well with your +father, and if so tell him that you are safe. You know we must always +be ready to say `God's will be done,' and you must be prepared for +whatever He has ordered." + +"Do as you think best, Tom," answered Harry. "I am sure that is right." + +Tom climbed up the side. Directly after reaching the deck he stepped +back and beckoned to the boys. They quickly climbed up after him. +Harry caught sight of his father talking to Tom. In another instant he +was in Captain Graybrook's arms. Bass, also, was warmly welcomed. Mr +Champion shortly afterwards came aft, and the three castaways were soon +surrounded by the remainder of the officers and crew. + +They had much to recount to each other. Harry, as clearly as he could, +told his father all that had happened to them. + +"We have indeed mourned for you and your companions, Harry, as lost," +said Captain Graybrook. "The ship was almost knocked to pieces, and +after striking on a reef and having our sails blown to ribbons, we +drove, with a fearful leak, hardly able to keep the ship afloat, many +hundred leagues to the southward. At last, mercifully preserved, we +were able to get safely into a harbour in one of the Samoan islands. As +soon as the ship was repaired we made sail to the northward to look for +you. On reaching the island off which your boat had last been seen, we +searched every part of the coast, and went up the only harbour in it, +where we hoped that you might have taken shelter, but finding no traces +of you, we at length gave you up for lost. + +"I believe I should have died of grief, but my friend Champion afforded +me comfort from a source of which, till then, I was ignorant. He told +me of the love of Jesus, and that he felt sure that you had accepted the +offers of salvation, and if it had been God's will to take you to +Himself, that you were safe with Him in heaven, where you were free from +all the troubles and trials of life, and that I might look forward to +the certainty of meeting you there, with your dear mother and sister, if +I, too, would yield my stubborn heart to Him. My friend spoke +faithfully and firmly, and at length, by grace, through faith in the +blood of Jesus Christ, I became reconciled to that loving God, and +assured that He orders all things for the best. + +"We have lately been very successful in fishing, and, having got a full +ship, were about to return home, but, requiring fresh provisions, I +determined to touch at the Sandwich Islands for the sake of obtaining +them, little dreaming of the surprise in store for me. + +"When writing to your poor mother I had not the heart to tell her that I +had given up all hope of finding you, though it was necessary to prepare +her for the worst, and I have told her of your boat being driven away +from the ship. I have dreaded the time when I must tell her the sad +news that you were, as I supposed, lost to us. What joy it will be to +take you back with me, and to set the minds of your dear mother and +sister at rest about your safety!" + +What Harry said in return need not be repeated. He told his father, +however, that he was anxious, before returning home, to let Mr and Mrs +Hart know of his and Tom's and Bass's safety, and to thank Kapoiolani +and her husband for their kindness. + +As the gale threatened to keep the ship in harbour for some days, Tom +offered to go back with a message to their native friends, and set off +immediately. + +As a sufficient supply of provisions, and especially certain stores, +could best be obtained at Honolulu, Captain Graybrook, greatly to +Harry's satisfaction, had determined to touch there before commencing +the homeward voyage. + +Two days afterwards several canoes were seen coming off to the ship. In +one of them were Kapoiolani and Naihi. + +They came, they said, to beg that the captain would bear a message to +the missionary, Mr Hart, and his wife, requesting that they would come +and reside with them, that they might instruct their people in the +gospel. A house should be built for them, and a church and schools, and +they should be amply provided with food and all things they might +require. + +"We have wealth in abundance," observed Kapoiolani, "and we cannot +employ that wealth so well as in supporting those who are working to +make known the truth to our perishing fellow-countrymen." + +Captain Graybrook gladly undertook to carry the message, promising, if +possible, to bring Mr and Mrs Hart to the island. + +On reaching Honolulu, which the _Steadfast_ did in a few days +afterwards, Harry was delighted to find that his friends were willing to +accept the invitation; and the stores and provisions being soon +obtained, the ship returned with them on board to Hawaii. + +On landing at Kapoiolani's village, Mr and Mrs Hart found that a house +was already prepared for their reception, and that a church was +commenced. + +Old Tom said that he felt very much inclined to remain with them; but +the ship was short-handed. + +"It's my duty to stay on board; there is no doubt about that," he +observed; "and I am sure that a man does no good when he deserts his +first duty for the sake of doing anything else, however right that may +be." + +Although several natives had been engaged, the addition of the two lads +and Tom to the strength of the crew was very welcome. + +Harry and his companion, having bidden farewell to the Christian chief +and his wife, and their many other friends, prepared to