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| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-03-08 00:57:55 -0800 |
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| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-03-08 00:57:55 -0800 |
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diff --git a/42415-0.txt b/42415-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..66bd7a0 --- /dev/null +++ b/42415-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9662 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42415 *** + +STORM WARRIORS: +OR, +Life-Boat Work +ON THE GOODWIN SANDS. + +BY THE REV. JOHN GILMORE, M.A., +RECTOR OF HOLY TRINITY, RAMSGATE; AUTHOR OF "THE RAMSGATE LIFE-BOAT," +IN MACMILLAN'S MAGAZINE. + +_FOURTH THOUSAND._ + +LONDON: +MACMILLAN AND CO. +1875. + +[_All rights reserved._] + + +[Illustration: Life-boat] + + +LONDON: +PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS. +STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. + + +TO +THE MOST BELOVED MEMORY OF MY LATE FATHER, +JOHN GILMORE, COMMANDER, R.N., + +AND TO THE MOST BELOVED MEMORY OF +MY LATE ELDEST BROTHER, +ROBERT GRAHAM GILMORE, CAPT., R.N.R., + +TWO MOST BRAVE, AND SKILFUL, AND TRUE, +AND LOVING-HEARTED SAILORS, +WHO HAVE PASSED IN FAITH AND PEACE TO THE +HAVEN THAT THEY HUMBLY SOUGHT, +I INSCRIBE THIS WORK. + +J. G. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +"O Mamma, I do hope that we shall be wrecked on the Goodwin Sands, that +we may be saved by the brave life-boat men!" + +"You horrid boy, hold your tongue, do," replied the Mamma, who was +anticipating, with some degree of nervousness, starting upon a voyage +for Australia in about three weeks' time, and could scarcely be expected +to enter to the full into her young son's very practical enthusiasm. + +But within the last half hour the boy's shrill voice had been heard at +the Ramsgate pier-head, among the cheers that welcomed the life-boat +back from a night of toil and triumph on the Goodwin; and for the +present, to be saved from a wreck by the life-boat men is to him one of +the most delightful ideas on earth. + +After reading an article in 'Macmillan's' of the life-boat men's doings, +a brave English Admiral, then commanding a fleet, wrote--"My heart +warms to the gallant fellows; tell them so, and please give them the +enclosed (a guinea each) from an English Admiral without mentioning my +name." + +A Kentish Squire, sending a donation of a guinea for each of the men +wrote,--"To read the brave self-sacrificing doings of the Ramsgate +life-boat men, makes me proud of the men of my county." + +Other gentlemen wrote, and ladies wrote, and by-and-by we heard from +Australia, America, South America, and also from other parts of the +world came evidence, that English hearts, wherever they are, cannot but +feel deeply as they read the simple narrative of such gallant deeds. +"Your life-boat stories have undoubtedly helped on the good life-boat +cause," said Mr. Lewis. + +"The public have evinced considerable interest in those tales of +life-boat work," said Mr. Macmillan; and so the idea grew that I must +write a book about the life-boat work on the Goodwin Sands. + +A formidable idea this for a man with no "learned leisure," and quite +unconscious of possessing any especial literary skill, or any especial +literary ambition. + +Certainly, I could have no difficulty in obtaining full and abundant +particulars of the various adventures of the life-boat. + +It was gravely said to a friend of mine,--"It is really very wrong of +Mr. Gilmore, as a family man, to risk his life in the life-boat." I have +been able to get all particulars without risking my life, and without, +which is not much less to the point, lumbering up the boat with a +useless hand; moreover, I doubt whether I should have had very keen +powers of observation, while cold and exhausted and breathless, and +clinging for very life to the thwarts, with the seas rushing over me, +and tearing at me, striving to wash me out of the boat; which would have +been my condition and very soon the condition of any unseasoned landsman +who went to share the strife which the experienced boatmen often find it +hard enough to endure. + +I have managed better: I have had sometimes two, three, or four boatmen +up to my house; and we have fought their battles over again; I +questioning and cross-questioning, getting particulars from them, small +as well as great. + +"What did you do next?" To one such question, I remember the answer +was--"Why then we handed the jar of rum round, for we were almost beaten +to death."--"But with the seas running over the boat, and the boat full +of water, it must have been salt-water grog very soon--how did you +manage it?"--"Well, Sir, when there was a lull, a man just took a nip; +then if there was a cry, 'Look out! a sea!' he put the jar down between +his legs, shoved his thumb in the hole, held on to the thwart with his +other arm, then bent well over the jar and let the sea break on his +back." + +Thus getting them to recall incident after incident, I got the full +details of each adventure; and when we arrived at the more stirring +scenes, it was very exciting work indeed; the men could scarcely sit in +their chairs--their muscles worked, faces flushed, and most graphically +they told their tales, I, not one whit less excited, taking notes as +rapidly as possible. + +Truly I must live to be an old man before I forget the hours I have +spent in my study with Jarman, Hogben, and Reading, and R. Goldsmith, +and Bill Penny, and Gorham, and Solly, and some other of my brave +boatmen friends, as they have told me their many experiences and toils +and dangers in life-boat work. + +To Jarman especially do I owe thanks for his many graphic narratives; he +was coxswain of the boat for ten years, and during the time of most of +the adventures related. + +One difficulty I have had to contend with has been the comparative +sameness in the ordinary life-boat services. I could have had nine +narratives in one especial fortnight, for nine times was the life-boat +out during that time; but it has taken nearly ten years for me to find +a sufficient number of narratives so varying in their chief incidents +that the book should not of necessity be wearisome from repetition, and +at the same time give a picture of the varied experiences and dangers of +life-boat work. + +I must leave my Readers to judge how far I have gained my object in the +selection I have made. + +As the few life-boat stories I have already published have been used to +some extent in public Readings, Penny Readings, and on the like +occasions, I have thought it well to make each story, as far as +possible, complete in itself, although to effect this, some repetition +of similar incidents has been unavoidable. + +I come of a sailor family--this will account to landsmen for my seeming +acquaintance with nautical matters; I have never been to sea--this will +explain to sailors the ignorance on such matters that they will not have +much difficulty in detecting. + +"God help the poor fellows at sea!"--"God protect and bless the +life-boat men!" (humble, honest, hardworking and most generous and +brave-hearted men as I well know full many of them to be); + +"And God prosper the good Life-boat Institution, and advance its noble +object!" that many a brave fellow may be spared to his family and home; +many a good man be plucked from death to be yet the joy and support of +loved ones; and many a man, unfitted to meet death, be snatched from its +jaws to live to repent and to seek that peace which he had formerly +disregarded. With such prayers I launch my book. And may God further it +to His glory, by making it instrumental in gaining yet increased +sympathy with the already much-loved life-boat cause; thus blessing it +to be one of the humble instruments, among many, in helping to work out +the results for which, in our sailor-loving land, so many are ever ready +to hope, to work, to pray. + +One last word. The narratives related are, I firmly believe, as far as +possible, strictly and literally true; I am positive the boatmen would +not knowingly exaggerate in the least; and I have sought to tell the +tales, incident by incident, what the men did, and what the men +suffered, and what the men said--simply as they related each +circumstance to me. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + PAGE +CHAPTER I. +HOW THE SHIPWRECKED FARED IN DAYS OF OLD, AND +THE GROWTH OF SYMPATHY ON THEIR BEHALF 1 + +CHAPTER II. +WRECKERS 13 + +CHAPTER III. +THE INVENTOR OF THE LIFE-BOAT 19 + +CHAPTER IV. +THE GROWTH OF THE LIFE-BOAT MOVEMENT 23 + +CHAPTER V. +THE INVENTION AND LAUNCHING OF THE PRIZE LIFE-BOAT 32 + +CHAPTER VI. +THE RAMSGATE LIFE-BOAT AT WORK--STORM WARRIORS TO +THE RESCUE 48 + +CHAPTER VII. +THE RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE "SAMARITANO," AND +THE RETURN 66 + +CHAPTER VIII. +A NIGHT ON THE GOODWIN SANDS 82 + +CHAPTER IX. +THE WRECK ABANDONED, AND THE LIFE-BOAT DESPAIRED OF 94 + +CHAPTER X. +SIGNALS OF DISTRESS--OUT IN THE STORM 116 + +CHAPTER XI. +THE EMIGRANT SHIP 134 + +CHAPTER XII. +THE RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE "DEMERARA," AND +THE EMIGRANTS' WELCOME AT RAMSGATE 149 + +CHAPTER XIII. +THE WRECK OF THE "MARY"--GALES ABROAD 161 + +CHAPTER XIV. +THE WRECK OF THE "MARY"--A STRUGGLE FOR DEAR LIFE 171 + +CHAPTER XV. +DEAL BEACH 192 + +CHAPTER XVI. +THE LOSS OF THE "LINDA," AND THE RACE TO THE RESCUE 203 + +CHAPTER XVII. +THE RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE "AMOOR" 214 + +CHAPTER XVIII. +THE RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE "EFFORT"--THE +DANGERS OF HOVELLING 224 + +CHAPTER XIX. +THE HOVELLERS, OR SALVORS SAVED. THE "PRINCESS +ALICE" HOVELLING LUGGER 234 + +CHAPTER XX. +THE SAVING OF "LA MARGUERITE"--(A HOVEL) 254 + +CHAPTER XXI. +THE WRECK BROUGHT IN 265 + +CHAPTER XXII. +THE WRECK OF THE "PROVIDENTIA" 275 + +CHAPTER XXIII. +HARDLY SAVED 287 + +CHAPTER XXIV. +SAVED AT LAST--THE FATAL GOODWIN SANDS 298 + +CHAPTER XXV. +SAVED AT LAST--WE WILL NOT GO HOME WITHOUT THEM 310 + +CHAPTER XXVI. +SAVED AT LAST--"VICTORY OR DEATH" 320 + +CHAPTER XXVII. +OF SOME OF THE LIFE-BOAT MEN 333 + +CHAPTER XXVIII. +CONCLUSION--THE LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION 344 + + + + +STORM WARRIORS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +HOW THE SHIPWRECKED FARED IN DAYS OF OLD, AND THE GROWTH OF SYMPATHY ON +THEIR BEHALF. + + A worthy Quaker thus wrote:--"I expect to pass through this world + but once; if, therefore, there can be any kindness I can show, or + any good thing I can do to any fellow human being, let me do it + now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way + again." + + +Before in fancy we man the Life-boat, and rush out into the storm, and +have the salt spray dashing over us, and the wind singing like +suppressed thunder in our ears--before we watch the gallant Storm +Warriors of the present day, in their life-and-death struggle, charging +in through the raging seas to the rescue of the shipwrecked, let us look +back and see how the unfortunate by shipwreck fared in the old time, and +then take a hasty glance or two, watching the gradual growth, from age +to age, of sympathy for the distressed; humanity becoming more +pronounced, and more practical; the progressive adaptation of Maritime +Law to the advancing tone of feeling; the gradual organization and +development of that most noble Society, "The National Life-boat +Institution," which has for its sole object the lessening of the dangers +of the sea, and the saving of the shipwrecked; and, lastly, the progress +and final triumph of the labours of science, in the invention of a +life-boat which is able successfully to defy the efforts of the most +raging storms. + +The "good old days!" Those who sing too emphatically the glories of the +"good old days" must either be influenced by the enchantment distance +lends to the view, or guided by the wholesome proverb, "Let nothing, +except that which is good, be spoken of the dead." + +Human nature seems an inheritance unchanging in its properties, and it +was in the old time much as it is now, capable of bringing forth fruit +good or bad, in accordance with the training it received, or the +associations by which it was surrounded. The old days were very far from +being either very golden or very good, the strong arm was too often the +strong law, and selfishness was far more likely to make the weak ones a +prey for plunder, than was compassion to make them objects for +assistance. There was a good deal of the Ishmael curse about the old +feudal days; the Baron's hand was too ready to be against every man's, +and every man's against his; to plunder and to pillage at all convenient +opportunities, as well by sea as by land, seemed very much a leading +institution. + +In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries Piracy was almost openly +recognized; a foreign ship with a rich cargo was too great a temptation +for the free sailors of those rough-and-ready days, and there was in +reality as much of the spirit of piracy in the rugged justice by which +it was endeavoured to suppress the crimes, as in the crimes themselves. +Supposing an act of piracy to have been committed, restitution was first +demanded from the nation, or maritime town, to which the pirate +belonged; and if satisfaction was not obtained, then the aggrieved party +was allowed to take out "Letters of Marque," and might sally forth to +all intents a pirate, to plunder any ship sailing from the place to +which the vessel which had first robbed him belonged. This system was +acknowledged under the name of the "Right of Private Reprisal;" and so, +what with pirates licensed and unlicensed, ships seeking plunder without +any discrimination, and ships seeking revenge without much, Hallam might +well write: "In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, a rich vessel +was never secure from attack, and neither restitution nor punishment of +the criminals was to be obtained from Governments, who sometimes feared +the plunderer, and sometimes connived at the offence." + +To piracy was added the constant petty warfare and feuds that were +carried on between maritime nations, and even between towns of the same +nation. + +Hallam quotes, "The Cinque Ports, and other trading towns of England, +were in a constant state of hostility with their opposite neighbours +during the reigns of Edward I. and II.; half the instruments of Rymer +might be quoted in proof of these conflicts, and of those with the +mariners of Norway and Denmark." + +Sometimes mutual envy produced frays between different English towns; +thus in the year 1254 the Winchilsea mariners attacked a Yarmouth +galley, and killed some of her men. + +The evil effects of this confusion of might with right, the anxiety +occasioned by this constant warfare, and by these petty feuds, lingered +longer on sea than on land; and kept the morals of the seafaring +population of the coasts at the lowest ebb; and as one consequence, the +plundering of vessels wrecked on the shores was in all parts of Europe +carried on with as ruthless a hand, as was piracy and privateering +afloat. + +It may be somewhat interesting to consider the gradual progress of +legislation with reference to this very terrible system and crime of +wrecking; and while doing so, we shall receive further proof of how the +rough mastery of the strong over the weak crept into the Laws, and how +full a development it had in such laws, as especially related to wrecks +and wreckage. + +It is hard in the present day to conceive how, in the name of any +government making claim to the administration of justice, such a law +could have been passed as that which existed prior to Henry I., which +gave the king complete possession of all wrecked property: ownership on +the part of the original possessor was supposed to have been lost by the +action of the sea. Whether the law originated in that strong instinct +for the appropriation of unconsidered trifles, which is rather a snare +to all governments, or whether it was found necessary to make the king +the owner of wreckage, in order to lessen the temptation to cause +vessels to be wrecked, and their crews murdered for the sake of pillage, +no unfrequent occurrence in those days, however it was, the law existed, +and the shipwrecked merchant might come struggling ashore upon a broken +spar, and find the coast strewn with scattered but still valuable goods, +so lately his, but now by law his no longer, any more than they belonged +to the half dozen rude fishermen who stood watching the torn wreck, and +dispersed cargo being wave-lifted high upon the beach. + +Henry I., whose declining years were years of tender and deep sadness, +on account of his own losses at sea, was somewhat more compassionate in +his dealings with the unfortunate by shipwreck. + +He decreed that a wreck or wrecked goods should not be considered lost +to the owner, or become the property of the Crown, if any man escaped +from the wreck with life to the shore. + +Henry II. made a feeble enlargement of this scant degree of mercy--he +expanded this saving clause, so that if either man or beast came ashore +alive, the wreck and goods should still be considered as belonging to +the original possessors; but failing this, although the owner should be +known beyond all possibility of doubt, all the saved property should +belong to the king; so that in those old days, if a cat was supposed to +have nine lives, it was quite sufficient to account for its being for so +long a popular institution on board ship; for even a cat washing +ashore, would become the owner's title-deeds to all of his property that +the sea had spared. + +Richard I. could be generous in things small as well as great; he could +act nobly upon principle as well as upon impulse; it must have been, +indeed, only natural to his open unselfish nature and high courage, to +spurn the idea of robbing the robbed, of making the victim of the sea's +destructive power the further victim of a king's greed; he was prepared +to give his laws of chivalry a wide interpretation, and let them ordain +succour for the distressed by the rage of waters, as well as for the +distressed by the rage of men. + +And so when about to take part in the third crusade, King Richard +decreed, "For the love of God, and the health of his own soul, and the +souls of his ancestors and successors, kings of England. + +"That all persons escaping alive from a wreck should retain their goods; +that wreck or wreckage should only be considered the property of the +king when neither an owner, nor the heirs of a late owner, could be +found for it." + +For several centuries all European nations had for the foundation of +their maritime laws, a certain code, called the Code of Oleron. + +There is the usual veil of historical uncertainty clouding the origin of +these laws, for while some authorities declare that Richard I. had +nothing to do with them, others declare that they were completed and +promulgated by Richard, at the Isle of Oleron, as he was returning from +one of his crusades, and that they had first and especial reference to +the customs on the coasts of some of his continental domains. + +The Laws of Oleron contain thirty-seven articles, and make very terrible +statements as to the system of wrecking, which in those days disgraced +the then civilized nations of the earth, while they show also, that if +sinners were then prepared to sin with a high hand, that the authorities +were prepared with no less energy to inflict punishment for crime. + +Some of the extracts from these laws are as utter darkness compared with +light, when you read them beside extracts from the Life-boat journals of +the present day, suggesting as they do the customs of the people as +regards wrecking, and the scant mercy that was shown to the shipwrecked. + +Consider, for instance, the picture as given in the following extracts +from the old laws of Oleron:-- + +"An accursed custom prevailing in some parts, inasmuch as a third or +fourth part of the wrecks that come ashore belong to the lord of the +manor, where the wrecks take place, and that pilots for profit from +these lords, and from the wrecks, like faithless and treacherous +villains, do purposely run the ships under their care upon the rocks." + +The Code declares, that the lords, and all who assist in plundering the +wreck shall be accursed, excommunicated, and punished as robbers. "That +all false pilots shall suffer a most rigorous and merciless death, and +be hung on high gibbets." + +"The wicked lords are to be tied to a post in the middle of their own +houses, which shall be set on fire at all four corners, and burnt with +all that shall be therein; the goods being first confiscated for the +benefit of the persons injured; and the site of the houses shall be +converted into places for the sale of hogs and swine." + +But if this threat of burning the said wicked lords, and the wholesale +confiscation and destruction of their houses and properties, had not +sufficient terrors to control such hardened sinners, and if they, or +others, were prepared to add murder to robbery, then the laws enacted-- + +"If people, more barbarous, cruel, and inhuman than mad dogs, murdered +shipwrecked folk, they were to be plunged into the sea until half dead, +and then drawn out and stoned to death." + +Railway directors and others would scarcely like the enforcement of laws +parallel to those which dealt with the carelessness of Pilots; which +provided, "That if negligence on the part of the Pilot caused shipwreck, +he was to make good out of his own means the losses sustained, and if +his means were not sufficient, then he should lose his head;" it was +meekly suggested; "that some care should be taken by the master and +mariners," possibly as much for their own sakes as for the sake of the +unfortunate pilot. "That they should be persuaded that the man had not +the means to make good the loss, before they cut off his head." + +The preamble of an Act of Parliament is generally the summary of the +arguments for the necessity of the Bill. + +The preamble of a Bill for the repression of crime, may be therefore +taken as the expression of the national conviction, that such crimes +exist at the time. + +If so, during the reign of George II. human nature did not show itself +to be one whit better than in earlier days, still were men equally +capable of cruel selfishness and wrong, although civilization had done +much to curb the outward expression of many of the former evils, and to +control, to some extent, the open and virulent barbarities of still +darker days. + +For we find that the old laws, and barbarous modes of punishment, were +not sufficient to cope with the strongly developed tendencies for +wrecking, which showed themselves, in various ways, to be existent, and +in full activity. + +And therefore a new Act was passed, which recited-- + +"That notwithstanding the good and salutary laws now in being against +plundering and destroying vessels in distress, and against taking away +shipwrecked, lost, and stranded goods, that still many wicked enormities +had been committed to the disgrace of the nation." Therefore certain +provisions were enacted, the bearing of which was as follows:-- + +Death was to be the punishment for the chief of these enormities, such +as hanging out false lights for the purpose of bringing vessels into +distress. + +Death for those who killed, or prevented the escape of shipwrecked +persons. + +Death for stealing goods from a wreck, whether there be any living +creature on board or not. + +Acts of Parliament in following years felt the impress of the more +merciful spirit of legislation which began to prevail. The punishment of +death for theft from a wreck was reduced to imprisonment; while penal +servitude for life was made the penalty for a new development of crime, +namely, that of wilfully scuttling, or setting on fire, or wrecking a +ship for the purpose of defrauding or damaging Insurance Offices or +Owners. + +The existing Merchant Shipping Act of 1854, and the amendments and +additions to it, now form the Code by which all maritime questions are +arranged; and most of the barbarities, cruelties, and wrongs which, for +so many ages, added to the perils of the sea, both as to life and +property, are now sufficiently guarded against. + +But still a most subtle cruelty and fatal wrong is left almost +altogether untouched, that of sending vessels to sea in an unseaworthy +condition, as to hull, or spars, or sails, or rigging, or perhaps +dangerously overladen; many a vessel only worthy of being utterly +condemned, which no office would think for one moment of insuring, and +that would scarcely pay for breaking up, is bought cheap, patched up, +and sent, perhaps, to float up and down our coasts as a Collier, a sort +of dingy coffin, only waiting to be entombed by the first heavy gale and +raging sea in which she is caught, and then to go quickly down to her +grave, carrying with her her crew, unless they have taken warning in +time, and found some chance of escaping, which they are not slow to take +advantage of, knowing the nature of the craft they are in; but many a +brave sailor finds no escape, and feels no hope, when once the heavy +gale breaks on the crazy craft, and thus dies a victim to one of the +treacherous, and permitted, and most fatal cruelties of our most +Christian and most enlightened age; but this state of things, we may +well believe, will not be permitted to last much longer; the attention +of the public has been thoroughly aroused to the subject, more +especially by the zealous, energetic, and unselfish action of Samuel +Plimsol, Esq., M.P., who having the welfare of the poor sailor most +thoroughly at heart, has attacked with every courage the still existing +abuses, arising chiefly from the deficiencies in our Maritime Code, and +all who have sympathy with the sailor must wish him success, and who has +not? but it is hard work to develop legislative action, even from +wide-spread national sympathy; but the work is commenced; and as one +result of his action, a Royal Commission has been issued by Her Majesty. +The following is a synopsis of the opening instructions of the +Commission:-- + + + VICTORIA R. + + WHEREAS--We have deemed it expedient for divers good causes and + considerations that a commission should forthwith issue to make + inquiry with regard to the alleged unseaworthiness of British + Registered Ships; whether arising from overloading, deck-loading, + defective construction, form, equipment, machinery, age or + improper stowage; and also to inquire into the present system of + Marine Insurance; of the alleged practice of undermanning ships; + and also to suggest any amendments in the law which might remedy or + lessen such evils as may be found to have arisen from the matters + aforesaid, &c., &c. Given at our Court at St. James's the 29th day + of March, 1873, in the thirty-sixth year of our reign. + + By our command, (Signed) H. A. BRUCE. + + +We may now therefore have great hopes, that there will be speedily some +good result, from the spirited manner in which this question of sending +unseaworthy vessels to sea has been brought before the public. + + + Note.--I have to thank a friend for Notes, which he kindly gave me, + of extracts which he made from books to which he had access in the + British Museum, referring to the Ancient Maritime Laws upon + Wrecking. My friend has, since this Chapter was first written, + developed his Notes into an Article, which he published in a + periodical; I have, nevertheless, not refrained from giving the + account, which I think my readers may find interesting. + + J. G. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +WRECKERS. + + "O father! I see a gleaming light; + O say what may it be?" + But the father answered never a word-- + A frozen corpse was he. + + And ever the fitful gusts between + A sound came from the land; + It was the sound of the trampling surf + On the rocks and the hard sea-sand. + + The breakers were right beneath her bows + She drifted a dreary wreck, + And a whooping billow swept the crew + Like icicles from her deck." + + _Longfellow._ + + + "Perhaps some human kindness still + May make amends for human ill." + + _Barry Cornwall._ + + +As we have considered the growth of legislation upon the question of +wrecking and wreckage, and contrasted the more civilized, but not +perfect code, now existing, with the barbarous laws of days gone by, we +may also, perhaps, well put in contrast the present character and action +of our coast population, as a rule, with what they were in days more +remote. + +Imagine a homeward-bound vessel some two hundred and fifty years ago, +clumsy in build, awkward in rig, little fitted for battling with the +gales of our stormy coast, but yet manned with strong stouthearted men, +who made their sturdy courage compensate for deficiency of other means; +think of many perils overcome, a long weary voyage nearly ended, the +crew rejoicing in thoughts of home, of home-love and home-rest, the +headlands of dear Old England, loved by her sons no less then, than now, +lying a dark line upon the horizon, the night growing apace, the breeze +freshening, ever freshening, adding each moment a hoarser swell to the +deep murmurs of its swift-following blasts; the ship scudding on, +breasting the seas with her bluff bows, rising and pitching with the +running waves which cover her with foam! + +Look on land! keen eyes have watched the signs of the coming storm, men +more greedy than the foulest vulture, "more inhuman than mad dogs," have +cast most cruel and wistful glances seaward! yes, their eyes light up +with the very light of hell, as they see in the dim distance the white +sail of a struggling ship making towards the land! + +And now try to imagine the scene, as the night falls, and the storm +gathers, two or three ill-looking fellows drop in, say, to a low tavern +standing in a by-lane that leads from the cliff to the beach, in some +village on our south-western coast--soon muttered hints take form, and +in low whispers the men talk over the chances of a wreck this wild +night; they remember former gains, they talk over disappointments, when +on similar nights of darkness, wildness, and storm, vessels discovered +their danger too soon for them, and managed to weather the headlands of +the bay. + +The plot takes form; with many a deep and muttered curse, the murderous +decision is taken, that if a vessel can be trapped to destruction, it +shall be. + +There is an old man of the party whose brow is furrowed with dread +lines; he does not say much, but every now and then his eyes glare, and +his features work as if convulsed; his comrades look at him, twice, and +as a terrific squall shakes the house, a third time: silently he rises +and leaves the inn; his mates now look away from him, as if quite +unconscious as to what he is about; their stifled consciences cannot do +much for them, but can give to each, just one faint half-realized +sensation of shame. Now in the pitch darkness of the night, with bowed +head, and faltering steps, battling against the storm, the old man leads +a white horse along the edge of the cliff, to the top of the horse's +tail a lantern is tied, and the light sways with the movement of the +horse, and in its movements seems not unlike the mast-head light of a +vessel rocked by the motion of the sea. A whisper has gone through the +village, of a chance of something happening during the night, and most +of the men and many of the women are on the alert, lurking in the caves +beneath the cliff, or sheltered behind jutting pieces of rock. + +The vessel makes in steadily for the land; the captain grows uneasy, and +fears running into danger; he will put the vessel round, and try and +battle his way out to sea. + +The look-out man reports a dim light ahead; What kind? and Whither +away? He can make out that it is a ship's light, for it is in motion. +Yes, she must be a vessel standing on in the same course as that which +they are on. It is all safe then, the captain will stand in a little +longer; when suddenly in the lull of the storm a hoarse murmur is heard, +surely the sound of the sea beating upon rocks? yes! look, a white gleam +upon the water! Breakers ahead! Breakers ahead! Oh! a very knell of +doom; the cry rings through the ship, Down, down with helm, round her +to; too late, too late! a crash, a shudder from stem to stern of the +stout ship; the shriek of many voices in their agony, green seas +sweeping over the vessel, and soon, broken timbers, bales of cargo, and +lifeless bodies scattered along the beach, while the shattered remnant +of the hull is torn still further to pieces with each insweep of the +mighty seas, as they roll it to, and fro, among the rocks. Fearful and +crafty the smile that darkened the dark face of the willing murderer, +who was leading the horse with the false light, as he heard the crash of +the vessel, and the shrieks of the drowning crew, fearful the smiles +that darkened the faces of the men and women waiting on the beach, as +they came out from their places, ready to struggle and fight among +themselves for any spoil that might come ashore; a homeward-bound ship +from the Indies--great good fortune, rich spoil--bale after bale is +seized upon by the wreckers, and dragged high upon the beach out of the +way of the surf--but see, a sailor clinging to a bit of broken mast, +with his last conscious effort he gains a footing on the shore, staggers +forward and falls. Is he alive? not now! Why did that fearful old woman +kneel upon his chest, and cover his mouth with her cloak? Dead men tell +no tales! claim no property! + +Have such things been possible? + +They have, and have been done; traditions of such dread tragedies still +linger on the Cornish coast, and it is a matter of history that all +around our shores miscreants were to be found, who were ready to +sacrifice to their blood-thirsty avarice those whom the rage of water +had spared. + +Yes, and still many sailors find their worst enemies ashore, and know no +danger so great as that of falling into the hands of their fellow-men; +but not now in the small harbours or fishing-villages of the coast--not +now among the seafaring population of our shores, must wretches capable +of such deeds be looked for, but among the degraded quarters of our +large maritime towns--among the land-sharks, who haunt the docks, the +crimp-houses, the dens of infamy, the low taverns--there Jack may still +be wrecked, and drugged, and robbed, and perhaps murdered. But even +there darkness has not got it all its own way; for if there are many who +are ready to ruin the reckless sailor, there are many others, thank God, +who are ready to warn and aid him. Seamen's Churches, Bethels, Sailors' +Homes, Sailors' Missionaries, and all sorts of benevolent institutions, +seek to struggle with, and overcome, the bad effect of the many evils to +which the sailor on shore is exposed. + +And the sea-coasts where the Storm Warriors now gather tell a tale of +hardihood, of courage, of endurance, and of skill, no less than the +olden days could boast of. But now courage is glorified by mercy, and +hardihood by sympathy, and endurance is sustained, and skill and +enterprise are quickened into action by the noblest feelings, and +readiness for self-sacrifice, which can move the heart of man. + +If our last pages have been gloomy in the picture they have given of +what was frequently done not many generations ago, let us seek a +contrast, which shall be as light to darkness, and compare with those +scenes of old, a picture of that which happens month after month, and in +the winter season week after week, and sometimes, almost day after day, +on our own coasts in the present time. + +A homeward-bound ship is rushing along, skimming the green seas, seeming +to rejoice in the pride of her beauty, strength, and speed; there is +some fatal error or accident, and she comes suddenly to destruction. +Many men are anxiously on the look-out; they have been watching her +closely from the shore, and eagerly preparing for action at the moment +of the shipwreck, which for some time they have feared must happen. And +now guns fire, and rockets flash, and the signals quickly given are +quickly answered, and the Storm Warriors rush into action; they are not +now the Storm Pirates as was the case too often of old, they are the +Storm Warriors; their flashing lights tell of coming rescue, and do not +lure to destruction; for as the gallant life-boat men rush into all +danger, make every effort, battling with mad waves and boiling surf, +they fight under the noble banner of Mercy--THEIR MISSION IS TO SAVE. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE INVENTOR OF THE LIFE-BOAT. + + "The most eloquent speaker, the most ingenious writer, and the most + accomplished statesman cannot effect so much as the mere presence + of the man who tempers his wisdom and his vigour with humanity." + + _Lavater._ + + +What dreams had Lionel Luken, coach-builder of London, in the year 1780, +or thereabouts? The perils to machines, or coaches, in those days were +many and varied; the roads were often rough, and dangerous enough to +equal the pleasing variety and exciting accompaniments of a +cross-country gallop; the bridges were very few, and the fords very +many. + +Did Lionel Luken lose coach, or customer, or both, in a rushing flood +which overwhelmed some burdensome coach and unhappy travellers at one of +these fords? and, thinking over the disaster sorrowfully, patiently, and +profitably, as great minds and great hearts will think, did he conceive +the idea of a coach warranted against sinking, with air-tight +compartments? and then, expanding the idea, did the noble thought occur +to him of building a boat that would not merely float in the rush of a +flood, but that would defy the troubled waters of a raging sea? And was +it thus, that Lionel Luken gained unto himself the immortal honour of +being the first inventor of the Life-boat? + +In whatever manner the idea presented itself to him, and however it was +developed in the mind of the skilful and humane coach-builder, certain +it is that it seized him very thoroughly, and that he, being one of the +race of God's heroes, alike humane, brave, and earnest, was not content +to let his happy, his blessed thought die barren of result, but made +noble and persevering efforts to bring his invention to a successful +issue. He had high courage, for his courage was inspired by the great +hope that his boat might be the instrument of plucking many poor sailors +from dread peril, carrying them through threatening seas, snatching them +from the very jaws of death, and of restoring them to their loving ones +in their loved homes. With this holy ambition, Lionel Luken laboured +nobly, as, urged by a like ambition, many now labour nobly for the good +life-boat cause. But the old days were not days of quick sympathy, or of +ready enterprise, and Luken, although supported, to a certain extent, by +royalty, uselessly clamoured at official doors, and sought public +patronage in vain. + +People seemed then to have no strong objection to other people being +drowned, just as they had no strong prejudice against others suffering +the tortures of miserable prisons, the worst asylums, or any of the +many horrors which a more enlightened age has sought with some degree of +success to lessen or remove. + +In the year 1785 Luken took out a patent for a boat which, to a great +extent, embodied almost all the more needful properties possessed by the +present model life-boat; he at the same time published a pamphlet; "Upon +the invention, principle, and construction of insubmergible boats." He +suggested that such boats should be protected by bands of cork round +their gunwales, that they should be rendered buoyant by the use of +air-cases, especially at the bow and stern, and that they should be +ballasted by an iron keel. + +But even when the good man passed from theory to practice, and succeeded +at Bamborough in getting a boat converted into a life-boat on the above +principles, and when this boat proved a success, and saved many lives, +even then he could obtain no support from the authorities in carrying +out his grand object. + +The story is told of a general who blamed a soldier for ducking at the +sound of a cannon ball, saying that he had no business to be a soldier +if he had the faintest objection to being shot. On the same principle, +the first lord of the Admiralty, in his stern rejections of Luken's many +efforts, may have considered that life-boats would interfere with a +sailor's prerogative for being drowned; and drowned indeed many of the +poor fellows were--swept to destruction in sight of land, for winds were +cruel, and rocks were hard, and seas wild, and ships frail, while +benevolence slept, and the cries of the drowning did not reach official +ears, and Luken's loud appeals on behalf of humanity were disregarded, +and he, brave man, who had so long struggled, hoping against hope, +became utterly disappointed that the movement, the importance of which +he so realized, and for which he had so long laboured, did not become +general. + +Still he had the satisfaction of seeing his plan adopted in one or two +places, in Shields especially, as we shall show; and he had the great +happiness of knowing that, time after time, lives were saved by the +boats which were built after his model. He had done all that he could, +and went on building coaches, not, we may presume, on life-boat +principles; and he tried somewhat to content himself, as he looked +forward with hope for a time of greater enlightenment and sympathy, when +he trusted that the seed he sowed, almost with tears, would bring its +harvest of sheaves, and full of this faith, the good man devised an +inscription for the stone which should mark his resting-place in a quiet +country churchyard, simply stating, "That he was the Inventor of the +first life-boat." + +Honoured be the memory of Lionel Luken! + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE GROWTH OF THE LIFE-BOAT MOVEMENT. + + "What is noble? 'tis the finer + Portion of our mind and heart, + Linked to something still diviner + Than mere language can impart; + Ever prompting--ever seeing + Some improvement yet to plan; + To uplift our fellow-being, + And, like man, to feel for Man." + + _C. Swain._ + + +If the ear were only as powerful to enable the mind to realize things +heard, as the eye is powerful in enabling the mind to realize things +seen, many reforms would have been worked out promptly, instead of +having to wait year after year, sometimes almost generation after +generation, while the mind of the public has had its sympathies but +slowly awakened by the constant statement of some evil, and the +unceasing demand for its remedy. + +Thus it was, that a terrible scene of disaster and death, of which many +were the agonized eye-witnesses, did more to urge forward the life-boat +cause than had been effected by the report of many similar tragedies, +which but few lookers on had seen occur. + +It was in the year 1789, a tremendous gale of wind was raging at +Newcastle; thousands of the inhabitants were watching the wild sea as it +foamed up at the entrance of the port, and they trembled as they saw +vessel after vessel stagger on through the sweeping waves, running into +the harbour for refuge. + +One ship, the _Adventurer_, missed the entrance of the port, and was +driven on to the rocks; the seas rushed over her deck, and flew half-way +up the masts; the crew took refuge in the rigging, and the wreck was so +near to the pier, that the horrified and terror-stricken people +thronging there, could hear the cries for help, and even see the growing +shade of the death agony upon the faces of the men, as they became more +and more exhausted and faint from exposure to the heavy seas; and then +they saw one after another of the seamen torn from his hold and perish +miserably; and this within call of these thousands of spectators, who +were full of grief and sympathy, but were unable even to attempt a +rescue. + +Brave men stood powerless, and as they were frantically appealed to, to +try and save the drowning men, could only groan over the utter +impossibility of rendering them any assistance! Yes! the daring, hardy, +skilful sailors, wept with the weeping women, as they stood overwhelmed +with helpless horror watching the most heart-rending scene. + +Strong boats were there, ready to be manned, boats that had successfully +battled with many a rough sea, but they were _not life-boats_, and to +go out into such a mad boil of raging waves in any other kind of boat +than a life-boat, would have been certain death to all the crew, without +affording the faintest possibility of help to the shipwrecked; and thus, +without help, without hope, one after the other of the poor shipwrecked +sailors, exhausted and faint, fell back into the wild waves and +perished: the vessel was speedily torn to pieces, the crowd slowly and +sorrowfully went home; soon the darkness of night shadowed the wild sea +and the saddened town, but the day's work was not done--the tragedy was +not without fruit, in more senses than one, "the blood of the martyrs is +the seed of the church;" the sympathies of the people were now fully +aroused; meetings were at once held at South Shields--a committee was +formed--and premiums were offered for the best life-boat. + +William Wouldham, a painter, was one of the successful competitors; he +presented a model embracing many excellent qualities; Henry Greathead, a +boat-builder of South Shields, stood next on the list. + +The various models presented were discussed--their more excellent +qualities selected--and from the suggestions thus obtained, a model +life-boat was planned, from which, as a type, Greathead built a boat, +which, either from the fact that he improved upon the model given to +him, or because his name, as its builder, was chiefly associated with +it, became known as Greathead's life-boat, and he gained the honour of +being its inventor--not but what the claims of Wouldham were stoutly +asserted; and we may believe by many accepted, for in the parish church +of St. Hilda, South Shields, a tombstone erected to the memory of +Wouldham bears at its head a model of his life-boat, with the following +inscription:-- + + + "Heaven genius scientific gave, + Surpassing vulgar boast, yet he from soil + So rich, no golden harvest reap'd, no wreath + Of laurel gleaned. None but the sailor's heart, + Nor that ingrate, of palm unfading this, + Till shipwrecks cease, or Life-boats cease to save." + + +Within the next fifteen years, or so, Greathead built about thirty +life-boats, eight of which were sent to foreign countries. At last the +life-boat cause was wakened into life, but into no vigorous existence; +it did not actually die, but lingered on with here and there a spasm of +vitality, as some local cause or stirring advocate excited a momentary +interest in the question. + +Life-boat stations were scattered at long intervals round the coast, and +boats of various designs, some very good, were placed at a few of the +more dangerous positions on our shores. + +The public was not altogether unprepared to move, but was waiting for +the needed impulse. + +The whole cause, in spite of all its intrinsic merits and great claims +upon humanity, waited for the _coming man_, and he was found in the +person of Sir William Hillary, Baronet, one of nature's real noblemen; +his heart was great, as his arm was strong; his love for the sea was +only equalled by his love for sailors; all that concerned their +well-being excited his quick sympathy and active interest, and his +feelings were, as a matter of course, very sincere, and very earnest for +the life-boat cause. + +Sir W. Hillary lived at Douglas, in the Isle of Man. His sympathy for +the sailor proved its vitality by being active and practical: he +established Sailors' Homes, and in many ways sought their improvement +and benefit; and when the hour of danger came, when the storms raged and +lives were in peril, Sir William was the first, not only to encourage, +but also to lead the boatmen to the rescue of the shipwrecked; he shrank +from no danger, he shared all labour, and endured all hardship, and this +to such an extent, that he was personally engaged in efforts by which +more than three hundred lives were saved. + +The following are some of the occasions in which Sir William's heroic +efforts were blessed in their results to the saving of life:-- + +In the year 1825 Sir William, and the crews under him, rescued +eighty-seven persons, sixty-two of these from the steamer _City of +Glasgow_; eleven from the _Leopard_ brig; and nine from the _Fancy_ +sloop. + +In the year 1827 they saved seventeen lives. In 1830, four different +crews were rescued, forty-three lives being saved; and in 1832 no fewer +than fifty lives were saved from a passenger-ship. + +The nature of the perils Sir William Hillary so nobly encountered, and +the toils he shared, may be well illustrated by an account of the rescue +of the crew of the _St. George_. + +On the 29th of November, 1830, the mail steamer _St. George_ struck on +St. Mary's rock, not far from Douglas. The captain had no boats to which +he could trust in so violent a sea; he therefore cut away the mainmast, +and endeavoured to construct a raft from its wreck, together with the +spars which they had on board; but the seas proved too heavy for him to +be able to do so, and he signalled his distress to the shore. + +Sir William Hillary and a crew of twelve men at once manned the +life-boat, and proceeded in the direction of the wreck; they found the +steamer hard upon the rock, and surrounded by such a raging boil of surf +that any attempt to rescue the unfortunate passengers and crew seemed +almost impossible; nevertheless they were not the men to leave their +fellow-creatures to perish without making an effort for their safety, at +whatever risk that effort must be made; they therefore let the boat rush +before the gale into the heart of the surf; here she was completely at +the mercy of the wild and broken waves--her rudder was torn off, oar +after oar was broken, until scarcely half the number were left--some of +the air-tight compartments were strained and filled with water, and +rendered useless, and to add to the dismay of the crew, one of the +tremendous seas which rushed over the boat washed Sir William and three +men overboard; it was only after the greatest difficulty that they were +recovered, and, happily, without being much hurt; the life-boat was then +hurled by the waves between the steamer and the rock, here the broken +mainmast and other wreckage were being driven violently by the surf in +all directions, so that the life-boat was in a very whirlpool of danger. + +The crew and passengers of the steamer thought, however, that they would +be safer in the boat, in spite of the dread peril she was in, than on +board the steamer, which was being torn and beaten to pieces, and they +left the steamer for the boat; the boat had then more than sixty persons +on board; and hour after hour her crew struggled in vain to get her out +of the position of extreme danger, in which the force of the gale and +the rush of the waves held them as in a vice; every moment was one of +very great hardship to all on board the boat, as the surf continually +flew over them in volumes, and the danger of being crushed by the +wreckage, that was tossing and leaping in the contest of the mad sea +that raged around them, was incessant. + +After nearly three hours of the hardest struggle, they managed to get +the almost disabled boat a little clear from the rock and the wreck, but +still they were unable to make any headway against the seas, or get +beyond the circle of surf, when at length the sea, as if tired of +sporting with its shattered prey, drove the boat so far beyond the range +of the surf, that other boats were able to come to her assistance and +all lives were saved. + +Such was the nature of the perils and hardships that Sir William Hillary +often readily and nobly encountered in his efforts to save life. + +When, therefore, urged by the cruel necessities of the case, he pleaded +for the life-boat cause, and illustrated his pleading by his own +personal experience, men began at last to listen to what he urged. He +described not only that the dangers of the shipwrecked were fearfully +increased from want of due means for their rescue, in the absence of +boats properly constructed to contend against the peculiar danger +arising from the raging seas and broken water which generally surrounded +a wreck, but he showed also how, from the same cause, brave men too +often rushed to their death. + +That in answer to the cry for rescue, men put to sea, urged by the +generous impulses of sympathy and courage, went forth possessed of all +the needed bravery, the strength, the skill, the determination to perish +or to save: they did often perish, and did not save, because they needed +the boats which could alone safely contend with the dangers that they +had to encounter. + +Two members of Parliament, Mr. Thomas Wilson and Mr. George Hibbert, +were especially moved by such a tale, told by such a man, out of a +brave, loving, full heart, and illustrated by such terrible experience, +and they gave Sir William their very hearty co-operation; and these +three men became, in the year 1825, the founders of the "Royal National +Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck." + +Sir W. Hillary undertook the formation of a branch committee of the +society for the Isle of Man, and so fully succeeded that, by the year +1829, each of the four harbours of the station possessed a life-boat. + +Under the organization of this society, and with the aid of some +fourteen smaller, and local associations, and notably with the +assistance of "The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent +Society," which was instituted in the year 1839, and provided seven +life-boats on different parts of the coast, the life-boat cause went on, +doing much noble work, but leaving very much more undone; and very much +that was effected was not done in really the best way. + +Thus the life-boat cause had prospered, the work was becoming organised; +but still much was wanting; it needed some new and great stimulus--and +in a few years the stimulus came. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE INVENTION AND LAUNCHING OF THE PRIZE LIFE-BOAT. + + "In spite of rock and tempest's roar, + In spite of false lights on the shore, + Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea, + Our hearts, our hopes are all with thee; + Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears, + Our faith triumphant o'er our fears, + Are all with thee--are all with thee!" + + _"The Ship of State."--Longfellow._ + + +In the year 1848, the Admiralty called for returns from the various +coastguard stations which gird the coast, as to the condition of the +life-boat service in their respective neighbourhoods; the results showed +a state of things very far from satisfactory. It appeared that the +number of life-boats was about one hundred, but out of these, only +fifty-five were reported as being in good repair, and a great many of +this number were declared to be of such heavy construction, that very +much of their usefulness was sacrificed. + +Twenty boats were reported as being only in fair repair, and twenty-one +boats were declared to be bad and unserviceable. From many stations came +the reports of great loss of life from want of a boat. From Ballycotton, +for instance, where a life-boat could be easily manned, and yet, sad to +state, that within fifteen years no fewer than sixty-seven lives had +been lost, no life-boat being there to effect a rescue. + +The evidence for the necessity for further effort was also afforded, by +the long distances which existed between many of the life-boat stations. +Twenty-seven miles, thirty-three, forty-five, ninety-four, one hundred +and forty-one, and one hundred and fifty-one miles being among such +distances; thus in various places the coast was left absolutely +unprotected for many miles together. + +Equally sad, and similar to that given by Sir W. Hillary, was the +evidence as to the faulty construction of many of the boats, inasmuch as +although they were a decided improvement upon the ordinary boat, yet +they too often proved incompetent to contend against the rush of seas +and broken water to which they were exposed; from this cause the most +painful tragedies frequently occurred, the loss of brave fellows who +went out to save others from a dreadful death, and who through no lack +of courage, of strength, or of skill, on their part, but from the faulty +construction of the boat they were in, found one common grave with those +whom they sought to rescue from the raging seas. + +Thus one life-boat gained a most sad notoriety: on one occasion she +drowned four of her crew; on another occasion twelve; and on a third, +twenty men were drowned out of her. A second, so called, life-boat lost +on one occasion two men, on a second three men, and on a third all her +crew; when she was most properly condemned as too dangerous to be of +use. + +A Scarborough life-boat lost sixteen men. At Dunbar, on the occasion of +a man-of-war being wrecked, the life-boat in two trips saved forty-five +men; on her third trip she upset, and nearly all who were in her were +drowned; she was condemned, and for many years no life-boat at all was +stationed there, although from time to time many lives were lost. + +Thus we find that in the year 1850 life-boat work was no unknown work. +Life-boat societies had done much, and were doing much. Life-boats had +been stationed in various localities during the preceding half century, +and there were at the date mentioned seventy-five life-boats in England, +eight in Scotland, and eight in Ireland; but nearly one-half of these +were, from one cause or another, more or less unserviceable; and many of +the most exposed parts of the coast were still unprovided with +life-boats. In that year, 1850, there were six hundred and eighty-one +wrecks: the loss of life was about seven hundred and eighty-four, +including a crew of eleven men, whose boat upset one stormy November +night, they having put off to the assistance of a vessel in distress. + +It was evident that the life-boat system was not sufficiently developed +or general, and there was, moreover, no universally approved model of a +boat in which all boatmen might have confidence; this latter +consideration was especially brought before the notice of the public by +an accident which occurred to the Newcastle life-boat, the sad +particulars of which are given in the following extracts from a letter +written December 14th, 1849, by the then treasurer of the life-boat +"Friend of the Ports of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and South Shields," Mr. R. +Anderson. + +"The life-boats of the Port of Newcastle, stationed at the entrance of +the Tyne in North and South Shields, have been for about sixty years +instrumental in saving the crews of those vessels which have been +unfortunately stranded at the entrance of the port. No correct account +was kept of the exact number so rescued from danger previous to the year +1841, but since then four hundred and sixty-six persons have been +brought ashore from sixty-two vessels. + +"On the morning of the fatal accident, the _Betsy_, of Littlehampton, +laden with salt, was stranded on the hard sand; and the receding tide +left her among heavy breakers, with a heavy ebb-tide running past her. + +"The life-boat was launched about 9 A.M., and being manned by +twenty-four pilots, immediately proceeded to the vessel; and, having +hailed her, and given instructions to the people on board to prepare two +ropes ready to throw to them, they waited for a little time between the +ship and the shore for the ropes to be got ready, then they again +proceeded to the vessel, and succeeded in getting alongside; the rope +from the after end of the vessel was received into the boat; the rope +from the fore end had just been received and reeved in the ring at the +stern, and a few fathoms hauled into the boat; and the shipwrecked men +were preparing to descend, when a terrific knot of sea recoiling from +the resistance it met at the vessel's bow, threw the bow of the boat up +over end, and the bow-rope not holding, the boat was driven in that +position, with all her crew thrown into the stern, astern of the vessel, +into the rapid ebb-tide, which running into her, caused the boat to +capsize, and all the men were washed into the sea; they were carried +away by the tide. + +"The accident was seen from the shore, and immediately the second +life-boat was launched from South Shields, and, with seventeen pilots on +board, proceeded with all possible despatch to the assistance of the +crew of the former boat; they found and rescued three, one had succeeded +in getting on board the brig, and thus only four out of the twenty-four +were saved. + +"Nor were the crew of the stranded vessel forgotten; the third life-boat +from North Shields was launched; and notwithstanding the appalling +accident, a crew of seventeen brave fellows manned her instantly, and +proceeded alongside the _Betsy_, and brought all her crew, and the one +pilot who succeeded in getting on board her, safely ashore. + +"The first life-boat which had turned end-over-end was washed ashore +bottom up; her great want was the self-righting principle." + +Urged by the necessities of the case, which became daily more apparent, +the Duke of Northumberland, President of the National Life-boat +Society, organized a plan by which the intellect and experience of the +world at large should be encouraged to invent a life-boat, which should +be on all points as perfect as possible. + +His Grace offered a premium of one hundred guineas for the best model of +a life-boat. The defects of the existing boats were pointed out as a +guide to inventors, they being chiefly: + +"1. They do not upright themselves in the event of being upset. + +"2. That they are too heavy to be readily launched or transported along +the coast in case of need. + +"3. That they do not free themselves from water fast enough. + +"4. That they are very expensive." + +A committee was formed to examine, and report upon the models. + +The offer of His Grace, and the conditions of the competition, were +published in October 1850, and no expense or pains were spared in making +them known. + +The interest and excitement produced by the notice were deeply and +widely felt; the challenge was accepted by great numbers of +people--amateurs, to whom to invent a life-boat seemed a laudable and +holy ambition, vied with the boat-builders who had thoughts of +professional reputation to give a spur to their humanity--speedily in +all parts of England, and in many other parts of the world, busy minds +and skilful hands were at work. + +In due time models came teeming in upon the committee in almost +overwhelming numbers. + +Not content with asking for models of life-boats, the committee also +asked for information upon certain defined points, the models sent in +numbered no fewer than two hundred and eighty, while the answers to +inquiries were sufficient to fill five folio volumes of manuscript. As +for the models, every possible form and every possible principle seemed +to find its illustration. + +There were boats designed upon the principle of Pontoons, of Catamarans, +of Rafts, Steamers, Paddle-box Boats, North Country Cobles--every +possible modification of the whaleboat, and of the ordinary boat; boats +made of wood, of tin, of galvanized corrugated iron, boats with cork +linings, with air-boxes, with water-ballast, with no ballast, tubular +boats, boats a series of tubs, a series of boxes; to be propelled by +oars, by sails, by paddle-wheels, by screws, to be worked by hand power, +by steam power, by atmospheric air. + +The Committee might well feel overwhelmed at such a perfect rush of +ideas and designs thus suggested for their consideration; and as they +began to go into details, they found it almost impossible to decide +which model was best, where the elements of excellency were so varied +and so numerous, especially as they found that so large a number of the +boats presented such excellent combinations of different good qualities. + +The committee therefore deemed it necessary to organize a regular +competitive examination, assigning marks to different necessary +qualifications, that they might thus be able to arrange the boats +presented in an order of merit, dependent upon their respective +combination of good qualities. + +The following is the list of qualities that were required in the boats, +with the number of marks apportioned to each. + + +1st Quality. Rowing boat in all weathers 20 + +2nd " Sailing boat in all weathers 18 + +3rd " Sea boat, i.e., stability, safety, buoyancy forward + for launching through surf 10 + +4th " Means of freeing boat from water readily 8 + +5th " Extra buoyancy nature, amount, distribution, + mode of application 7 + +6th " Power of self-righting 9 + +7th " Suitableness for beaching 4 + +8th " Room for, and power of carrying passengers 6 + +9th " Moderate weight for transport along shore 3 + +10th " Protection from injury to bottom 3 + +11th " Ballast, as iron 1, water 2, cork 3 6 + +12th " Access to stem and stern 3 + +13th " Tumbler heads for securing warps 2 + +14th " Fenders, life-lines, &c. 1 + + +With their mode of examination thus fully organized, the Committee +patiently and carefully set about their interesting task, and after much +labour it was decided that the model presented by Mr. James Beeching, of +Great Yarmouth, possessed the best combination of necessary +qualifications, and to it was awarded eighty-six out of the one hundred +marks; and the inventor had the gratification of receiving the following +letters from the Duke of Northumberland, and from the Chairman of the +Life-boat Committee:-- + + + _Alnwick Castle,_ _13th August, 1851._ + + SIR, + + It gives me much pleasure to send you a cheque for £105, as the + prize for the best model of a life-boat. + + And I must thank you for the assistance you have given me and the + Society for Saving Life from Shipwreck by that model, which will + enable us to establish a better life-boat on the coast than those + at present in use. + + Yours, &c., + + NORTHUMBERLAND. + + _To Mr. James Beeching._ + + * * * * * + + _Somerset House, London,_ _14th August, 1851._ + + SIR, + + I have the gratification to acquaint you that the Committee + appointed to examine the life-boat models sent to Somerset House, + to compete for the premium offered by His Grace the Duke of + Northumberland for the best model of a life-boat, have awarded the + prize to your model. + + I am therefore directed by His Grace to transmit to you the + enclosed cheque for £105, and the report of the Committee upon + which the award was founded. + + Yours, &c., + + J. WASHINGTON, R.N., + + Chairman of the Committee. + + _To Mr. James Beeching._ + + +A fine boat, called the _Northumberland_, was speedily built by Mr. +Beeching, and she immediately commenced a more memorable career than has +ever fallen to the lot of any other boat--the stormy petrel of the +sea--the pioneer of a work not more glorious than much which had been +attempted, but which crowned almost every brave effort with abundant +success, where science aided sympathy with all the fruits of her skill, +so that the double cry of agony, where on the one hand there was +lamentation for the shipwrecked and lost, and on the other a cry, if +possible, even more piteous still, for those who perished in their +efforts to save the shipwrecked--a cry that had been too often heard, +was soon almost to cease from the land. + +The early passage in the history of the _Northumberland_ seemed to +suggest that hers was to be a holiday existence, her career commenced +with a round of triumphant display and popularity. She visited various +parts of the coast, and all her properties were displayed, creating +everywhere confidence in her powers, and enthusiasm at the thought of +the stimulus to be given to the great work of saving life from +shipwreck, by the possession of such a noble and efficient boat. + +There was a great gathering at Ramsgate to witness the first public +trial the boat was to be put through; naval officers, elder brethren of +the Trinity House, scientific men of all services were interested deeply +in the series of experiments to which she was to be subjected, for they +all fully realized how the question of life or death to thousands, yea, +in the course of time, to tens of thousands, was involved in the +problem, as to whether any boat could be found competent to resist all +the fury of a raging and broken sea. + +The _Northumberland_ was manned, and first her stability was to be +tested; all her crew stood and jumped upon one gunwale, but failed to +upset her; her self-righting property was next to be tried; they brought +her under a crane, and passing a rope from her mast round her bottom, +gradually hauled her over, and she was bottom up; they let go the strain +on the rope, and in five seconds she had righted herself, and in twenty +seconds more she had emptied herself of water. Again she was to be +turned over, and this time fresh interest was to be excited in the +experiment, as Mr. Samuel Beeching, the son of the inventor and builder +of the boat, determined to show his confidence in her powers by being in +her when she was upset: slowly the strain is again put upon the rope +under-running the boat, and she gradually turns over, Mr. Beeching +clinging to the centre thwart the while; a moment's suspense, the boat +is keel up, and the brave man out of sight--scarcely time for a pang of +fear, when the boat comes round with a throb, and the man is seen +standing on the thwart, cheering in answer to the cheers with which the +success of the experiment and his re-appearance are greeted. + +Now for a trial at sea, among the bright leaping waves, which seem full +of playfulness and glee, as if ready to greet her merrily, and to +whisper no word of the many deadly conflicts she must wage with them in +coming days, ere she shall snatch the spoil of human life from their +rage and strength. + +Strong arms are at the oars, the good ash staves bend, and away she +shoots through the waves, holding her own successfully as other boats +race with her. + +Her sailing powers must be tried, and a revenue-cutter accepts her +challenge; both bowl along with a fresh breeze bellying their sails, and +the life-boat behaves well and bravely, and proves also a success under +sail. + +The breeze freshens, and there is a great bubble of leaping surf in the +broken water in the angle of the pier; an ordinary boat would speedily +be swamped there; but there the life-boat rides on the tumbling seas +like a thing of life; every experiment increases the confidence that her +crew and the lookers-on feel in the boat. + +Seaward now for a sterner trial, and on the field where her numerous +future contests are to be fought, and her numerous victories gained; out +and away where the rolling seas break in upon the Goodwin Sands, and +where they fret into surf as they are checked in their race, and make +the sea white with the foam of their falling crests; away into the +tumbling seas, running the gauntlet of the leaping waves; away, and +away, she speeds round the north end of the Sands, then steers for the +North Foreland, until all her crew are perfectly delighted with her +powers, and return to describe the trip, and how she behaved, and the +confidence they have in her, that they would not hesitate to go in her +into any broken water whatever. + +Great is the congratulation and gladness among the naval and scientific +men who are watching the experiments, and many thank God, that at last +the problem is solved--that a boat is found able to defy the broken +surf and raging waves--a fit and safe instrument in the hands of the +brave-hearted boatmen, who are ever ready to do and dare all that is +possible, in their efforts to save life from shipwreck. + +The crew that went out in the boat made the following report:-- + + + To the Harbour Commissioners. + + "This is to certify that we have this day been to sea in the + _Northumberland_ prize life-boat, and have had every opportunity of + proving her sailing qualities; she has also been through a great + deal of broken water and heavy sea, and we consider her, in the + true sense of the word, perfectly qualified to encounter any bad + weather when occasion might require her services, and we should be + quite willing to go in her to any vessel in distress at any time." + + +The prize life-boat was purchased in December, 1851, for £250, by the +Trinity Board, for the use of the Royal Harbour at Ramsgate, with the +dread Goodwin Sands for her special cruising ground. + +The trial of the life-boat became an especial feature at the various +regattas held round the coast. The interest in her became very general, +and a great move was given to the life-boat cause. + +At Teignmouth they determined that the trial should be of a very +practical and somewhat sensational nature--a capsize out at sea! At +eleven o'clock one stormy morning the signal was given to man the +life-boat. In about one quarter of an hour she was making her way out +to sea, and then her crew endeavoured to capsize her; they had tried in +vain to do so in smooth water, would she defy their efforts in a rough +tumble of sea and heavy weather? They set all her sails and manoeuvred +in every way to upset her, but without effect, when, while she was +heeling over almost on her broadside, with all her sails full, the crew, +at a given signal, jumped on her lee-gunwale, and down on her broadside +she went; her sails were let go, and she righted at once, only two of +her crew were thrown out of her, and these, with their cork jackets on, +were bobbing up and down quite happily among the waves; they were soon +picked up, and the boat speedily on her way again, the men more pleased +and confident than ever in her wonderful powers. + +But the National Life Boat Institution was not quite contented with the +prize life-boat; she had gained eighty-six marks out of the one hundred +in the competition of models; she was near perfection, but still could +be improved upon; and as the great aim of the Society was to obtain a +perfect boat, they would naturally not be content with anything less +than this desired perfection, a boat that should satisfy the judges to +the full in every particular, and thus merit the whole one hundred +marks, instead of the eighty-six. + +Mr. Peake, the then assistant master-shipwright at the Royal Dockyard at +Woolwich, was appealed to. He made the matter his especial study. He +took the prize-boat as his model, and combining with it some of the best +qualities of the other boats, constructed a boat not differing much, or +in any essential point, from the prize one, but yet sufficiently an +improvement upon it to be pronounced as far as possible perfect on all +points; and it was at once adopted by the National Life Boat Institution +as the standard model life-boat. + +The life-boat cause was now to know no further stay in its onward +course, the Committee was formed of thoroughly earnest and warm-hearted +men--men full of practical knowledge and warm sympathy. Moreover, the +Institution was blessed with as able and indefatigable a Secretary as an +Institution ever rejoiced in, this in the person of Mr. Richard Lewis, +Barrister-at-Law; the appeal to the public for sympathy and assistance +was general, and generally acknowledged. + +The Society told of dangerous headlands, of treacherous sands and tides +all round the coast, of shipwrecks frequent, and deaths often occurring +for want of a life-boat, and of life-boats, faultless in construction, +only waiting the time when the Committee should have the means to place +them where needed; the funds grew as the wants were realized, and the +heart of the nation was warmed to the noble cause; the wreck-chart still +showed a dismal circumference of casualties round the coast, marking +dangerous points where many vessels had been lost; but the inner line of +defence began also to show itself on the map, and the marks of the +life-boat stations began year by year to confront more regularly the +signs of places where danger and shipwreck were most frequent. + +But more of this, and the noble Life-boat Society, in the closing +chapter of the book. It is time that we launched our life-boat for its +real work. The waves are roaring on the Goodwin, the life-boat is at her +moorings in the harbour of Ramsgate, the brave boatmen--Storm Warriors +indeed--are on the watch, hour after hour through the stormy night +walking the Pier, and giving keen glances to where the Goodwin Sands are +white with the churning seething waves that leap high, and plunge and +foam amid the treacherous shoals and banks. Look! a flash is seen; +listen, in a few seconds, yes, there is the throb and boom of a distant +gun, a rocket cleaves the darkness; and now the cry--Man the life-boat! +Man the life-boat! Seaward Ho! Seaward Ho! But now in a boat efficient +on all points, whose only career shall be to save, and not to add victim +to victim, as she herself is overcome by the rage of the sea. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE RAMSGATE LIFE-BOAT AT WORK.--STORM WARRIORS TO THE RESCUE. + + "Ye mariners of England, + That guard our native seas; + Whose flag has braved a thousand years + The battle and the breeze! + Your glorious standard launch again + To match another foe; + And sweep through the deep, + While the stormy winds do blow, + While the battle rages loud and long + And the stormy winds do blow." + + +It was a Sunday night, in the month of February, a few years ago, the +anxious boatmen, who kept a diligent watch, shrugged their shoulders as +they cast keen glances to windward, and declared that it was going to be +a very dirty night. + +Heavy masses of cloud skirted the horizon as the sun set; and as the +night drew on, violent gusts of wind swept along, accompanied by +snow-squalls. + +It was a dangerous time for vessels in the Channel, and it proved fatal +to one at least. + +Before the light broke on Monday morning, the Margate lugger _Eclipse_ +put out to sea to cruise round the shoals and sands in the neighbourhood +of Margate, on the look out for the victims of any disasters that might +have occurred during the night. + +The crew soon discovered that a vessel was ashore on the Margate Sands, +and directly made for her. She proved to be the Spanish brig +_Samaritano_ of one hundred and seventy tons, bound from Antwerp to +Santander, and laden with a valuable and miscellaneous cargo. + +Her crew consisted of the captain, Modesto Crispo, and eleven men; it +was during a violent squall of wind and snow that the vessel was driven +on the Sands, at about half-past five in the morning; the crew attempted +to get away from the vessel in the boats, but in vain, the oars were +broken in the attempt, and the boats stove in. + +The lugger _Eclipse_, as she was running for the brig, spoke a +Whitstable fishing-smack, and borrowed two of her men and her boat. They +boarded the brig as the tide went down, and hoped to be able to get her +off the Sands at the next high water. For this purpose, six Margate +boatmen and the two Whitstable men were left on board. + +But with the rising tide, the gale came on again in all its fury, and +the boatmen had speedily to give up every hope of saving the vessel. +They hoisted their boat on board to prevent her being swamped by the +seas which were breaking heavily, and all hands began to feel that it +was becoming a question, not of saving the vessel, but of saving their +own lives. The sea rushed furiously over the wreck, lifting her, and +then letting her fall with crushing violence upon the sands. Her timbers +did not long withstand this trial of their strength; a hole was quickly +knocked in her side, she filled with water, and settled down upon the +sand. + +The waves began now to break with great force over the deck; the +lugger's boat was speedily knocked to pieces and swept overboard; the +hatches were forced up, and some of the cargo which floated on the deck +was at once washed away. The brig began to roll and labour fearfully, as +wave after wave broke against her, with a force that shook her from stem +to stern and threatened to throw her bodily upon her broadside; the men, +fearing this, cut the weather-rigging of the main mast, and the mast +soon broke off short with a great crash, and went over the side. + +All hands now took refuge in the fore-rigging; nineteen men had then no +other hope between them and a terrible death than the few shrouds of the +shaking mast. + +The wind beat against the poor fellows with hurricane force; each wave +that broke against the vessel sprang up in columns of foam and drenched +them to the skin; the air was full of spray and sleet, which froze upon +them as it fell. + +The Margate boatmen were there, but the Margate lugger could not have +lived five minutes in the sea that surrounded the vessel; the Whitstable +smack would have been wrecked at once, if she had attempted to get near +the wreck, and thus the poor fellows, caught in a trap, had to be left +by their comrades to their fate, their only chance of escape being the +possibility of a life-boat coming to their rescue, and this before their +frail support should yield to the rush of wind and sea. + +And resting in this hope they waited hour after hour, clinging to the +shrouds of the tottering mast; but no help came, until one and all +despaired of life. + +In the meanwhile, news of the wreck had spread like wildfire through +Margate. In spite of the gale, and the blinding snow squalls, many of +the inhabitants struggled to the cliff, and with spy-glasses tried to +penetrate the scud, or to gain in the breaks of the storm some glimpses +of the wreck. + +As soon as the peril the crew of the brig were in was known, the smaller +of the two Margate life-boats was manned and made to the rescue. As she +sailed out into the storm, the seas broke over her and filled her; this +her gallant crew heeded little at first, for they had every confidence +in her powers to ride safely through any storm, that her air-tight +compartments would prevent her from sinking; but to the astonishment of +the men they found that the boat was rapidly losing her buoyancy, and +fast becoming unmanageable; indeed she was filling with water, which +came up to the men's waists. The air-tight boxes had evidently filled; +and they remembered, too late, that the valves, with which each box is +provided to let out any water that may leak in, had been left unscrewed +in the excitement of starting. Their boat, with the air-tight +compartments filled with water, virtually ceased to be a life-boat, and +her crew had to struggle for their own safety. Although then within a +quarter of a mile of the brig, there was no help for it, they could make +no farther way against the storm; the boat was unmanageable, and the +only chance of life left to the boatmen themselves, was to run her +ashore on the nearest part of the coast. It was doubtful whether they +would be able to succeed even in this; and it was not until they had +battled for four hours with the sea and gale, that they were able to get +ashore in Westgate Bay. + +There the coastguard were ready to receive them, and did their best to +revive the exhausted men. As soon as it was discovered at Margate that +the first life-boat was disabled, the large life-boat, the _Friend of +all Nations_, was got ready with every speed, and with much trouble +dragged round to the lee side of the pier, where it was launched. Away +she started, her brave crew doing all they could to battle with the +gale, and force their way out to the wreck; but all their efforts were +in vain; the tremendous wind was right against them; the sea completely +overpowered them, and prevented their beating to windward; the tiller +gave way, and after a hard struggle her crew had also to give up the +attempt, and this life-boat in turn was driven ashore about one mile +from the town. With both their life-boats wrecked, the Margate men +almost gave up all hopes of saving the crew of the vessel and the men +that were left on board; but this should not be the case until every +possible effort had been made; but it was with small hope for the +shipwrecked, and with much apprehension for the boats themselves, that +the people watched two luggers--the _Nelson_ and the _Lively_--undaunted +by the fate of the life-boats, stagger out mid the sweeping seas to the +rescue. + +The fate of one lugger, the _Nelson_, was soon settled; a fearful squall +of wind caught her before she had got many hundred yards clear of the +pier; it swept her foremast out of her, and her crew had to make every +possible effort to avoid being driven on the rocks, and there wrecked. + +The _Lively_ was more fortunate; she beat her way out to sea, but found +so heavy a surf breaking over the Sands, that it was evidently +impossible to cross them, or to get near the wreck. + +The Margate people became full of despair, and many a bitter tear was +shed for sympathy and for personal loss as they watched the wreck, and +thought of the poor fellows perishing slowly before their eyes, +apparently without any possibility of being saved. + +A rumour spread among the crowd that the lieutenant of the coastguard +had sent an express off to Ramsgate, for the Ramsgate steamer and +life-boat; but this scarcely afforded any hope, as it was thought +impossible that the steamer and life-boat could make their way round the +North Foreland in the teeth of so tremendous a gale, or that, if they +did so, it was supposed impossible that either the ship could hold +together, or the crew live, exposed as they were in the rigging, during +the time it would of necessity take the steamer and boat to get to them. + +We now change the scene to Ramsgate. + +From an early hour on the Monday morning, groups of boatmen assembled +on the pier at Ramsgate; they were occasionally joined by some of the +more hardy among the townsmen, or by a stray visitor, attracted by the +wild scene that the storm presented. + +The boatmen could faintly discern, in the intervals between the +snow-squalls, a few vessels in the distance, running before the gale, +and they were keenly on the watch for signals of distress, that they +might hasten to the rescue. + +But no such signal was given. + +Every now and then, as the wind boomed by, some landsmen suggested that +it was the report of a gun from one, or other, of the three +light-vessels, which guard the dangerous Goodwin Sands; but the boatmen +shook their heads, and those who with spy-glasses kept a look-out in the +direction of the light-vessels confirmed them in their disbelief. + +About nine o'clock, tidings came to Ramsgate that a brig was ashore on +the Woolpack Sands off Margate. It was, of course, concluded that the +two Margate life-boats would go to the rescue; and although there was +much anxiety and excitement as to the result of the attempt the Margate +boatmen would certainly make, no one had the least idea that the +services of the Ramsgate life-boat would be required. But shortly after +twelve a coastguard man from Margate hastened breathless to the pier, +and to the harbour-master's office, saying, in answer to eager inquiries +as he hurried on, that the two Margate life-boats had been wrecked, and +that the Ramsgate boat was wanted. + +The harbour-master immediately gave orders, "Man the life-boat." + +No sooner had the words passed from his lips than the boatmen, who had +crowded round the door in anticipation of the order, rushed away to the +boat. + +First come, first in; not a moment's hesitation, not a thought of +further clothing; they will go as they are, rather than not go at all. +The news rapidly spreads; each boatman as he heard it, hastily snatched +up his bag of waterproof overalls, and south-wester cap, and rushed down +to the boat; and for some time boatman after boatman was to be seen +racing down the pier, hoping to find a place still vacant; if the race +had been to save their lives, rather than to risk them, it would hardly +have been more hotly contested. + +Some of those who had won the race and were in the boat, were ill +prepared with clothing for the hardships they would have to endure, for +if they had not their waterproofs at hand they did not delay to get +them, fearing that the crew might be made up before they got to the +boat. But these men were supplied by the generosity of their +disappointed friends, who had come down better prepared, but too late +for the enterprise; the famous cork jackets were thrown into the boat +and at once put on by the men. + +The powerful steam-tug, well named the _Aid_, that belongs to the +harbour, and has her steam up night and day ready for any emergency that +may arise, speedily got her steam to full power, and with her brave and +skilful master, Daniel Reading, in command, took the boat in tow, and +together they made their way out of the harbour. James Hogben, who, with +Reading, has been in many a wild scene of danger, was coxswain, and +steered and commanded the life-boat. + +It was nearly low water at the time, but the force of the gale was such +as to send a good deal of spray dashing over the pier; the snow fell in +blinding squalls, and drifted and eddied in every protected nook and +corner. It was hard work for the excited crowd of people, who had +assembled to see the life-boat start, to battle their way through the +drifts and against the wind, snow, and foam to the head of the pier; but +there at last they gathered, and many a one felt his heart fail as the +steamer and boat cleared the protection of the pier, and encountered the +first rush of wind and sea outside. "She seemed to go out under water," +said one old fellow; "I would not have gone out in her for the +universe." And those who did not know the heroism and determination that +such scenes call forth in the breasts of the boatmen, could not help +wondering much at the eagerness which had been displayed to get a place +in the boat--and this although the hardy fellows knew that the two +Margate life-boats had been wrecked in the attempt to get the short +distance which separated the wreck from Margate; while they would have +to battle their way through the gale for ten or twelve miles before they +could get even in sight of the vessel. + +It says nothing against the daring or skill of the Margate boatmen, +that they failed. In such a gale they could not get to windward against +wind and tide, success therefore was almost impossible without the aid +of steam; with a steam-boat to tow them into position for dashing in +upon the Sands, the Margate boats would in all probability have +succeeded; without such assistance the Ramsgate boat would have +certainly failed. As soon as the steamer and boat got clear of the +Ramsgate pier, they felt the full force of the storm, and it seemed +almost doubtful whether they could make any progress against it. They +slowly worked their way out of the full strength of the tide, as it +swept round the head of the pier, and then began to move ahead a little +more rapidly, and were soon ploughing their way through a perfect sea of +foam. + +The steamer with its engines working full power, plunged heavily along; +wave after wave broke over its bows, sent its spray flying over the +funnel and mast, and deluged the deck with a tide of water, which, as it +rushed aft, gave the men enough to do to hold on. + +The life-boat was towing astern with fifty fathom of five-inch hawser +out, an enormously strong rope about the thickness of a man's wrist. Her +crew already experienced the dangers and discomforts, that they were +ready to endure, perhaps, for many hours, and without a murmur, in order +to save life. + +There was anxiety and fear, but the one thought of anxiety and fear was, +as to whether they could possibly be in time to save the lives of the +poor fellows, who must, for so many hours, have been clinging to a +shattered wreck. It would be hard to give a description to enable one to +realize the position of the men in the boat, as they were being towed +along by the steamer. The use of a life-boat is, that it will float and +live, where other boats would of necessity be swamped, upset, and +founder; they are made for, and generally only used on, occasions of +extreme danger and peril, for terrible storms and wild seas. + +The water flows into the boat, and over it, and it still floats: some +huge wave will break over it, and for a moment bury it, but it rises in +its buoyancy and shakes itself free; beaten down on its broadside by the +waves and wind, it struggles hard, and soon rises again on an upright +keel, and defies them to do their worst; and even if some mighty breaker +should come rushing along, catch her in its curling arms, and bodily +upset her, only for a few seconds would the triumph last, the boat would +speedily right again, sitting like an ark of refuge in the boiling sea +of foam, while her crew, upheld by their cork jackets, would be floating +and struggling around her, until one after another would manage to +regain her sides, and clamber in over her low gunwale at the waist, and +shortly she would be speeding away again on her life errand. Such were +the qualities of the noble boat, which we are watching, while she is +urging her way through the dismal seas, while a dozen poor fellows, some +nine or ten miles off, are hanging to the shaking shrouds of a tottering +mast, the waves that are breaking over them threatening every moment to +be their tomb. + +Away! away, then, brave boat! gallant crew! God grant you good +progress! + +Since the moment of clearing the pier, the waves that broke over the +boat filled her time after time, and did everything but drown her. The +men were up to their knees in water; they bent forward as much as they +could, each with a firm hold upon the boat. + +The spray and waves rushed over them, and as they beat continuously upon +their backs, although they could not penetrate their waterproof +clothing, still they chilled them to the bone, for, as the spray fell, +it froze, indeed so bitter was the cold that the men's mittens were +frozen to their hands. + +After a tremendous struggle the steamer seemed to be making head against +the storm; they were well clear of the pier and getting on gallantly. +They made their way through the Cud Channel, and had passed between the +black and white buoys, so well known to Ramsgate visitors, when a +fearful sea came heading towards them. It met and broke over the +steamer, buried her in foam, and swept along. + +The life-boat rose to it, for a moment hung with her bows high in air, +and then as she felt the strain of the tow-rope, plunged bodily into the +wave, and was almost altogether under water; the men were nearly washed +out of her, but at that moment the tow-rope broke, the wave threw the +boat back with a jerk, and as the strain of the rope suddenly ceased, +the boat fell across the seas which swept in rapid succession over her, +and seemed completely at their mercy. Oars out! oars out! was the cry, +and the men, as soon as they could get breath, got them out, and began +to make every effort to get the boat round again, head to wind, but in +vain, the waves tossed the oars up, the wind caught the blades, and it +was as much as the men could do to keep them in their hands. The gale +was too heavy for them, and they drifted rapidly before wind and tide +towards the Brake Shoal, which was directly under their lee, and over +which the seas were rushing with great violence. But the steamer, which +throughout was handled most admirably, both as regards skill and +bravery, was put round as swiftly as possible, and very cleverly brought +within a few yards to windward of the boat, as she lay athwart the sea. + +The men on board the steamer threw a hauling line on board the boat to +which was attached a bran new hawser, and again took the boat in tow. + +The tide was still flowing, and as it rose, the wind came up in heavier +and heavier gusts, bringing with it a blinding snow and sleet, which, +with the spray, still freezing as it fell, swept over the boat, till the +men looked, as one said at the time, like a body of ice. + +The men could not look to windward for the drifting snow and blinding +seas which were continually rushing over them, they only knew that the +strong steamer was plunging along, taking all as it came, for they felt +the strain on the rope; thus they realized that each moment's suffering +and peril brought them nearer to their poor perishing fellow-sailors; +and not one heart failed, not one repented of winning the race to the +life-boat. + +Off Broadstairs, they suddenly felt the way of the boat stop. The rope +broken again, was the first thought of all; but on looking round as they +were enabled to do, as the boat was no longer being dragged through the +seas; they discovered to their utter dismay that the steamer had +stopped; they thought that her machinery had broken down, and at once +despaired of saving the lives of the shipwrecked, for with the wind as +it was, it would be long hours before they could beat up against the +gale, and get to the Sands, on which they were told the wreck lay; a +moment's suspense and they discovered, to their gladness, that the +steamer had merely stopped to let out more cable, fearful that it might +break again in the struggle that was before them, as they fought their +way round the North Foreland. + +Another hour's hard struggle, and they reached the North Foreland. There +the sea was running tremendously high--the gale was still increasing; +the snow, sleet, and spray, rushed by with hurricane speed. + +Although it was only early in the afternoon, the air was so darkened by +the storm that it seemed a dull twilight. The captain of the boat was +steering; he peered out between his collar and cap, but looked in vain +for the steamer. He knew that she was all right, for the rope kept +taught; but many times, although she was only a hundred yards ahead, he +could see nothing of her, still less able were the men on board the +steamer to see the life-boat. + +Often did they anxiously look astern, and watch for a break in the drift +and scud to see that she was all right; for although there could be no +doubt as to the strain upon the rope, she might be towing along bottom +up, or have all her men washed out of her, for all they could tell. The +master of the steamer watched the seas, which broke over the _Aid_, +making her stagger again, as they rushed towards the life-boat, and +several times the fear that she was gone came over him. But steamer and +life-boat still battled successfully against the storm. + +As soon as they were round the North Foreland, the snow squall cleared +and they sighted Margate; all anxiously looked for the wreck, but +nothing of her could they see. They saw a lugger riding just clear of +the pier, with foremast gone, and anchor down to prevent her being +driven ashore by the gale. They next sighted the Margate life-boat +driven ashore and abandoned in Westgate Bay, looking a complete wreck, +the waves beating over her. A little beyond this they caught sight of +the second life-boat, also washed ashore; and then they learnt to +realize to the full the gallant efforts that had been made to save the +shipwrecked, and the destruction that had been wrought as effort after +effort had been overcome by the fury of the storm. But where was the +wreck? Had she been beaten to pieces, all lives lost, and were they too +late? A heavy mass of cloud and snowstorm rolled on to windward of them +in the direction of the Sands off Margate, and they could not make out +any signs of the wreck there. + +There was just a chance that it was the Woolpack Sand that she was on. +They thought it the more likely, as the first intelligence of the wreck +that came to Ramsgate declared that such was the case; and accordingly +they determined to make for the Woolpack Sand, which was about three +miles farther on; they had scarcely decided upon this, when, +providentially, there was a break in the drift of the snow to windward, +and they suddenly caught sight of the wreck. But for this sudden +clearance in the storm they would, as we have said, have proceeded +farther on, and some hours must have passed before they could have found +out their mistake and got back again, and by that time every soul of the +poor shipwrecked crew must have perished. + +The master of the steamer made out the flag of distress flying in the +rigging of the vessel, the ensign union downwards; she, doubtlessly, was +the wreck of which they were in search. + +But still it was a question how they could get to her, for she was on +the other side of the Sand. To tow the boat round the Sand would take a +long time in the face of such a gale; and for the boat to make across +the Sand seemed almost impossible, so tremendous was the sea that was +running over it. + +Nevertheless there was no hesitation on the part of the life-boat crew. +It seemed a forlorn hope, a very rushing upon destruction, to attempt to +force the boat under canvas through such a surf and sea; but they looked +at the tottering wreck; they felt how any moment might be the last to +the poor fellows clinging to her, and they could not bear to think of +the delay that would be occasioned by their going round the Sands. + +Without hesitation, therefore, they cast off the tow-rope, and were +about setting sail, when they found that the tide was running so +furiously that they must be towed at least three miles to the eastward +before they would be sufficiently far to windward to make certain of +fetching the wreck. + +It was a hard struggle to get the tow-rope on board again, tossed about +as they were by the tumbling seas, and a bitter disappointment to all, +that an hour, or more, of their precious time must be consumed before +they could possibly get to the rescue of their endangered brother +seamen; but there was no help for it, and away again they went in tow of +the steamer. The snow-squall came on again, and they lost sight of the +wreck, but all kept an anxious look-out, and now and then, in a break in +the squall, they could catch a glimpse of her. They could see that she +was almost buried in the waves which broke over her in great clouds of +foam, and again many and weary were the doubts and speculations, as to +whether any on board of her could still be alive. For twenty minutes or +so they battled steadily on against wind and tide. + +The gale, which had been increasing since the morning, came on heavier +than ever, and roared like thunder over head; the sea was running so +furiously and meeting the life-boat with such tremendous force that the +men had to cling on their hardest not to be washed out of her, and at +last the new tow-rope could no longer resist the increasing strain, and +suddenly parted with a tremendous jerk; there was no thought of picking +up the cable again--they could stand no further delay, and one and all +of her crew rejoiced to hear the captain of the life-boat give orders to +set sail. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE "SAMARITANO," AND THE RETURN. + + Now set the teeth, and stretch the nostril wide; + Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit + To his full height! On, on, you noble English, + Whose blood is set from fathers of war-proof! + Fathers that, like so many Alexanders, + Have, in these parts, from morn till even fought. + + "King Henry V."--_Shakespeare._ + + +Harder still the gale, and the rush of the sea and the blinding snow. +The storm was at its height. As the life-boat headed for the Sands, a +darkness, as of night, seemed to settle down upon the men; they could +scarcely see each other; but on through the raging sea and blinding +storm they drove the gallant boat. As they approached the shallow water, +the high part of the Sand, where the heaviest waves were breaking, they +could see spreading itself before them, standing out in the gloom, a +white, gleaming, barrier wall of foam; for there as the rushing waves +broke, they clashed together in their recoil, and mounted up in columns +of foam, their heavier volume falling, and their crests caught by the +wind and carried away in white streaming clouds of spray, while the +fearful roar of the beat of the waves could be heard above the gale. + +But still straight for the breakers the men made. No faltering, no +hesitation, brows knit, teeth clenched, hands ready, and hearts firm, +and into it with a cheer. + +The boat, although under the smallest sail she could carry--a double +reefed fore-sail and mizen--was driven on by the hurricane force of the +wind, on through the outer range of breakers she plunged, and then came +indeed a struggle for life. + +The waves no longer rolled on in foaming ranks, but leapt, and clashed, +and battled together in a raging boil of sea. They broke over the boat, +the surf poured in first on one side of the boat, and then on the other, +as she rolled to starboard and port, wildly tossed from side to side. +Some waves rushed bodily over the boat, threatening to sweep every man +out of her. Look out, my men! hold on! hold on! was the cry. When they +saw some huge breaker heading towards them like an advancing wall, then +the men threw themselves breast down on the thwart, curled their legs +under it, clasped it with all their force with both arms, held their +breath hard, and clung on for very life against the tear and wrestle of +the wave, while the rush of water poured over their backs and heads, and +buried them in its flood. Down, down, beneath the weight of the water, +the men and boat sank; but only for a moment; the splendid boat rose in +her buoyancy, and freed herself of the seas, which for a moment had +overcome her and buried her, and her crew breathed again; and a +struggling cry of triumph rises from them. Well done, old boat! well +done! all right! all right! Yes, all hands here, no one washed out of +her; and with a quick glance of mutual congratulation they look at each +other, and rejoice that all are safe, scarce time for a word. "Now she +goes through it, now she's forging ahead! keep a tight hold, my boys!" A +moment's lull, as she glided on the crest of some huge wave, or only +smaller ones tried their strength against her; then again the monster +fellows came heading on, again the warning cry was given; look out! hold +on! hold on! and the men crouched, and clung, and struggled for their +lives, while the wild waves rushed over the boat. + +Thus until they got clear of the Sands the fearful struggle was again +and again repeated; but at last it was for a time over, they had burst +through the belt of raging surf and got again into deep water. They had +then only the huge rolling waves and less broken tumble of sea to +contend with; this, in such a furious gale of wind, was bad enough, and +almost more than any other kind of boat could have endured, but little +in comparison to what they had just gone through, and escaped from. + +The boat was now put before the wind, and every man in her was on the +look-out for the wreck. For a time it remained so thick that there was +no possibility of finding her, when again a second time a sudden break +in the storm revealed her: she was about half a mile to leeward. + +They shifted the foresail with great difficulty, and again made in for +the Sands towards the vessel. The appearance of the wreck as they +approached her made even the stoutest among them shudder. + +She had settled down by the stern in the Sands, the uplifted bow being +the only part of the hull that was to be seen; the sea was making a +clear breach over her. + +The mainmast was gone, her foresail, and foretopsail were blown adrift, +and great columns of foam were mounting up, flying over her foremast and +bow. They saw a Margate lugger lying at anchor just clear of the Sands, +and made close to her. As they shot by they could just make out, mid the +roar of the storm, a loud hail, eight of our men on board! and on they +flew, and in a few minutes were in a sea that would instantly have +swamped the lugger, noble and powerful boat though she was. + +Approaching the wreck, it was with terrible anxiety they strained their +sight, trying to discover if there were still any men left in the +tangled mass of rigging, over which the sea was breaking so furiously. +By degrees they made them out. "I see a man's head, look! one is waving +his arm."--"I make out two! three! why the rigging is full of the poor +fellows;" and with a cheer of triumph, at being yet in time, the +life-boat crew settled to their work. + +The wreck of the mainmast, and the tremendous wash of sea over the +vessel, prevented their going to the lee of the wreck. This increased +their danger tenfold, as the result proved. + +When about forty yards from the wreck, they lowered their sails, and +cast the anchor over the side. The moment for which the boat had so +gallantly battled for four hours, and the shipwrecked had waited almost +in despair for eight hours, had at last arrived. + +No cheering! no shouting in the boat now, no whisper beyond the +necessary orders; the risk and suspense are too terrible! yard by yard, +the cable is cautiously payed out, and the great rolling seas are +allowed to carry the boat, little by little, nearer to the vessel. The +waves break over the boat, for a moment bury it, and then as the sea +rushes on, and breaks upon the wreck, the spray, flying up, hides the +men lashed to the rigging from the boatman's sight. They hoist up a +corner of the sail to let the boat sheer in; all are ready; a huge wave +lifts them. Pay out the cable! sharp, men! sharp! the coxswain shouts; +belay all! The cable was let go a few yards by the run, and the boat is +alongside the wreck. With a cry, three men jump into the boat and are +saved! All hands to the cable! haul in hand over hand, for your lives, +men, quick, the coxswain cries; for he sees a tremendous wave rushing in +swiftly upon them. They haul in the cable, draw the boat a little from +the wreck, the wave passes and breaks over the vessel; if the life-boat +had been alongside she would have been dashed against the wreck, and +perhaps capsized, or washed over, and utterly destroyed. Again the men +watch the waves, and as they see a few smaller ones approaching, let the +cable run again, and get alongside; this time they are able to remain a +little longer by the vessel; and one after another, thirteen of the +shipwrecked men unlash themselves from the rigging and jump into the +boat, when again they draw away from the vessel in all haste, and avoid +threatened destruction. + +"Are they all saved?" No! three of the vessel's crew, Spaniards, are +still left in the rigging; they seem almost dead, and scarcely able to +unlash themselves, and crawl down the shrouds and await the return of +the boat. + +Again the boat is alongside, and this time the peril is greater than +ever. They must place the boat close to the vessel, for the men are too +weak to make any spring to reach her; they must remain alongside for a +longer time, for two life-boatmen must get on to the wreck and lift the +men on board; but, as before, they go coolly, quietly, and determinedly +to work; the cable is veered out, the sail manoeuvred to make the boat +sheer, and again she is alongside; the men are seized by their arms and +clothing, and dragged into the boat. + +The last one left is the cabin-boy; he seems entangled in the rigging. +The poor little fellow had a canvas bag of trinkets and things, he was +taking as presents to the loved ones at home, and all through the +howling storm, the rush and beat of the waves, as he held on exhausted +and half dead to the shrouds, he still thought of those loved friends, +and clung to the canvas bag. + +God only knows whether the loved ones at home were thinking of, and +praying for him, and whether it was in answer to their prayers and those +of many others that the life-boat then rode alongside that wreck, an ark +of safety mid the raging seas. + +They shout, the boy lingers still, his half-dead hands cannot free the +bag from the entangled rigging. A moment and all are lost; a boatman +makes a spring, seizes the lad with a strong grasp, and tears him down +from the rigging into the boat--too late, too late; they cannot get away +from the vessel; a tremendous wave rushes on: hold hard all, hold +anchor! hold cable! give but a yard, and all are lost! The boat lifts, +is washed into the fore-rigging, the sea passes, and she settles down +again upon an even keel! Thank God! If one stray rope of all the torn +and tangled rigging of the vessel had caught the boat's rigging, or one +of her spars--if the boat's keel or cork fenders had caught in the +shattered gunwale, she would have turned over, and every man in her been +shaken into the sea to speedy and certain death. Thank God, it is not +so, and once more they are safe. + +The boat is very crowded; she has her own crew of thirteen on board, six +of the Margate boatmen and two Whitstable fishermen, who were left on +the vessel, the captain, mate, eight seamen and the boy; thus, +thirty-two souls in all form her precious freight. + +The life-boatmen at once, without a second's delay, haul in the cable as +fast as possible, and draw up to the anchor to get clear of the wreck, +for they must get some distance away before they dare let go their +cable, or with the wind and seas setting directly towards the vessel +they would be driven upon her, unless they had plenty of room to sail by +her. + +An anxious time it is, as they draw up to the anchor; at last they are +pretty clear, and hoist the sail to draw still farther away before they +let go. + +There is no thought of getting the anchor up in such a gale and sea. + +"She draws away," cries the captain of the boat, "pay out the cable; +stand by to cut it; pass the hatchet forward; cut the cable, quick, my +men, quick." There is a moment's delay, a delay by which indeed all +their lives are saved; a few strong blows with the hatchet, and the +cable would have been parted. A boatman takes out his knife, and begins +gashing away at the hawser. Already one strand out of the three, which +form the strong rope, is severed; when a fearful gust of wind sweeps by, +the boat heels over almost on her side--a crash is heard, and the mast +and sail are blown clean out of the boat. + +Never was a moment of greater peril. Away in the rush of the wave the +boat is carried straight for the wreck; the cable is payed out and is +slack; they haul it in as fast as they can, but on they are carried +swiftly, apparently to certain destruction. Let them hit the wreck full, +and the next wave must throw the boat bodily upon it, and all her crew +will be swept at once into the sea; let them but touch the wreck, and +the risk is fearful; on they are carried, the stem of the boat just +grazes the bow of the vessel, they must be capsized by the bowsprit and +entangled in the wreckage; some of the crew are ready for a spring into +the bowsprit to prolong their lives a few minutes, the others are all +steadily, eagerly, quietly, hauling in upon the cable might and main, as +the only chance of safety to the boat and crew; one moment more and all +are gone, one more haul upon the cable, a fathom or so comes in by the +run, and at that moment it mercifully taughtens and holds; all may yet +be safe, another yard or two and the boat would have been dashed to +pieces. + +They again haul in the cable, and draw the boat away as rapidly as they +can from the wreck, but they do it with a terrible dread, for they +remember the cut strand of the rope. Will the remaining two strands +hold? The strain is fearful, each time that the boat lifts to a wave, +the cable tightens and jerks, and they think it breaking; but it still +holds, and a thrill of joy passes through the heart of all, as they hear +that the cut part of the rope is safely in the boat. + +But the danger is not even yet over: all this time the mast and sail +have been dragging over the side of the boat; it is with great +difficulty that they get them on board. + +The mast had been broken short off about three feet from the heel. + +They chop a new heel to it, and rig it up as speedily as they can, but +it takes long to do so; for the boat is lying in the trough of the sea, +and the waves are constantly breaking over her; moreover, she is so +crowded that the men can scarcely move, and the gale is blowing as hard +as ever. + +For the poor Spaniards, as they cling to each other, the terrors of +death seem scarcely passed away; they know nothing of the properties of +the life-boat, and cannot believe that it will live long in such a sea. +As the waves beat over the boat and fill it, they imagine that she will +founder, and each time that the great rolling seas launch themselves at +her they cling to each other, expecting that she will capsize; besides, +the poor fellows' nerves are not in a very good state; for eight hours +they have been in great danger, for a large portion of that time in +momentary expectation of death, during the four hours they were lashed +to the rigging of the wreck, with the life nearly beaten and frozen out +of them by the constant rush of sea and of spray, and by the bitter +wind. + +One of the Spaniards seeing a life-belt lying down, which one of the +crew had thrown off in the hurry of his work, sits upon it by way of +making himself doubly safe. But the work goes on. At last the mast is +fitted and raised. No unnecessary word is spoken all this time, for the +life and death struggle is not yet over; nor, indeed, can it be before +they are well away from the neighbourhood of the wreck. Now, as they +hoist the sail, the boat gradually draws away; the cable is again payed +out little by little; as soon as they are well clear of the vessel they +cut it, and away they sail. The terrible suspense is over when each +moment was a moment of fearful risk. It had lasted from the time when +they let go the anchor to the time when they got clear of the +vessel--about one hour. The men could now breathe freely, their faces +brighten, and from one and all there arises spontaneously a pealing +cheer. They are no longer face to face with death, and thankfully and +joyfully they sail away from the sands, the breakers, and the wreck. + +The gale was still at its height, but the peril they were in then seemed +nothing to what they had gone through, and had happily left behind. In +the great reaction of feeling, the freezing cold and sleet, the driving +wind, and foam, and sea, were all forgotten; and they felt as +light-hearted as if they were out on a pleasant summer's cruize. They +could at last look round and see who they had in the boat, speak hearty +words of congratulation to the Margate and Whitstable men, some of whom +they knew, and strive by a good deal of broken English, and slaps on the +back, and shaking of hands, to cheer up the Spanish sailors, and to let +them know how glad they are to have saved them. They then proceeded in +search of the steamer, which, after casting the life-boat adrift, made +for shelter to the back of the Hook Sand, not far from the Reculvers, +and there waited, her crew anxiously on the look-out for the return of +the life-boat. + +As they were making for the steamer, the lugger _Eclipse_ came in chase +to hear whether they had succeeded in saving all hands, and especially, +whether all the men of her crew were saved. They welcomed the glad +tidings with three cheers for the life-boat crew, and made in for the +land. Soon after, the Whitstable smack made towards them upon a similar +errand, and her crew were equally rejoiced to hear that their +ship-mates with all hands were safe. It was too rough, a great deal, for +the men to be taken on board the smack; and so she, after speaking them, +tacked in for the land. + +The night was coming on apace; it was not until they had run three or +four miles that they sighted the steamer; and when they got alongside +her it was a difficult matter to get the saved crew on board. The sea +was raging, and the gale blowing as much as ever, and the steamer rolled +and pitched heavily; the poor shipwrecked fellows were too exhausted to +spring for the steamer as the opportunities occurred, and had to be +almost lifted on board, one poor fellow being hauled on board by a rope. +Again the boat was taken in tow, almost all her crew remaining in her, +and they commenced their return home. The night was very dark and clear; +the sea and gale had lost none of their force; and until the steamer and +boat had got well round the North Foreland, the struggle to get back was +just as great as it had been to get there. + +Once round the Foreland the wind was well on the quarter, and they made +easier way; light after light opened to them; Kingsgate and Broadstairs +were passed, and at last the Ramsgate pier-head light shone out with its +bright welcome, and the men began to feel that their work was nearly +over. + +A telegram had been sent from Margate in the afternoon, stating that the +Ramsgate life-boat had been seen to save the crew; but nothing more had +been heard. The boatmen had calculated the time when they thought the +steamer and life-boat might both be back; and the fearful violence of +the storm suggested some sad occasion for the delay. As hour after hour +grew on, the anxiety increased; real alarm was beginning to be felt by +all, and a keen watch was kept for the first appearance of the steamer +and boat round the edge of the cliff. + +As the tide went down, and the sea broke less heavily over the pier, the +men could venture farther along it, until, by the time of the boat's +return, they were enabled to assemble at the end of the pier, and there +a large and anxious crowd gathered. The anxiety of all was increased by +the suggestions and speculations of disasters, which always present +themselves at a time of suspense and apprehension; and so, when the +steamer was announced with the life-boat in tow, the reaction was great, +and the watchers shouted for very joy. + +And as the "Storm Warriors" entered the harbour waving the strong right +arms that had worked so well, and shouted, "All saved!" "All saved!" and +the flags of triumph were seen flying out in the gale. Cheer after cheer +broke from the crowd as they welcomed home from the dread battle-field +those who had fought and conquered, and now bore with them as trophies +of their victory, nineteen men; fellow-sailors, whose lives had been +saved from a terrible and certain death. And many cheered again as they +thought of the number who would have had life-long cause to mourn, if +these poor fellows had perished. Parents, wives, children--what a group +they would seem if they could be pictured watching the saved ones +return; what words, and looks, and tears of thanks where feelings are +too deep for words, for the Storm Warriors, and for the life-boat cause, +and for the generous English people who placed such boats at the +disposal of such brave hearts and strong hands--of men ready to dare all +and to do all that men can do to rescue the perishing from death. + +Think only of the group that may possibly welcome back the little pale, +exhausted cabin-boy, their hearts as warm as his, their love as deep as +his--as his, which made that little canvas bag full of simple presents +so dear to him that he held to it through all the many hours of the +storm; that made it his first thought when the wild seas rushed over the +vessel, and the crew had to take to the rigging; love that made him, +when grown men thought only of their own lives, rush to his chest and +seize his treasure, and all through the wild gale cling to it; cling to +it still, though the winds in their bitter cold froze him through and +through, and the seas beat over him hour after hour. Think of the faces +that may have seemed to peer at him out of the darkness of the storm. A +loving-hearted father ready to thank him for the tobacco-box; a mother +for that wonderful brooch; a little dark-eyed brother for the knife with +four blades, and a little sister for the little very blue-eyed doll with +such rosy cheeks. No, he could not let the bag go, and so it nearly cost +him his life, and by the delay his clinging to it caused, nearly cost +all the brave men their lives also; but the good God would not let so +much simple love work so much disaster, and the loving ones shall see +him again, and perhaps he will stand, and perhaps each of his +fellow-sailors will stand, in the centre of some tearful group, who +again and again will weep, and thank God, as they are told of the wreck, +and the hours of peril, and the waiting for death, and the hopeless +despair, and the strange wonderful boat that came in through the storm; +and how they were saved, when they never thought to see home again. And +often shall the brave boatmen be blessed and thanked by grateful hearts, +and the life-boat cause not forgotten. I repeat the picture that we may +learn to think much of the sailor's arrival home, as well of his being +saved from the wreck, and thus learn to appreciate the more the value +and the mercy of life-boat work. + +But to return. The Spanish sailors had, by the time they reached the +harbour, somewhat recovered under the care of the life-boat crew, and +were further well cared for, and supplied with clothes by the care of +the Spanish consul. And the hardy English boatmen did not take long to +recover from their exposure and fatigues, fearful as they had been. + +The Spanish captain, in speaking of the rescue, was almost overcome by +his feelings of gratitude and wonder. He had quite made up his mind for +death; he felt that the wreck could not by any possibility hold together +much longer; every moment he expected a final crash; and all his +experience taught him that it was impossible for any boat to come to +their rescue in such a fearful sea. His experience of the life-boat was +new, and not easily to be forgotten. + +He had a painting made of the rescue to take with him and show to the +Spanish Government. It is pleasing to be able to wind up this story with +stating, that the English Board of Control acknowledged the bravery and +exertions of the men engaged in the rescue, by presenting to each of +them 2_l._ and a medal, and that the Spanish Government also gratefully +acknowledged the heroic exertions of the men, by granting to each a +medal and 3_l._ + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A NIGHT ON THE GOODWIN SANDS. + + "God help the poor fellows at sea!" + Far away inland, when tempests blow + Wild through the dark'ning night, + We list to the roar of the winds as they go + On their hurricane steeds to the fight; + For the hosts of the storm-king are gathering fast + Where the white-crested waters flee, + And our heart breathes this prayer, as he rushes past, + On the wings of the northern howling blast,-- + "God help the poor fellows at sea!" + + _C. T._ + + +"God have mercy upon the poor fellows at sea!" Household words these, in +English homes, however far inland the homes may be; and although near +these homes the sea may have no better representative than a sedge +choked river, or canal, along which slow barges urge a lazy way. + +For when the storm-wrack darkens the sky, and gales are abroad, seaward +fly the sympathies of English hearts, and the prayer is uttered, and in +many cases, in this sea-loving island of ours, with very special +reference to some loved and absent sailor. It is those, however, who +live near the sea-shore, and watch the warfare going on in all its +terrible reality, that learn the more truly to realize the fearful +nature of the struggles for life that go on round our coasts; and who +learn as the wild gales rave to find an answer to the murmurings of the +fierce blast, in the prayer, "God have mercy upon the poor fellows at +sea;" and this especially as they welcome ashore, as wrested from death, +some rescued sailor, or mourn over those who have found a sudden grave +almost within call of land. + +It is a pretty picture enough from Ramsgate Pier, when fifty or a +hundred sail are in sight within two or three miles of land, and the day +is sunny, and the sea bright, and a good wholesome breeze is bowling +along; but anxious withal, when the clouds are gathering, and the fleet +of vessels are seeking to make the best of their way to find shelter in +the Downs: and a south-westerly gale moans up, and the last of the fleet +are caught by it, and have to anchor in exposed places, and you watch +them riding heavily, making bad weather, the seas every now and then +flying over them. It is winter time, and the weather stormy; day after +day brings into the harbour fresh evidences of the deadly contest that +rages out at sea--vessels towed in disabled, with bulwarks washed away, +masts over the side, bows stove in, or leaky, having been in collision, +touched the ground or been struck by a sea; who at such times can +withhold their interest or sympathy? the veriest landsmen grow excited, +and make daily pilgrimages to the pier, to see how the vessels under +repairs are getting on, or what new disasters have occurred. + +But it is at night-time especially that your thoughts take a more +solemn and anxious turn. As you settle down by the fireside for a quiet +evening, you remember the ugly appearance the sky had some two or three +hours before, when you stood watching the scene from the end of the +pier. You felt that mischief was brewing, as the gusts of wind swept by +with increasing force, and you looked out upon a troubled sea that every +minute seemed to grow more white and raging. + +The Downs anchorage was full of shipping; a few vessels had parted their +cables, and had to run for it, while the luggers, heavily laden with +chains and anchors, staggered out of the harbour to supply them: other +ships made for the harbour; you almost shuddered as you looked down upon +them from the pier, and saw them in the grasp of the sea, rolling and +plunging, with the waves surging over their bows. Another minute's +battle with the tide, you heard the orders shouted out, you saw the men +rushing to obey them--the pilot steady at the wheel, and you could +scarce forbear a cheer as ship after ship shot by the pier-head and +found refuge in the harbour. + +Altogether it was a wild exciting scene, and you cannot shake off the +effect--the wind rushes and moans by, a minute before it was raging over +the sea. + +The muffled roaring sound that is heard, is that of the waves breaking +at the foot of the cliff. From the windows can be seen, gleaming out in +the darkness, the bright lights of the Goodwin light-ships, which guard +those fatal sands--sands so fatal, that when the graves give up their +dead, few churchyards will render such an account as theirs, not only +as to the number of the dead, but also that the Sands are a battle-field +which entombs the brave and strong, who go down quick to their grave, +quick from the full tide of life and strength, from the eager stern +deadly contest in which, to the last, all their strong energies were +fully engaged. + +Men who, a few hours before, were reckless and merry, anticipating no +danger and ready to laugh at the thought of death; who, if homeward +bound, were full of joy as they seemed almost to stand upon the +threshold of their homes; or by whom, if outward bound, the kisses of +their wives, which seemed still to linger on their cheeks, and the soft +clasping arms of their little ones, which seemed still to hang about +their necks, were only to be forgotten in the few hours of terrible life +struggle with the storm, and then again to be keenly remembered in the +last gasping moment, ere the Goodwin Sands should find them a grave +almost within the shadow of their homes. + +There is a sudden report; surely the firing of a gun, a wreck, a vessel +on the Sands--watch, yes, there! A rocket streams up from one of the +light-vessels, and the gun and the rocket five minutes after, form the +signal that calls to the life-boat for assistance. The breakers on the +Sands could be clearly seen from the shore during the day, as they rose +and fell like fitful volumes of white eddying smoke, breaking up the +clear line of the horizon, and tracing the Sands in broken broad leaping +outlines of foam. + +Yes! and now, amid those terrible breakers, somewhere out in the +darkness, within five or six miles, near that bright light, there are +twenty, thirty, fifty, you know not how many, of your fellow-creatures, +struggling for their lives. + +Ah! listen to the storm blast, with what dread force it rushes by, what +a dirge it seems to moan; and well it may, for if the gale lasts only a +few hours, and there is no rescue, the morning may be bright and fair +and calm, and the sea as smooth as a lake, but nothing of either ship or +crew shall any more be seen. + +But, thank God! there will be a rescue! You know that already brave +hearts have determined to attempt it; that strong ready hands are +already at work in cool, quick, preparation; that, almost before you +could urge your way against the tempest down to the head of the pier, +the steamer and life-boat will have fought their way out against the +storm and darkness upon their errand of mercy. + +"God have mercy upon the poor fellows at sea; upon the shipwrecked in +their dismal peril; upon the brave Storm Warriors speeding out in danger +and hardship!" this is the prayer that indeed often finds utterance, +when the sleeper is awakened in the dark hours of the night by the +howling of the wind or the boom of the signal gun. And at Ramsgate the +prayer may be uttered fervently indeed by those, who, when they hear the +signal of distress, know that the endangered vessel is experiencing all +the dread dangers of the Goodwin Sands, for the vessels wrecked upon +them have indeed, if the weather is bad, but a poor prospect of ever +sailing the broad seas again. + +The Goodwin is a quick-sand, and it is this, as well as the tremendous +sea that beats upon it in heavy weather, that makes it so terribly fatal +to vessels that get stranded on it. + +At low tide a portion of the sand is dry, and hard, and firm, and can be +walked on for a distance of about four or five miles; but as the water +again flows over any part of it, that part becomes, as the sailors say, +"all alive," soft and quick, and ready to suck in anything that lodges +upon it. Suppose a vessel to run on with a falling tide, where the sand +shelves, or is steep, the water leaves the bow and the sand there gets +hard; the water still flows under the stern, and the sand there remains +soft a longer time; down the stern sinks lower and lower; the vessel +soon breaks her back, or works herself deeper and deeper by the stern; +as the water rises she fills and works and still sinks deeper in the +sand every roll she gives, until at high tide she is, perhaps, +completely buried, or only her topmasts are seen above water. + +Other vessels, if the sea is heavy, begin to beat heavily, and soon +break up. + +Lifted up on the swell of a huge wave, as it breaks and flies away in +surf and foam, the vessel thumps down with all its weight upon the +sands, the timbers give and strain, the seams open; she soon ceases, as +she fills with water, to rise upon the wave; great gaps are torn from +the bulwarks; the decks burst open with the air seeking to escape from +the hold, and as the sea rushes over the vessel, each roll she gives +wrenches her more and more; the masts fall over the side; her cargo +floats and washes away, and speedily, even in a few hours, she is in a +torn and shattered condition, completely wrecked and destroyed. The +broken hull is full of water and lurches heavily to and fro with each +wave, rolls and slightly lifts and works, until it has made a deep bed +in the Sands in which it is soon completely buried--so that many vessels +have run upon the Sands in the early night, and scarcely a vestige of +them been seen in the morning. + +By way of illustration, let me tell what happened one dark stormy night +some few years back. The harbour steam-tug _Aid_ and the life-boat had +started from Ramsgate early in the day, to try and get to the _Northern +Belle_, a fine American barque, which was ashore not far from Kingsgate; +but the force of the gale and tide was so tremendous, that they could +not make way against it, and were driven back to Ramsgate--there to wait +until the tide turned, or the wind moderated. + +About two in the morning, while they were making ready for another +attempt to reach the _Northern Belle_, rockets were fired from one of +the Goodwin light-vessels, showing that some vessel was in distress on +the Sands. They hastened at once to afford assistance, and got to the +edge of the Sands shortly after three in the morning. Up and down they +cruised, but could see no signs of any vessel. + +They waited until it was daylight, and then saw the upper portion of the +lower mast of a steamer standing out of the water. They made towards it, +but found no one was left, and no signs of any wreck floating about to +which a human being could cling. + +They concluded, that almost immediately upon striking, the vessel must +have broken up, sunk, and been buried in the quick-sand. Poor fellows! +poor fellows! a sharp, sudden death: would that the vessel had held +together a little longer. Away, then, now for the _Northern Belle_. + +They had not made much way ahead when the captain of the _Aid_ sees a +large life-buoy floating near. "Ease her," he cries, and the way of the +steamer slackens. "God knows but what that life-buoy may be of use to +some of us." The helmsman steers for it; a sailor makes a hasty dart at +it with a boat-hook, misses it, and starts back appalled from a vision +of staring eyes, and matted hair, and wildly tossed arms. They shout to +the life-boat crew, and they in turn steer for the buoy; the bowman +grasps at it, catches it, but cannot lift it, his cry of horror startles +the whole crew, and some spring to his help; they lift the buoy and +bring to the surface three dead bodies that are tied to it by ropes +round their waists. Slowly and carefully, one by one, the crew lift them +on board, and lay them out under the sail. + +The _Violet_, passenger steamer, had left Ostend about eleven the +previous night; at two in the morning she struck on the Goodwin Sands; a +little after three there was no one left on board to answer the signals +of the steam-boat that had come to their rescue, and show their +position; at seven there was nothing to be seen of the steamer, crew, or +passengers, but a portion of one mast, the life-buoy, and the three +pale corpses sleeping their long last sleep under the life-boat sail. +Such are the Goodwin Sands. + +It was a storm-ridden November day, the weather was very threatening +throughout; it was blowing hard, with occasional squalls from the +east-north-east, and a heavy sea running. At high tide the sea broke +over the east pier. As the waves beat upon it and dashed over in clouds +of foam, the pier looked from the east cliff like a heavy battery of +guns in full play. The boatmen had been on the look-out all day, but +there had been no signs of their services being required; still, they +hung about the pier until long after dark. + +At last they were straggling home, leaving only those on the pier who +had determined to watch during the night, when suddenly some thought +that they saw a flash of light. A few seconds of doubt, and the report +of the gun decided the matter. + +At once there was a rush for the life-boat. She was moored in the stream +about thirty yards from the pier. In a few minutes they had unmoored +her, and got her alongside; her crew was already more than made up; some +had put off to her in small boats, others had sprung into her when she +came within a few feet of the pier. She was over-manned, and the two +last in had to turn out. + +In the meantime, a rocket had been fired from the light-vessel. Many had +been on the look-out for it, to decide beyond all doubt, which of the +three light-vessels had fired the gun. It proved to have been the North +Sands Head vessel that had signalled. The cork jackets were thrown into +the boat, the oars and ropes overhauled, all things seen to be right, +and the men in their places and ready for their start in a comparatively +few minutes. The crew of the steam-tug _Aid_ had not been less active. +Immediately upon the first signal, her shrill steam-whistle resounded +through the harbour, calling on board those of her crew who were on +shore, and her steam, which is always up, was rapidly got to full power, +and in less than half an hour from the time of the firing of the first +gun she was gallantly steaming out of the harbour with the life-boat in +tow. As she went out a rocket streamed up from the pier head. It was the +answer to the signal of the light vessel, and told that assistance was +on the way. + +Off they went, ploughing their way through a heavy cross sea, which +frequently swept completely over the boat. + +The tide was running strongly, and the wind right ahead; it was hard +work breasting both sea and wind in the face of such a gale; but they +bravely persevered, and gradually made head-way. + +They steered right for the Goodwin, and having approached it, as near as +they dare take the steamer, they worked their way through a heavy sea +along the edge of the Sands, on the look-out for the vessel in distress. + +At last they make her out, and, as they approach, find two Broadstairs +luggers riding at anchor outside the Sands. + +The Broadstairs men had heard the signal, and the wind and tide being +in their favour, they soon ran down to the neighbourhood of the wreck. +On making to the vessel, the Ramsgate men find her to be a fine-looking +brig, almost high and dry upon the Sands. + +Her masts and rigging are all right; the moon, which has broken through +the clouds, shines upon her clean new copper; and, so far, she seems to +have received but little damage. + +A grand thing for all hands, for owners, underwriters, crew and boatmen, +the men think, if they can only get her safely off when the tide rises, +and bring her into harbour; a fine vessel and perhaps valuable cargo +saved, and a pretty bit of salvage, which will be well earned and nobody +should grudge, for the boatmen have to live, as well as to save life. + +Efforts have already been made for the vessel's relief. The +_Dreadnought_ lugger had brought with her a small twenty-five feet +life-boat. The _Little Dreadnought_, and this boat with five hands, had +succeeded in getting alongside the brig. + +The steamer slips the hawser of the Ramsgate boat, and anchors almost +abreast of the vessel, with sixty fathom of chain out. + +There is a heavy rolling sea, but much less than there has been, as the +tide has fallen considerably. The life-boat makes in for the brig, +carries on through the surf and breakers, and when within forty fathoms +of the vessel, lowers the sail, throws the anchor overboard, and veers +alongside. The captain and some of the men remain in the boat, to fend +her off from the sides of the vessel, for although it is shallow water, +the tide is running over the Sands like a sluice, and it requires great +care to prevent the boat getting her side stove in. The rest of her crew +climb on board the brig. Her captain had, until then, hoped to get his +vessel off, as the tide rose, without assistance, and had refused the +aid of the Broadstairs men; but now he realizes the danger that his +vessel is in, and very gladly accepts the assistance that is offered. + +One of his crew speaks a little English, and through him the captain +employs the crew of the life-boat and the Broadstairs men, to get his +ship off the Sands. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE WRECK ABANDONED, AND THE LIFE-BOAT DESPAIRED OF. + + "Alone upon the leaping billows, lo! + What fearful image works its way? A ship! + Shapeless and wild ... + Her sails dishevell'd, and her massy form + Disfigured, yet tremendously sublime: + Prowless and helmless through the waves she rocks, + And writhes, as if in agony! Like her, + Who to the last, amid o'erwhelming foes, + Sinks with a bloody struggle into death,-- + The vessel combats with the battling waves, + Then fiercely dives below! the thunders roll + Her requiem, and whirlwinds howl for joy!" + + _Crabbe._ + + +The boatmen, as soon as they get on board the brig, find that she is in +a very perilous position, but have hopes of getting her off. + +At all events they will try very hard for it. She is a fine new and +strongly-built Portuguese brig, belonging to Lisbon, and bound from +Newcastle to Rio, with coals and iron. Her crew consists of the captain, +the mate, ten men, and a boy. + +She is head on to the Sand, but the Sand does not shelve much, and her +keel is pretty even. The wind is still blowing very strongly and right +astern. The tide is on the turn, and will flow quickly: there is no time +to be lost; the first effort must be to prevent the brig driving further +on the Sand. + +With this object in view the boatmen get an anchor out astern as quickly +as possible; they rig out tackles on the foreyard, and hoist the bower +anchor on deck; they then slew the yard round, and get the anchor as far +aft as they can; then shift the tackles to the main yard, and lift the +anchor well to the stern; shackle the chain cable on, get it all clear +for running out, try the pumps to see that they work; and then wait +until the tide makes sufficiently to enable the steamer, which draws six +feet of water, to get a little nearer. + +They hope that the steamer will be able to back close enough to them, to +get a rope on board fastened to the flukes of the brig's anchor, and to +drag the anchor out, and drop it about one hundred fathoms astern of the +vessel. All hands will then go to the windlass, keep a strain upon the +cable, and each time the vessel lifts, heave with a will--the steamer, +with a hundred and twenty fathoms of nine-inch cable out, towing hard +all the time. By these means they expect to be able, gradually, to work +the vessel off the Sands. + +But they soon lose all hope of doing this; it is about one o'clock in +the morning; the moon has gone down; heavy showers of rain fall; it is +pitch dark and very squally; the gale is evidently freshening again; a +heavy swell comes up before the wind, and as the tide flows under the +brig she begins to work very much, for now the heavy waves roll in over +the sand, and she lifts, and falls with shocks that make the masts +tremble and the decks gape open. + +The boatmen begin to fear the worst. The life-boat is alongside, with +seven hands in her; she is afloat in the basin that the brig has worked +in the sands, and it takes all the efforts of the men on board to +prevent her getting under the side of the vessel and being crushed. + +The wind increases as the tide flows, and the brig works with great +violence, now, as she rolls and careens over upon her bilge, she +threatens to fall upon, and destroy the life-boat The captain of the +boat hails the men on the brig to come on board the boat, and get away +from the side of the vessel as fast as they can. The boatmen try to +explain the danger to the Portuguese, but they cannot understand. Hail, +after hail, comes from the boat, for every moment increases the peril, +but the Portuguese captain still refuses to leave his vessel. Any moment +may be too late; the boatmen are almost ready to try and force the +Portuguese over the side, but they cannot persuade them to stir; and as +they will not desert them, they also wait on; wait on while the ship +rolls, and works, and groans, while the seas fly over her, and at any +moment she may break up. Suddenly a loud sharp crack, like a crashing of +thunder, peals through the ship. + +The boatmen jump on the gunwale, ready to spring for the life-boat, for +she may be breaking in half; no, but one of her large timbers has snapt +like a pipe-stem, and others will soon follow. + +The Portuguese sailors make a rush to get what things they can on deck; +altogether they fill eight sea-chests with their clothes. These are +quickly lowered into the life-boat. Her captain does not like having her +hampered with so much baggage, but cannot refuse the poor fellows, at +least, a chance of saving their kit. The surf flies over the brig, and +boils up all around her. The life-boat is deluged with spray, and her +lights are washed out; the vessel still lifts and thumps and rolls with +the force of the sea. Time after time the snapping and rending of her +breaking timbers are heard; at each heave she wrenches and cracks and +groans in all directions--she is breaking up fast. Make haste, make +haste! for your lives be as quick as you can! The chests are all +lowered, the boy is handed into the boat, the Portuguese sailors follow, +the boatmen spring after them, and the brig is abandoned. + +We have said that it was about one o'clock in the morning when the +squalls came on again, with heavy rain and thick darkness. The steamer +had remained at anchor, waiting for the tide to rise, when, with the +water deeper, she would be able to get nearer the brig. But as the gale +freshens there is a dangerous broken sea where she is riding, and she +begins to pitch very heavily. She paddles gently ahead to ease her +cable, but it is soon evident to the men on board her, that if they are +to get their anchor at all they must make haste about it. + +They heave it up, and lay to for the life-boat. + +The sea increases so rapidly that the _Dreadnought_ lugger is almost +swamped, and has to cut her cable without attempting to save her anchor, +and to make with all speed before the gale for Ramsgate. The _Petrel_ +lugger springs her mast, which is fished with great difficulty, and she, +too, makes the best of her way to the harbour. + +The wind continues to increase, the gale is again at its height, and a +fearful sea running. Wave after wave breaks over the steamer's decks, +but she is an excellent boat, strongly built and powerful; and her +captain and crew are well used to rough work. + +Head to wind and steaming half power, she holds her own against the +wind, and keeps, as far as her crew can judge, in the neighbourhood of +the wreck and of the life-boat. As time passes, and the crew of the +steamer can see nothing of the boat, they get anxious. The wreck must +have been abandoned long before this; has the boat been unable to get +away from her? is the boat swamped or stove? and are all lost? They +signalize again and again, but in vain; they can obtain no answer. They +cruize up and down as near the edge of the Sands as they dare, hoping to +fall in with the boat. Now they make in one direction, and now in +another, as in their eagerness and apprehension the roar of the storm +shapes itself into cries of distress, or as a darker shadow on the sea +leads them into the hope that at last they have found the lost boat. All +hands keep steadfastly on the look-out, and get greatly excited; the +storm becomes truly terrible; but they forget their own peril and +hardships in their great anxiety for the safety of the crew of the +life-boat, and of the poor fellows who were on the wreck. + +Their anxiety becomes insupportable, heightened as it is by the horrors +of the night. + +Through the thick darkness, the bright light of the Goodwin light-vessel +shines out like a star. With a faint hope the crew of the steamer +wrestle their way through the storm and speak the light-vessel. + +"Have you seen anything of the life-boat?" the captain of the steamer +shouts out. "Nothing! nothing!" is the answer. It seems to confirm all +their fears, and they hasten back again to their old cruising +ground--they will not lessen their exertions, or lose any chance of +rendering assistance to their comrades. It is still pitch-dark, and the +storm rages on--the hours creep by, O how slowly! + +How they long for the light! All hands still on the watch! and as the +first grey light of dawning comes, it is with straining eye-balls they +seek to penetrate the twilight, and find some signs of their lost +comrades. It is almost broad daylight before they can even find out the +place where the wreck was lying. + +With all speed, but little hope, they make for it; and then indeed their +great dread seems realized. The brig is completely broken up, literally +torn to pieces. They can see great masses of timber, and tangled +rigging, but no signs of life. Nearer and nearer they go and wait for +the broad daylight; but still nothing is to be seen, but shattered +pieces of wreck, moored fast by the matted rigging to the buried +remains of the hull, and tossing and heaving in the surf. + +Some of the men fancy they can see fragments of the life-boat heaving +about with the other wreckage, but whether it is so or not, the end +seems the same, and after one last careful but fruitless look around, to +see whether there are any signs of the life-boat elsewhere on the Sands, +sadly they turn the steamer's head away from the dreary fatal Goodwin, +and make for the harbour. + +They grieve for brave comrades tried in many scenes of danger, and think +with faint hearts of the melancholy report they have to give, and it is +but little consolation to them in the face of so great a loss, to +remember that they, at all events, have done all in their power, and +that they have nothing to reproach themselves with. + +To return to the life-boat men; all hands have deserted the brig, and +there are now in the life-boat thirteen Portuguese sailors, five +Broadstairs boatmen, and her ordinary crew, consisting of thirteen +Ramsgate boatmen, altogether thirty-one souls. The small _Dreadnought_ +life-boat has been swung against the brig by the force of the tide, and +is so damaged that no one dares venture in her. The tide is rising fast, +the gale blowing as hard as ever, the surf running very high and +breaking over the vessel, so that one constant torrent of spray and foam +is falling with no light weight, or small volume, upon the life-boat +which is under the lee of the brig, and the men have no protection from +the falling sheets of spray. The vessel is rolling heavily, she has +worked a bed in the sands, which the run of tide has somewhat enlarged, +and in this she half floats, rolling from side to side with fearful +rapidity and violence. + +The life-boat is afloat within the circle of the bed; the brig threatens +to roll over her. "Shove and haul off, quick! Shove and haul off," are +the orders. Some with oars, pushing against the brig, others hauling +might and main upon the brig's hawser, they manage to pull the boat two +or three yards up towards the boat's anchor, and to get her a little +farther off from the side of the brig. Now she grounds heavily upon the +edge of the basin that has been worked in the sand by the brig. "Strain +every muscle, men; now, or never! now, or never! for your lives pull!" +and pull and strain they did. No! not one inch will the life-boat stir; +she falls over on her side, the surf and seas sweep over her, the men +cling to the thwarts and gunwale; all but her own crew give up all +thoughts of hope; but they know the capabilities of the boat and do not +lose heart--Crash! the brig heaves, and crushes down upon her bilge; +again and again she half lifts upon an even keel and rolls, and lurches +from side to side; each time that she falls to leeward, she comes more +and more over and nearer to the boat. + +This is the danger that may well make the stoutest heart quail. The boat +is aground--helplessly aground; her crew can see through the darkness of +the night the yards and masts of the brig swaying over their heads; now +tossing high in the air as the brig rights, and now falling nearer and +nearer to them, sweeping down over their heads, swaying and rending in +the air, the blocks, and ropes, and torn fragments of sails, flying +wildly in all directions. Let but one of the swaying yards but hit the +boat, she must be crushed and all lost. The men crouch down closer and +closer, clinging to the thwarts as the brig falls to them; casting dread +glances at the approaching yards; all right once more; another pull at +the cable--hard, men, hard; over again comes the brig; stick to it, men, +stick to it, my men; crushed or drowned it will be soon over if we +cannot move the boat; another pull, all together; again, and again, they +make desperate efforts to stir the boat, but she will not move one inch; +they must wait, and if needs be, wait their doom; and as they wait the +danger each moment increases. + +It is a fearful time of suspense, this waiting aground on the dread +Goodwin, in the darkness and wildness of the storm, half dead with cold +and the ceaseless rush of surf over them, and watching in the shadowy +darkness the swaying masts of the rolling brig, swinging nearer and +nearer, and how will this question of life and death be decided? Which +will happen first? will the tide flow sufficiently to float them, or +will the brig crush them with her masts and yards before they can get +beyond her reach. + +The men can do nothing more in the dark wild night and terrible danger; +each minute seems an hour; they almost forget to try and protect +themselves from the wind and spray, and they watch the brig as if +spellbound, as she rolls nearer and nearer; each moment the position +gets more desperate. + +Any one hit? as the flying blocks hanging from the yard-arms rattle over +the heads of the men in the boat. No! but a few feet nearer and we +should all have been crushed--a turn or two more and we shall be +finished. There is a stir among the men; the moment seems come; they +prepare for the last struggle. Some are getting ready to spring for the +flying rigging of the brig, as it sways over their heads, hoping thus to +get on board the wreck if the life-boat is crushed up. "Stick to the +boat, men! stick to the boat, men, it's our only chance," the coxswain +cries out, "the brig must soon go to pieces, while we may yet get clear; +stick to the boat!" And the brig, which had quivered while lying on her +side as if coming bodily over, while the dark yards hovered over the +crouching men, lifted again, and once more the men breathe with a sigh +of relief; for that time they quite expected the boat to be crushed and +pinned where she lay. + +At this moment the boat trembles beneath them, lifts a little on the +swell of the tide that is beginning to reach her, and grounds again. + +It is like a word of life to the men, and instantly all are on the +alert, they get all their strength on the hawser, and as the boat lifts +again, and comes a little more on an even keel, they draw her a yard or +two nearer to her anchor, but not any farther from the brig, and over +again the brig slowly rolls; again and again they make desperate efforts +to get beyond the reach of her dark side, and swinging yards and masts, +but it is long before they can do so: at last they succeed as the water +flows still more, and now they ride to their anchor a few yards beyond +the reach of the brig, which they watch break up, and listen to the +groaning and rending of her timbers, and the flapping of her torn sail +and tangled rigging. Both the wind and tide are setting with all their +force right upon the Sands, and the captain of the boat sees what is +before them; where they are now at anchor will soon be one wild rage of +broken sea. To get away from the sand in the face of the fierce gale and +tide is impossible; and so there is no alternative, they must beat right +across the Sands, and this in the wild fearful gale, and terrible sea, +and pitch dark night, and what the danger of this is, only those who +know the Goodwin Sands, and the dread seas that sweep over them, can at +all imagine. + +They ride at anchor for some time, waiting for the tide to rise +sufficiently for them to get over the Sands. They see the lights of the +steamer shining in the distance, outside the broken and shallow water; +but there is no hope of assistance from her: their lanterns are washed +out, they cannot signalize; and if they could, the steamer could not +approach them. + +The sea is breaking furiously over them. Time after time the boat fills +as the broken waves wash clean over her, but instantly she empties +herself again, and rises to her water-line. The gale sweeps by more +fiercely than ever. The men are nearly washed out of the boat, and worse +still, the anchor begins to drag. The tide has made a little, and they +are being driven each moment nearer to the wreck; there may be water +enough to take them clear; at all events, there is no help for it, they +must risk it. "Hoist the foresail; stand by to cut the cable. All +clear."--"Ay, Ay!"--"Away then." + +And the boat quickly heads round, and then, under the power of the gale +and tide, leaps forward, flies along; but only for a few yards, when, +with a tremendous jerk, she grounds upon the Sands. The crew look up, +and their hearts almost fail them, as they find that they are again +within reach of the brig. + +Her top-gallant masts are swaying about, her yards swing within a few +feet of them, her sails which have blown loose and are in ribbons, beat +and flap like thunder over their heads. Their position seems worse than +ever; but they are not this time kept long in suspense. A huge breaker +comes foaming along; its white crest gleams out in the darkness high +above them, a moment's warning, it breaks over them and swamps them, but +all are clinging might and main to the boat. + +Another breaker comes streaming along; it swamps them again in passing, +but now the volume of the wave seizes the boat, up it seems to swing it +in its mighty arms, and to bodily hurl it forward; and then the boat +crashes down on the Sands as the wave breaks, and grounds them with a +shock that would have torn every man out of her, if they had not been +holding on. + +But one great peril is passed; the mighty swing of the huge waves has +carried them yards forward, and they are clear of the wreck; but at +that moment they are threatened with another danger almost as terrible. +The small _Dreadnought_ life-boat has been in tow all this time; it has +not been wise to have her in tow, but she belongs to the Broadstairs +boatmen, and neither they nor the Ramsgate boatmen like to abandon her. + +As the Ramsgate boat now grounds, the smaller boat comes bow on to her, +sweeps round, and gets under her side; the two boats roll and crash +together; each roll the larger one gives, each lift of the sea, she +comes heavily down on the other boat; the crash and crack of timbers are +heard; which boat is it that is breaking up? Both, if this continues, +must be very speedily destroyed. Some of the men get out the oars and +boat-hooks, and push for their very lives, thrusting and striving their +utmost to free the _Dreadnought_, which is so dangerously thumping and +crashing under the quarter of the larger boat. It is a terrible struggle +in that boiling sea, with the surf breaking over them. But all their +efforts seem in vain, the boats still crash and roll together; one of +them is breaking up fast. "Oars in," shouts the coxswain; "over the side +half-a-dozen of you--take your feet to her;" and some of the brave +fellows spring over, clinging to the rail of the deck of the high +air-boxes that are at the bow and stern of the Ramsgate life-boat. Again +and again, all together, a fierce struggle, but without success; a big +wave comes rolling on, it washes over them, but as the larger boat +lifts, the men blindly thrust out with their feet, and the +_Dreadnought_ is pushed clear. The men scramble, or are dragged back +into the Ramsgate boat; the tow-rope is cut, and the _Dreadnought_, +almost a wreck, is swept away by the tide, and is lost in the darkness, +while, most mercifully, the Ramsgate boat still remains uninjured. + +A third time they are providentially saved from what seemed almost like +certain death; and yet they have only commenced the beginning of their +troubles, for is there not before them the long range of sands, with the +broken fierce waves and raging surf, and many a fragment of wreck, like +sunken rocks studded here and there, upon any one of which, if they +strike, it must be death to them all? + +The boat is still aground upon the ridge of sand. She lifts, and is +swept round, and grounds again broadside to the sea, which makes a clean +breach over her. The Portuguese are all clinging together under the lee +of the foresail, and there is no getting them to move. The crew are +holding on where they can; sometimes buried in the water, often with +only their heads out. The captain is standing up in the stern, holding +on by the mizen-mast; sometimes he can see nothing of the men as the +surf sweeps over them. He orders the chests to be thrown overboard, but +most of them are already washed away; the rest are unlashed from their +fastenings, and lifted as the men can get at them, and the next wave +carries them away. Heavy masses of cloud darken the sky; the rain falls +in torrents; it is bitterly cold; the men can do nothing but hold on; +the tide rises gradually; suddenly the boat lifts again; it is caught +by the driving sea, and is flung forward. There is no keeping her +straight, the water is too broken; her stern frees itself before the +bow, and round she swings; her bow lifts a little; onward she goes a few +yards, and grounds again by the stern; round sweeps the bow, and with +another jerk she comes broadside on the Sands again, lurching over on +her side, with the terrible surf making a clean sweep over the waist. It +is a struggle for the men to get their breath, the spray beats over them +in such clouds. This happens time after time. The captain calls the men +aft, that the boat may be lightened in the bow, and thus be more likely +to keep straight. Most of the boatmen come to the stern, but the +Portuguese will not move, and even some of the boatmen are so exhausted +with the violent exertions they have made, and by the beating of the +waves, that they are almost unconscious, and only able to cling to the +gunwale and thwarts of the boat with an iron, nervous grasp, and are +thus just able to save themselves from being washed out of her. As the +coxswain notices their exhausted state, he expects each time as the big +waves wash over them to see some of them leave go their hold and be +carried away; and although he makes as light of it as he can, and tries +to cheer them up, he himself has very small hope of ever seeing land +again. + +The sands on the sea shore, if there has been any surf, appear at low +tide uneven with the ridges or ripples the waves have left on them. On +the Goodwins, where the force of the sea is in every way multiplied, +and the waves break and the tide rushes with tenfold power, the little +sand ripples of the smoother shore become ridges of two or three feet +high. + +It is on these ridges that the life-boat so continually grounds. As the +tide rises she is swept from one to the other by the long sweeping +waves; she is swung round and round in the swirl of the cross-seas and +rapid tide, thumping and jerking heavily each time that she strands. All +this is in the midst of darkness, of bitter cold, and of a raging wind, +surf, and sea, until the hardship and peril are almost too much to be +borne, and some of the men feel dying in the boat. + +One old boatman afterwards thus described his feelings. "Well, sir, +perhaps my friends were right when they said I hadn't ought to have gone +out--that I was too old for that sort of work"--he was then about sixty +years of age--"but, you see, when there is life to be saved, it makes +one feel young again; and I've always felt I have had a call to save +life when I could; and I wasn't going to hang back then; and I stood it +better than some of them after all. I did my work on board the brig, and +when she was so near falling over us, and when the _Dreadnought_ +life-boat seemed knocking our bottom out, I got on as well as any of +them; but when we got to beating, and grubbing over the Sands, swinging +round and round, and grounding every few yards with a jerk that bruised +us sadly, and almost tore our arms out from the sockets--no sooner +washed off one ridge, and beginning to hope that the boat was clear, +than she thumped upon another harder than ever, and all the time the +wash of the surf nearly carrying us out of the boat--it was truly almost +too much for any man to stand. There was a young fellow holding on next +to me; I saw his head begin to drop, and that he was getting faint, and +going to give over; and when the boat filled with water, and the waves +went over his head, he scarcely cared to struggle free. I tried to cheer +him a bit, and keep his spirits up. He just clung to the thwart like a +drowning man. Poor fellow, he never did a day's work after that night, +and died in a few months. + +"Well, I couldn't do anything with him, and I thought that it didn't +matter much, for I felt it must soon all be over; that it couldn't be +long before the boat would be knocked to pieces. So I took my life-belt +off, that I might have it over all the quicker; for I knew that there +would be no chance whatever of life if the boat once went, and I would +have it over all the quicker, for I didn't want to be beating about +those sands alive or dead longer than I could help; the sooner I went to +the bottom, the better, I thought. When once all hope of life was +over--and that time seemed close upon us every moment--some of us kept +shouting, just cheering ourselves and one another up, as well as we +could; but I had to give that up, and I remember hearing the captain +crying out, 'We will see Ramsgate yet again, my men, if we steer clear +of old wrecks,' And then I heard the Portuguese lad crying, and I +remember that I began to think that it was a terrible dream, and +pinched myself to see if I was really awake; and I began to feel very +strange and insensible. I didn't feel afraid of death, for, you see, I +hadn't left it to such times as that to prepare to meet my God. And if +ever I spent hours in prayer, be sure I spent them in prayer that night. +And I just seemed going off in a kind of dead faint, and felt very +dream-like, and as if I couldn't hold on any longer; and as I felt this +I thought, in a feeble sort of way, of my friends ashore, and bid them +good-bye like, for I knew that I should be soon washed out of the boat, +when I looked up, and the surf was curling up both sides of the boat, +and I was going to throw myself down on the thwart, that the seas might +beat upon my back, and I should never have lifted it up again, when I +saw a bright star. The clouds had broken a little, and there was that +blessed beautiful star shining out. Yes, truly it was a blessed +beautiful star to me; as it caught my eye it seemed, in my weak state, +to lay a strange hold upon me; to gather all my attention, and to call +me back to life again. And I began to have a little thought about seeing +my home again, and that I wasn't going to be called away just yet. And I +straightened myself up a little, and laid a firmer hold upon the boat, +and lifted my head to look for the star after each time the seas beat +over us, and I kept my eye upon it whenever I could; and I cannot +explain how it was, but looking for and watching that star kept me up, +and when I got ashore, I seemed at first not much worse than the best of +them. But for seven whole days after that I lost my speech, and lay +like a log upon my bed; and I was ill a long time--indeed, have never +been right since, and I suppose at my age I never shall get over it. But +what is more, I believe something of the same sort may be said of most +of those that were in the boat that night. One poor young fellow is +dead, another has been subject to fits ever since, and not any of us +quite the men we were before, and no wonder when you think what we +passed through. + +"I cannot describe it, and you cannot, neither can any one else; but +when you say you've beat and thumped over those sands, almost yard by +yard, in a fearful storm on a winter's night, and live to tell the tale, +why it seems to me about the next thing to saying that you've been dead, +and brought to life again." + +The coxswain of the life-boat, brave Isaac Jarman, was chosen for that +position for his fortitude, skill, and daring, and well did he sustain +his character that night, never for one moment losing his presence of +mind, and doing his utmost to cheer the men up. The crew consisted of +hardy, daring fellows, ready to face any danger, to go out in any storm, +and to do battle with the wildest seas; but the horrors of that night +were almost too much for the most iron nerves. + +The fierce freezing wind, the almost pitch darkness, the terrible surf, +and beating waves, and the men unable to do anything for their safety; +the boat driven, almost hurled, by the force of the waves from sand +ridge to sand ridge, and apparently breaking up beneath them each time +she lifted on the surf and crushed down again upon the Sands, besides +the danger of her getting foul of any old wrecks--how all this was lived +through seemed miraculous. Time after time there was a cry of "Now she +breaks up! she can't stand this! all over at last!" Another such thump, +and she is done for, and then the boat would writhe, almost on her beam +ends, while the waves beat over, until she was again lifted and thrown +forward to crash down and ground again; and all this lasted for about +two hours, as almost yard by yard they beat from ridge to ridge over the +sands. + +Suddenly the swinging and beating of the boat cease; she is in a very +heavy sea, but she answers her helm and keeps her head straight. At last +they have got over the Sands and into deep water; the danger is passed, +and they are saved. With new hopes comes new life. Some can scarcely +realize their comparative safety, and still keep their firm hold upon +the boat, expecting each second another terrible lurch and jerk upon the +Sands, and the heavy rush and wash of the seas. No: that is all over, +and the boat, in spite of her tremendous knocking about, is sound, and +sails buoyantly and well. + +The crew quickly get further sail upon her, and she makes way before the +gale to the westward. The Portuguese sailors lift their heads. They have +been clinging together and to the boat, crouching down under the lee of +the foresail during the time of beating over the Sands; they notice the +stir among the boatmen, and that the terrible jerking and thumping of +the boat and the rush of sea over her have ceased; and they also learn +that the worst is passed, and that the danger is at an end. + +Long since did they despair of life; and their surprise and joy now know +no bounds. Bravely on goes the life-boat, making for the westward. The +Portuguese are very busy in earnest consultation. The poor fellows have +lost their kit, and only possess the things they have on, and a few +pounds that they have with them. Soon it becomes evident what the +consultation has been about. "Coxswain!" one of the boatmen cries out, +"they want to give us all their money!" + +"Yes! yes!" said the interpreter, in broken English, "you have saved our +lives! Thank you! thank you! but all we have is yours; it is not much, +but you take it between you;" and he held out the money. It was about +17_l._ + +"I, for one, won't touch any of it," said the coxswain of the boat. "Nor +I!" "Nor I!" others added; "put your money up." + +The brave fellows will not take a farthing from brother sailors, whom +they know to be poor, much like themselves; and in a few words they make +them understand this, and how glad they are to have saved them. + +The life-boat makes good way, and soon runs across the Sands through the +Trinity Swatch Way, and, without further adventure, she reaches the +harbour about five o'clock in the morning. The crew of the brig are +placed under the care of the Portuguese Consul, and the boatmen go to +their homes, to feel for many a long day the effects of the fatigues +and perils of that terrible night. + +During all this time the steamer has been cruising up and down the edge +of the Sands, vainly searching for any trace of the life-boat; and soon +after daylight she made, as has been already described, for the harbour. +Her captain and crew are half broken-hearted, and scarcely know how they +shall be able to tell the tale of the terrible calamity that seems so +certainly to have happened. Suddenly, as the mouth of the harbour opens +to them, they see the life-boat. They stare with amazement, and can +scarcely believe their eyes. "Astonished," said the captain of the +steamer, describing his feelings, "that I was; never so much so in my +life, as when I stood looking at that boat. I could have shouted and +cried for very wonder and joy; you might have knocked me down with a +straw." Thus the captain of the steamer described his feelings. It was +the same with all the crew; and as the steamer shot round the pier and +heard that all were saved, and the life-boatmen all right, the good news +seemed to more than repay them for the dangers and anxieties of the +night. + +Thus did the crew of the gallant life-boat and of the steamer help to +earn that night the noble reputation that belongs to our boatmen and +sailors at large--testimony to which was given, on one occasion, by a +foreign captain, who said, "Ah! we may always know whether it is upon +the English coast that we are wrecked, by the efforts that are made for +our rescue." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +SIGNALS OF DISTRESS--OUT IN THE STORM. + + "And the coming wind did roar more loud, + And the sails did sigh like sedge; + And the rain poured down from one black cloud, + The moon was at its edge. + The thick black cloud was cleft, and still + The moon was at its side; + Like water shot from some high crag, + The lightning fell with never a jag, + A river steep and wide." + + _Coleridge._ + + +Wild weather on land! wild weather at sea! fear and trembling, and +earnest prayers, in many a quiet home, for loved ones at sea, who must +be within reach of the gale that hurries so fiercely by. + +How impressive it is to lie awake listening to the storm--to hear the +rush of the wind, now moaning in the chimney, now thundering at the +windows against which the rain beats and hurtles; to fancy or to feel +that the house trembles shaken in the rude power of the blast, or, if +near the sea-shore, to hear the waves breaking on the beach, a +half-suppressed tumultuous uproar, like the faintly heard riot of a +distant angry mob. To get farther to sea in one's thoughts, and to +picture a noble ship with close-reefed topsails running before the gale, +or beating away from the dread neighbourhood of dangerous sands or +coast, while the pilot, anxious and watchful, and the crew, eager and +alert, peer through the darkness to catch the welcome guidance of some +bright warning light, or are on the watch to detect the fainter light of +some ship that is steering her course perilously near; the passengers +all the time wistful and anxious, asking many questions, and receiving +cheering answers, but given with that unreality of tone that makes the +hearer fear the sound, more than he can believe the sense; or to imagine +a vessel at anchor, the cables swinging out at their full length, the +sails all closely furled, but the gale beating against the hull, and +masts, and yards, with a power that threatens to sweep the ship and her +living freight to a speedy destruction; to picture the ship lifting, and +pitching, and surging, in a cloud of spray, the hungry waves leaping at +it, as if to devour it before its time, the anchors yielding foot by +foot, or the cable giving, and the hungry sands waiting in a terrible +rage of foam and sea under the lee. + +In the morning to look from tall cliffs upon a golden beach, upon the +fretting surf that lines it, upon the sea bright with sunshine, smooth +browed, but like a great giant rolling his huge limbs in uneasy sleep; +quick with great billows rising and falling in restless heavy long lines +of waves. Then to look at the distant Goodwin Sands, and to watch the +white leaping surf, fangs in the jaws of death, still gnashing and +mumbling after their midnight meal, in which they ravened perhaps on a +goodly ship, and mangled many brave sailors, and weeping women and +trembling wondering children; unless their victims were snatched from +their grasp by the brave Storm Warriors who rush into their midst in the +very fiercest of their strife, and wrestle with them for their prey. + +Such pictures are often suggested by the midnight gale, and such +after-scenes are witnessed in the morning's calm at Ramsgate, as at many +another spot on the bold coast of our sea-girt island home, where each +howling wind that rushes on breathes the trumpet-blast that calls to the +struggle of life and death. + +It was a tempestuous wintry day early in December, a few years ago, when +the scenes occurred which the following will be an attempt to describe: + +During the whole of the day the wind has been blowing hard from the +west-north-west. The weather has been very unsettled for some little +time, squally with the cloud-scud low, and swiftly flying past; now the +weather is becoming worse, and the blasts are more frequent and more +fierce, rapidly growing into a heavy gale. The Fitzroy's signal hangs +ominously from the flag-staff, giving a warning of the dangerous winds +which may be expected. + +The Downs anchorage is crowded with shipping, so much so, that the +lights of the vessels anchored there throw a glare upon the darkness of +the night, such as is shed by the lights of a populous town. + +Every now and then a vessel leaves the fleet, and, running before the +gale, seeks surer refuge; or perhaps a homeward-bound ship swiftly +threads her way through the crowd of vessels, the crew half rejoicing in +the gale, which at every blast bears them nearer home. + +On Ramsgate Pier rumours of disasters at sea, bring the watchful lookers +on together in anxious gossip; many partially disabled vessels have +already found refuge in the harbour, and now a schooner is brought in by +some Broadstairs boatmen. When they boarded her in answer to her signals +of distress, they found that the mate with a woman and child alone +remained on board. The schooner had been in collision during the +previous night, and whether the rest of her crew had escaped to the +other vessel, or had been lost overboard, was left a matter of dread +uncertainty. + +As it is a stirring sight to see the vessels making through the heavy +seas for the harbour, so it is an exciting, and withal a gallant, sight +to watch the luggers heavily freighted with anchors and chains, to +supply vessels that have slipped their cables, bearing away bravely in +all the rush of the storm, upon their errands of daring enterprise. + +The afternoon creeps on; it is half-past three, a puff of smoke is seen +coming from the Gull light-ship, but the wind is too strong, and in the +wrong direction, for the report of the gun to be heard. The signal is, +however, at once accepted, and soon the steamer and the life-boat are +away in the storm. + +They make for the light-vessel to learn for what, and in which direction +their services are required. A squall of thick rain hides the Downs and +the south end of the Goodwin Sands from view. Suddenly the squall +clears away, passing rapidly to windward, and now from the pier and +cliff, although not yet from the lower level of the steamer's deck, or +from the life-boat, the vessel that is in danger is seen. + +A large light schooner has driven from her anchorage, and is now +dragging perilously near the Goodwin Sands. She is too near, with the +wind as it is, to have any chance of escaping by slipping her cable and +sailing clear of the Sands; she is driving fast, and the large flag, +that she has hoisted as a signal of distress, can be very distinctly +seen from the cliff. The watchers on shore, by taking her bearings, see +how rapidly she is dragging her anchors and nearing her doom; and the +nature of the tremendous sea she is in is also very evident. + +She is light, buoyant, and lifts to every wave; she looks like a gallant +charger taking a succession of desperate leaps, as first her bow is +thrown high in the air, and she then rides for a moment high upon the +top of the wave, and then again her stern is thrown high, and her bow is +almost buried as the huge short wave passes under her. Repeatedly those +who are watching her from the shore, have their fears aroused that her +straining cables have at last parted, and that she is in full career for +the waiting deadly Sands. It is an alarming sight. The lookers-on from +the cliff only take their eyes off her to look occasionally at the +steamer and life-boat as they are making their way to her rescue. + +The steamer rolls and plunges on--nothing daunted, nothing disturbed, +by all the buffeting she gets; the life-boat rises like a cork to every +wave, and plunges through the crests as she feels the drag of the +steamer, while the foam spreads out on either side like a fan, and the +scud and spray fly over her in a cloud. + +The steamer and life-boat make their way to the Gull Lightship, where +they learn that a schooner has been seen in distress, bearing +south-south-west, supposed to be on the South Sand Head. + +On through the giant seas and driving surf, in the very teeth of the +gale, they make gallant way, and are about to take up a position from +which the life-boat can dash in through the broken water to the rescue +of the crew. + +A large Deal lugger is beating up to windward from the neighbourhood of +the Sands, they speak her, and learn that she has rescued the crew of +the schooner. + +The lugger, one of the finest of all the noble boats that sail from Deal +beach, had, some time before the schooner got into such a dangerous +position, sheered alongside her, at no slight risk, and as she shot by, +the crew had jumped into her, forgetting in their hurry and excitement +the flag of distress which they had left flying high, pleading still, +and not in vain, for help that was no longer needed. Nothing can be done +for the schooner; driving fast, she soon begins to thump on the Sands; +darkness settles down upon her, the fierce waves have her for their +prey, and in the morning not one remaining fragment of her is to be +seen; she has been torn utterly to pieces, and what the tide has not +swept away, the Sands have completely buried. + +The steamer and life-boat, when they leave the schooner to her fate, +make for a barque, which, with main and mizen masts cut away, seems, +although she is in great danger, to have a chance of weathering the +storm. + +The wind is too heavy, and the tide too strong, for the steamer to be +able to tow her into a safer position; her crew have already made their +escape, and she is left in turn, but not, as it proves, to meet the fate +of the schooner, for she successfully rides out the gale. + +A further cruise round the Sands, to see if their services are required +by any distressed vessel, and they make again for Ramsgate, which they +reach about half-past six. The steamer and life-boat are moored, ready +for any fresh call which may be made for their services, the probability +of which seems very great, and all the men remain on the alert. + +In such a storm anxious watchers are on the look-out at all the stations +round the coast. Boatmen under the protection of boat-houses, or boats, +or grouped together at friendly corners, are keeping a steadfast watch +upon the seas. One or two every now and then take a few strides into the +open for a wider range of view, and then back again to cover. The +coastguard-men, sheltered in nooks of the cliff, or behind rocks, or +breasting the storm on the drear Sands as they walk their solitary beat, +peer out into the darkness watching for those signals from the sea--the +gun flash, or the gleam of the rocket, which while they speak hope to +the imperilled, tell to those on shore of lives in danger--of those who +must speedily be rescued, or must die. + +Or the watchers listen for the dull throb of the signal gun, the sign of +wild warfare, and struggles for life mid the charges and conflicts of +breaking waves and dashing seas, a signal that the waiting Storm +Warriors instantly accept, and rush into the contest to snatch their +dying brethren from the arms of the enemy that is too strong for them. + +Sometimes the telegraph wires speed the message of distress along the +coast, as happened one stormy New Year's Eve, when a ship was seen off +Deal beach in almost a blaze of light, burning tar-barrels, and firing +rockets to tell of her distress; an intervening fog seemed to prevent +the look-out on board the light-vessel seeing her, and some boatmen on +Deal beach, who could not possibly get their boats off the sands in the +face of the strong gale blowing straight on shore, put their halfpence +together to pay for a telegraph message--the messages were dearer then +than they are now--and sent their swiftest runner to telegraph to +Ramsgate; and after all, there was some unfortunate mistake, and fatal +delay, and a telegram at last sent for further particulars, which was +answered with a demand for urgent speed, and away then flew steamer and +life-boat, and they neared the wreck, and rounded to, to send the +life-boat in, when some of the boatmen thought they heard an agonising +shriek, and others thought it was only the wail of the storm; but they +looked, and the great green seas swept over the wreck, turned her right +over, and she was seen no more, and twenty-eight lives went to their +account. A piteous New Year's tale it was that was told next morning; a +boat's crew got away from the ship soon after she struck, and battling +through the broken seas, made way before the wind to Dover, and they +told the story, that the lost vessel had picked up a shipwrecked crew, +who were thus a second time wrecked, and at the second time lost; and +that more of the crew would have come away in the boat, and in other +boats, but it was a great risk, and there was a Deal pilot on board who +pointed out the danger; and said that the Ramsgate life-boat was certain +to be out to their rescue, they might be sure of her; and so they stayed +and lighted tar-barrel after tar-barrel, and fired rocket after rocket; +and when the sea washed their signal fires out, and swept the decks, +they took to the rigging, and waited for the life-boat; and as they +waited the poor Deal pilot could watch the light on the beach, by the +house where slept his wife and eight children, who were to call him +husband--father--no more. + +The life-boat men scarcely liked to speak of the agony and +disappointment it was to them to be thus just too late; no fault of +theirs, poor fellows; they would, if they could, have sooner swum to the +wreck, if that were of any use, than have been too late to save the poor +perishing lives. + +There was an official inquiry into the matter made by the authorities in +London, and it was decided that no one was to blame; that it was one of +those unfortunate occurrences which never would have happened, like +many others, if people could only be as wise before an event as they are +after, and which no one could regret more than those who were in any way +the unfortunate, and of course most unintentional, agents of bringing it +about. + +And now to proceed with the adventures of the life-boat on the night in +question. + +About a quarter past eight in the evening, the harbour-master of +Ramsgate receives a telegram. It tells its tale in its own short way, +and the harbour-master learns that round the stormy North Foreland, some +miles to westward of Margate, the _Prince's_ light-ship is firing guns +and rockets, and that the _Tongue_ light-ship is repeating the signals. + +The vigilant coastguard-man who had first noticed the signals hurried to +Margate with the tidings; but there the fine life-boats are powerless to +help. The wind is blowing a hurricane from west-north-west, and drives +such a tremendous sea upon the shore that no boat whatever could +possibly get off and work its way out to sea; it would merely be rolled +back upon the beach in the attempt. + +The coastguard at Margate at once saw how impossible it would be to +render the required aid from Margate, and hastened to send a telegram to +Ramsgate calling for help. The harbour-master there receives it, and now +hurried action at once takes the place of wistful anxious waiting. + +For hours the steamer and life-boat have quietly rested in the sheltered +harbour, lifting gently to the small waves that have been playing +against their sides. The men for hours have been gazing out into the +darkness, watching for signals, and listening to the roar of the gale, +and to the murmur and tumult of the tumbling waves. The expected +challenge comes. Ready! all ready! is the answer, and they rush to +action at once, without waiting for one moment to consider whether a +challenge to such strife should, or should not, be accepted. + +They know the hardships and peril of the work upon which they are +called; but they know the other side of the question also; and it would +make many comparatively useless lives as noble as are the lives of many +of these poor boatmen, if all would only consider the result of good +work, as well as the labour, and forget the trouble, or personal +hardships of the labour, in the keen hope to realize the desired result. +And these boatmen, as they have been crouching down under shelter of the +pier wall, watching the progress of the storm, have had many a memory, +and many a vision, to occupy their thoughts and stir their anxious +courage; memories of brave fellows plucked from the very grasp of death; +and visions of that which they well know how to picture; brother sailors +perhaps clinging to the spars of a shattered wreck, while the wild waves +leap around and only a few fragments of creaking yielding timber shield +the poor men from their fury, and from death. + +They know the power of the waves to tear the strongest ships to pieces +in a few hours, and are ready, all ready, for any stern deadly wrestle +with the fury of the storm, for the rescue of those who stand in such +dread need of help. + +The order is given, and the usual rush to the life-boat takes place. + +The regular Ramsgate boatmen have not, this time, the race for the boat +all to themselves; the _Adder_ revenue-cutter is in the harbour, and two +of her men get into the life-boat, and with ten boatmen and the +coxswain, the crew is made up. The men on board the steam-tug _Aid_ are +prompt as usual, and within half-an-hour from the giving of the order +the steamer and life-boat are out to the rescue, again fighting their +way through broken seas, and breasting the full fury of the gale. + +Imagine the picture that was shrouded in the thick darkness of that wild +night. + +The steamer is strong and powerfully built, and has never failed in any +of her struggles with the storm, but has in every part worked true and +well; and this when failure in crank, rod, or rivet, might have been +death to many lives. Seek to imagine this brave little steamer at her +perilous work. Thrown up and down like a plaything by the mighty sea, +now half buried in the wash of surf, or poised for a moment on the broad +crest of a huge wave, and again shooting bows under into the trough, +rolling and pitching and staggering in the storm, but still battling on +true to her purpose. Still onward and onward she goes; the beat of the +paddles, the roar of the steam-pipe, the throb of the engines, mingling +with the hoarse blast of the gale, and the lash and hiss of the surf +and fleeting spray; while to the watchers on shore, her light flitting +here and there as she rolls and tosses, alone tell of her progress. + +The life-boat is almost burrowing her way through the spray and foam. +Each man bends low on his seat, and holds fast by thwart or gunwale. The +wind has changed, and the boat is being towed in the face of the gale +and sea, and does not ride over the waves as easily as she would if she +were under canvas only, but is dragged on and on, plunging through the +crests of the seas. "It was just like as if a fire-engine was playing +upon my back, not in a steady stream, but with a great burst of water at +every pump," said one of the men whose station was in the bow. + +It is a wild sea; the waves and surf that break against the bows of the +big ships that are at anchor in the Downs send their spray flying high, +almost to the topmast heads; so it may well be imagined how the heavy +seas nearly smother the steamer and life-boat as they breast all their +force, heading against the gale. Now the waves rush over the bow, and +again a cross wave catches the side of the boat, throws her almost on +her side, sweeps bodily over her; while she pitches and rolls with a +motion quick as that of a plunging horse. But the men know her well, and +trust her thoroughly; and with a firm hold and stout hearts they +resolutely journey onwards. + +Now, the wind veers a little, and the high cliffs somewhat break its +force, and the men feel less the power of the gale; but still the wind +is almost directly ahead, and the ebb tide is running against them with +great strength. Every yard of advance is won by a struggle with the +seas, as the steamer _Aid_ pants and beats her way onward. But still it +is won, and all hands are content. At last they get round the North +Foreland, and begin to feel that they are nearing the scene of action. + +The rain ceases, and the clouds of flying scud lift a little. It is +still pitch dark, but free from mist and rain--clear dark, as they call +it. + +The men see the Margate Pier, and the town lights, which shine out +steadily and clearly; and it seems to them a strange contrast as they +look from their rough post of danger, action, and hardship, upon the +town resting in quiet peace, unconscious of the storm. + +They make for the _Tongue_ light-ship, which is stationed about nine +miles from Margate. Every five minutes the darkness of the horizon is +broken by the flash of a rocket which is thrown up by the light-ship. It +goes flying up against the gale, and bursting, gives a moment's gleam as +its stars caught by the fierce wind, pass away, floating in a short +stream of light to leeward. The steamer's crew make for the light-ship, +looking anxiously the while in all directions for any signal which may +guide them more directly to the vessel in distress; but they see none, +and so speed on towards the light-ship. + +As the steamer passes her on the lee side, as slowly and as near as +possible, the coxswain is told that signals had been seen from the high +part of the Shingle sand bank, supposed to be from a large vessel in +distress. + +The life-boat in turn sheers near the light-vessel in passing, and +hears the same report. + +Again they urge their way, struggling onward in the gale; but they can +see no sign of a vessel, and no vestige of a wreck. + +Perilous and anxious is the work as they feel their way along the very +edge of the dangerous Sands; the roar of the gale is too great for any +cries of distress to be heard. The hull of the vessel may be overrun +with the seas, and the crew, clinging to the masts or rigging, be +utterly unable to give any signals by firing guns or rockets, or by +showing lights; and the night is so dark, that from the life-boat they +can only see a few yards ahead. The men are most anxiously on the +look-out; each time that the boat rises high upon a sea, they try their +utmost to peer through the darkness by which they are surrounded. No! +the breakers gleam white, and the steamer's light is tossing to and fro +with every pitch and roll of the vessel; but nothing more can they make +out. And the anxiety of the men, both on board the steamer and the +life-boat, becomes greater and greater; they do not like to leave the +neighbourhood of the Sands without thoroughly examining it, fearing that +in doing so they may leave behind them, to a despair rendered more +terrible, and to a death rendered more bitter by the false hopes that +had been excited, some poor fellows clinging desperately to a few +fragments of trembling wreck. But still they can see nothing and can +hear nothing of either wreck or crew; either the vessel must have gone +utterly to pieces, or the men on board the _Tongue_ light-ship have +been mistaken in the position of the signals they have seen. + +As the men are listening intensely for the faintest signal or cry of +distress, they fancy that they hear the booming of a distant gun, fired +at intervals. Now in a lull in the storm they hear it more distinctly, +and see in the far distance the flashing of a rocket-light. Watching and +listening still, they soon discover that the _Prince's_ and _Girdler_ +light-ships are at the same time repeating signals of distress. They +must give up their present search, and hasten to the rescue where such +urgent demands are being made for their help. Their consolation is, that +at all events they can do nothing more in the utter darkness in +searching for the wreck, which they have been already so long looking +for in vain; and before daylight, or soon after, they can probably be +back to resume their search after having, as they hope, done good work +in the interval. At all events, they must be off; and off they go, +leaving, as it proved, a crew of storm-beaten men in as desperate a +position as it was well possible for men to be. They think it best to +make for the _Prince's_ light-ship first, and on arriving there they are +told that a large ship has been seen making signals. They think that she +is on the Girdler Sands, but she may be on the Shingles. Away again in +the darkness they speed on their noble mission. At last they plainly +discern a light on the south part of the Shingles; they make for it, but +only to be again disappointed. It is the light of the steam tug _Friend +of all Nations_, which is lying-to under the lee of the Shingles to be +protected from the rush of the seas. But here they are somewhat repaid +for their efforts, for they learn beyond doubt that the vessel in +distress is a large ship on the Girdler Sands; and more than this, that +another large ship, disabled and in great distress, had been seen +driving down the Deeps, a very narrow channel between the Shingle and +the Long Sand. It must have been signals from this latter vessel which +had been seen by the men on board the _Tongue_ light-ship. They are +unwilling to pass on their way to the Girdler without making an effort +to find the vessel which had been seen in such great distress, and +which, in every probability, had gone ashore somewhere in the +neighbourhood. So they make a cruise in the direction of the Deeps. They +search narrowly, but in vain, and at last hurry away as the Girdler +light-ship still continues to fire heavy guns. At last their long, +persevering, and hazardous search is crowned with success. Upon nearing +the Girdler light-ship, they see on the Sands the flare of blazing +tar-barrels; they know these must be the signals made by the vessel that +has run on the Sands. At once every man forgets all about his many hours +of exposure to wet, cold, and exertion, and wakens up to full strength +and vigour; and all begin at once to make preparations for going into +the rescue. + +The steamer is obliged to steer clear of the broken water, not only +because of the danger of grounding, but also because of the wildness of +the seas as they break upon the Sands, as their surf would be quite +sufficient to sweep her decks and swamp her. She skirts the breakers and +tows the life-boat well to windward. The men on board the boat watch +their opportunity; and as soon as they find themselves in the right +position for reaching the wreck, they cast off the tow-rope, and the +wind and sea at once swing the boat's head round, and she plunges into +the midst of the broken water which is rushing over the Sands. + +It is a desperate strife of waters, and into the very thick of the fray, +straight as an arrow, the boat rushes. The strength of the gale is so +great, the men only dare to hoist a close-reefed foresail; but swiftly +it bears the boat along. At times the boat is so overrun with broken +water and surf that the men can scarcely breathe. They, however, cling +resolutely to the boat, and again and again she shakes herself free of +water, and the men straighten themselves for a moment, draw a few long +breaths, when again they meet a tangle of broken waves. Down into the +trough of the troubled seas the boat plunges, and over her and her crew +the waves again rush in all directions; and thus she undauntedly works +her way to the wreck. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE EMIGRANT SHIP. + + "Borne upon the ocean's foam, + Far from native land and home, + Midnight's curtain, dense with wrath, + Brooding o'er our venturous path. + While the mountain wave is rolling, + And the ship's bell faintly tolling: + Saviour! on the boisterous sea, + Bid us rest secure in Thee." + + _L. H. Sigourney._ + + +It is one o'clock in the morning; the moon gleams out through the gulfs +in the dark deep clouds which sweep swiftly across her path. + +The men see a large ship hard and fast on the Sands and in a perfect +boil of waters. The tremendous seas surge around her, and as they wildly +leap against her shake her from stem to stern; the spray is flying over +her in great sheets, and mingles with the dark masses of smoke, which +rise in thick clouds from the flaming tar-barrels, while smoke and spray +are swept swiftly to leeward by the force of the wind. The vessel is +making all possible signals of distress; the fierce gale has driven +her, at each lift of the sea, higher and higher upon the Sands, until +she has reached the highest part, and there has grounded fast. As the +tide fell the waves could no longer lift the ship, and let her crash +down upon the sand, else long since she would have been utterly broken +to pieces. + +The boat makes in for the ship, the people on board see her, and cries +and cheers of joy greet her approach. The foresail is lowered, the +anchor thrown overboard, and the boat fast sheers in towards the vessel, +which they find to be an emigrant ship crowded with passengers. + +The cable goes out by the run, and is too soon exhausted, for with a +jerk it brings the boat up within sixty feet of the vessel. As the poor +emigrants see the boat stop short, their cries for help are frantic, and +sound dismally in the boatmen's ears, as slowly and laboriously they +haul in the cable, and with much trouble get up their anchor, before +making another attempt to get alongside the ship. In the meantime they +answer the cries of the people with shouts to encourage them, and the +moon shining out, the emigrants see that they are not deserted. The sea +is so heavy, and the boat's anchor has taken so firm a hold, that it is +a long time before they can get it up; at last they succeed, and now +sail within fifty fathoms of the vessel, before they heave the anchor +overboard again. + +It is necessary if they are to windward of a vessel to let the anchor +down as far as possible from her, that they may get plenty of sea-room +when they haul up to it again, so that when they set sail they may have +space enough to sail clear of the vessel upon which the seas would throw +the boat bodily, if they did not allow themselves room to steer a course +which shall be clear of her. + +They let the cable out gradually and drop alongside; they get a hawser +from the bow, and another from the stern of the vessel, and by these +they are enabled to keep the boat moderately well in position, the man +on board hauling and veering on the ropes, and upon the boat's cable +attached to the anchor, so as to keep the boat sufficiently near without +letting her strike against the sides of the vessel, and this, in the +broken seas and rapid tide, is a matter of no small difficulty. The ship +is the _Fusilier_, bound from London to Australia; her captain and pilot +shout out to the men on board the boat, "How many can you carry? we have +more than one hundred souls on board, more than sixty women and +children." And it is with no little dismay that the terrified passengers +look down upon the boat half buried in spray, and wonder how she could +by any possibility be the means of rescuing such a crowd of people. The +men answer from the boat that they have a steamer near, and that they +will take off the passengers and crew in parties to her. Two of the +life-boat men, as the boat lifts on the top of a sea, make a sprint, +catch hold of the man-ropes and climb on board the ship. "Who comes +here?" shouts the captain, as the two boatmen, clad in their oilskin +overalls, with their cork belts on, and pale and half exhausted with +their long battling with wind and sea, jump from the bulwarks amid the +excited passengers who crowd the deck. "Two men from the life-boat," is +the reply, and the passengers throng round them, seize them by the +hands, and some even cling to them with an energy of fear, that requires +considerable force to overcome. The light from the ship's lamps and the +faint moonlight reveal the mass of people on board, and the terrible +state of exhaustion and fear that most of them are in; some are deadly +pale and terror-stricken, their eyes wildly staring, and trembling in +every limb; some are in a fainting condition, and are supported by +friends, who half forget their own terrors in their efforts to console +the sufferers who seem to need it most; the wild shrieks of some of the +poor women pierce the gale, while others of the passengers are quiet and +resigned, but their pale and firm looks and clasped hands suggest the +depth of the emotions that they are at such pains to control. It has +been a long long night of terror and most anxious suspense, and many of +those who have held up bravely during its hours of danger and almost of +despair, now break down at the crisis of the life-boat's arrival. But +the night has not been one of unreasoning fear with all. There are those +on board who, filled with a calm heroism, have by their example of holy +faith exerted great influence for good among their +fellow-passengers--one woman especially, who has been for some time +employed by a religious society in London, visiting among the poor, +proves herself well fitted for scenes of danger and distress. Gathering +many around her, she read and prayed with them; and often as the wild +blasts shook the vessel to the keel, there mingled with the roar of the +storm the strains of hymns, and many poor creatures gathered consolation +and confidence as they were led to look, from their own perfect +helplessness and weakness, to the Almighty arm of a loving God; and +many, who had already learnt to know and to feel those truths which take +the sting from death, were encouraged to draw nearer to place their full +reliance upon the sufficient atonement of Him who has declared, "I am +the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were +dead, yet shall he live: and he that believeth in me shall never die." +Thus there was light in the darkness and songs in the night, and the +voice speaking mid the tempest said, "Peace, be still;" and many felt, +although the warring elements still raged, a calm, which recklessness +may assume, but which faith alone can give at such an hour. This is no +fancy sketch, no effort to drag in a bit of attempted pathos. One +hundred immortal souls were momentarily expecting the summons which +should launch them into eternity; and a most terrible shade in the +tragic picture it would indeed have been, had not any of that throng +been prepared for the summons by the exercise of earnest humble +faith--if by all of them the expected messenger, who seemed to linger +minute by minute upon the threshold, was dreaded only with a despairing +fear, as the King of Terrors, if not any were prepared to welcome him +calmly as the messenger of Peace. + +But now the life-boat men are upon the deck--a prospect of safety dawns +upon all--a wild scene of excitement for a moment prevails, and there is +a rush made for the gangway of the ship. Mothers shriek for their +children; husbands strive to push their wives through the throng, and +children are trodden down in the rush. + +It is a few moments before the excitement ceases, and the captain can +exercise any authority; but the emigrants, checked for a minute, regain +self-control, fall back from the side of the vessel, and await for +orders. + +"How many will the life-boat carry?" the captain asks the life-boat men. +"Between twenty and thirty at each trip," is the answer. "There is a +very nasty dangerous sea and surf over the Sands, if too crowded we may +get some washed out of her." + +It is at once decided, as a matter of course, that the women and +children shall be taken first, and the crew prepare to get them into the +boat. + +Two sailors are slung in bow-lines over the side of the vessel to help +the women down. The boat ranges to and fro in the rush of the tide, the +men do their utmost to check its sheering, hauling and easing in turn +the hawsers which are passed from the ship to the bow and stern of the +boat, but there is no keeping her for one moment steady; now she veers +right away from the vessel as far as the cable will let her, and again +comes in upon a rush of sea as if to crush herself against the wreck; up +she is lifted on the crest of a wave to almost the level of the ship's +deck, and down again plunges as the wave passes, many feet below, and +leaves a deep and dismal gulf of tumbled sea and foam between her and +the ship. + +It is a terrible scene; the crowd of helpless frightened people, and the +comparatively small boat, tossed wildly in the rage of maddened waves, +their one hope of rescue; and it is dangerous and difficult work getting +the people into the boat; it would have been quite difficult and +dangerous enough if all had been active and resolute sailors accustomed +to scenes of danger, but how much more so, when a large proportion of +those to be saved are helpless women, some aged and infirm! + +The women who are mothers are called first; one is led to the gangway, +and shrinks back from the scene before her. The boat is lifted up on a +big wave, the men stand on the thwarts with outstretched arms, ready to +catch her if she falls, but the next moment the boat drops into the wild +waste of water many feet below, and is half covered with a rush of foam. + +No wonder that the poor woman shrieks with terror, and seeks to struggle +back on to the deck of the vessel; no time for persuasion, she is urged +forcibly over the gangway, and now hangs in mid-air, held by the two men +who are suspended over the side by ropes; as the boat rises again, the +boatmen, who stand ready to catch her, cry, "Let go!" The two men do so, +but the woman, in her terror, clings to one with a frantic grasp, and +the next moment, as the boat falls away from the side of the vessel--oh! +must she not fall into the sea? for the man to whom she is clinging +cannot hold her as she is; one of the active prompt boatmen sees her +danger, makes a spring, grasps her by the heel, drags her from her hold, +catches her in his arms in her fall, and both of them roll over into the +boat, their fall broken by the men who stand ready to catch them. The +half insensible woman is quickly passed to the stern of the boat and +thus she is saved. Now, they are ready again, for all are anxious that +not a moment shall be lost; the number to be rescued, and the time that +must of necessity be occupied in going to and from the steamer, makes +every minute a question of life and death. + +Again, up the boat rises; the woman who is being urged forward makes a +half spring, and is got into the boat without much trouble. + +The next time the boat rises she does not come well alongside, she +rather falls short and sheers off. A woman is being held over the side +by the two men: "Don't let go, Jack; don't let go!" the woman struggles, +the position of the men is so awkward that they cannot hold her firmly, +and she is struggling from their grasp, while the mad waves leap below, +and if she falls she must at once be swept away by them, and down she +does fall, but at that moment the boat sheers in again, just enough to +enable one of the men to grasp the clothes of the woman and to drag her, +as she falls, on to the side of the boat, and she too is saved. + +Again to work; another woman, she is sobbing, and cries out piteously, +"Oh! don't shake me; be careful, don't hurt me!" Poor creature! she is +very near her confinement; down she falls from the hands of the men who +are holding her into the arms of the boatmen, and rolls over into the +bottom of the boat. Some of the husbands on board throw blankets down to +the poor half-dressed women in the boat; the blankets are rolled into +bundles that the wind may not carry them away. Some of the women in the +boat are crying aloud for their children; a passenger rushes frantically +to the gangway, cries, "Here, here!" and thrusts a big bundle into the +hands of one of the sailors, who supposes it to be merely a blanket +which the man intends for his wife in the boat. "Here, Bill, catch!" the +sailor shouts and throws the bundle to a boatman who is standing up in +the boat; he just succeeds in catching it, as it is in the point of +falling into the sea, and is thunderstruck to hear a baby's cry proceed +from it, while there is a shriek from a woman, "My child! my child!" as +she springs forward, and snatches it from him, which tells, indeed, of +the greatness of the danger through which the poor little thing has +passed. In spite of all the boatmen's care and labour the boat every now +and then lurches with a tremendous thump against the ship's side, and +would be stove in but for the massive cork fenders which surround her, +and still she is leaping and tossing about; now high as the main chains +of the ship, now low in the trough of a big sea, the hollow of which is +so deep that it leaves but little water between the bottom of the boat +and the sands; but with all eager haste the men work on, and at last, +after many hair-breadth escapes, and some heavy falls, thirty women and +children are got on board, and the boat is declared to be full. + +The boatmen cast off the hawsers from her bow and stern, and begin to +haul in hard upon the cable. They draw the boat up to the anchor with +much difficulty, for as the range of cable gets shorter, the boat jerks +and pitches a great deal in the rush of the short waves, and in the +swing of the tide. The anchor is up at last; the sails are hoisted; the +boat feels her helm, gathers way swiftly, and shoots clear of the ship. +A faint and half-hearted cheer greets them as they pass astern of the +vessel; the remaining passengers watch them with wistful and somewhat +anxious glances as they plunge on through sea and foam. Away the boat +bounds before the fierce gale--on through the flying surf and boiling +sea--on, although the waves leap over her and fill her with their spray. + +Buoyantly she rises and shakes herself free, staggering as a cross wave +mid the broken water dashes itself against her bows; tossing her stern +high as she climbs the waves' tall crests, then pitching almost bows +under as the rolling waves pass under her stern; and lurching heavily on +her side as she sinks into the trough of the sea. It is, in spite of +their hope, a dread time for the poor women and children on board her, +with those whom they love as themselves, left, they almost fear, to +perish on the wreck, and while to themselves death at every moment seems +very near; trembling with cold and excitement, they crowd together, and +hold on to the boat, to each other, to anything; it is hard to think of +safety while the boiling seas foam so fiercely around, ready, it seems, +at any moment to overwhelm and bury the boat in their fierce waves. And +the poor women take a more convulsive and firm grasp, as every now and +then the men see a giant cross sea heading towards them, and give a +quick warning cry--"Hold on!" and the sea comes with a clean sweep over +the boat, almost washing them out of her. + +The steamer, as has been said, towed the life-boat well to windward, +that she might have a fair wind before which to run in for the wreck, +but as soon as the life-boat left the steamer, away she speeded round to +the other side of the Sands, to leeward of the wreck, that the boat +might again have a fair wind to her as she