embark. Mr +Hart accompanied them to the beach. + +"My dear Harry," he said, "I trust that, when far away from this place, +you will not forget the long-benighted savages inhabiting the numberless +islands of the vast Pacific. You will have many opportunities of +telling people at home of their condition, and perhaps may be the means +of inducing some fitted for the task to come out and labour in the +glorious work of making known the gospel." + +"Indeed I will, Mr Hart," answered Harry; "and, if my father will +permit me, I will return here as soon as possible myself. I love a sea +life, but would thankfully employ myself, when I possess more knowledge, +in spreading the gospel among the islanders." + +"You may possibly combine both objects," answered Mr Hart. "Missionary +ships to convey missionaries from place to place, and to visit them as +often as practicable, are much required, and it is most important that +they should be officered by Christian men; and you may be doing good +service if you obtain a berth on board one, and ultimately be able to +take the command." + +"That is exactly what I feel I ought to do," said Harry, as he pressed +his friend's hand; "I will pray that I may be directed aright in the +matter." + +Away the _Steadfast_ sailed on her homeward voyage. Harry, to his great +satisfaction, soon found that Mr Champion had resolved to try to induce +his friends at home, or one of the missionary societies, to send out a +mission ship, of which he purposed offering to take the command. + +"And I will go with you as mate," exclaimed Harry. "That will indeed be +delightful, and I am sure my father will agree to it; and, from what he +has said to me lately, I do not think he intends to come to sea again." + +On speaking to his father, Harry found that he was right in his +conjecture. + +"I had, however, intended giving the command of the _Steadfast_ to +Champion, as I have long known he wishes to make your sister Hannah his +wife; and allowing her to accompany him, with you as his second mate, as +I feel sure she and the ship will be well taken care of. However, +though there is no doubt that Champion would make a much better income +in command of the _Steadfast_ than as captain of a mission ship, yet I +will not thwart his views, if he resolves to do as you tell me he +wishes." + +Frequently during the voyage the subject was discussed; and though +formerly Captain Graybrook would have thought his young mate mad to +entertain such a notion, he now cordially entered into his views, and it +was settled that Hannah should decide what was to be done. + +At length the _Steadfast_, freighted with the richest cargo Captain +Graybrook had ever brought into port, was safely at anchor. As soon as +he could leave the ship, accompanied by Harry, he hastened home. + +The deep anxiety Mrs Graybrook and Hannah long had felt was set at +rest. + +Mr Champion, directly his duties allowed him, joined them. Hannah +discovered the all-important change which had taken place in his mind. +She no longer hesitated to promise him her hand. + +He told her of the heathen state of the people inhabiting the countless +isles of the Pacific, of the earnest wish he entertained of being +instrumental in carrying the gospel among them, of the offer her father +had made to him of the command of the _Steadfast_, and of his own wish +to command a missionary ship, or to engage still more directly in the +glorious work by going out as a minister of the gospel. + +"I believe that you may be as usefully employed in following your +profession as in the latter work, but on whichever you decide I am ready +to accompany you," was Hannah's answer. + +As no missionary vessel was ready, Leonard Champion, soon after his +marriage, took command of the _Steadfast_, and, accompanied by his wife, +with Harry and Dickey Bass as his mates, and Tom Hayes as boatswain, +made two voyages to the Pacific; and while acting as the father of his +crew, and bringing many to a knowledge of the truth, he was the means, +by touching whenever he could at missionary stations, of rendering much +assistance to those engaged in the most glorious of enterprises; while, +by the example he and his crew set, and by the efforts he made at every +heathen place at which he touched, he gained the goodwill of the +inhabitants, and disposed them to think favourably of Christianity. + +At length, having given up the _Steadfast_, he obtained the command of a +mission ship, though he had in the meantime succeeded to a good +property; and conveyed many missionaries to the stations to which they +were appointed. + +On the death of Captain and Mrs Graybrook, he and his wife settled in +one of the larger islands of the Pacific, where, with Harry and Bass, +who shortly afterwards joined them, they have laboured faithfully on +till they have seen most of the inhabitants converted to the truth. + +Old Tom resided with them, labouring devotedly to the last, till he was +called away to hear the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful +servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee +ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Voyage of the "Steadfast", by W.H.G. Kingston + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VOYAGE OF THE "STEADFAST" *** + +***** This file should be named 23072.txt or 23072.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/0/7/23072/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |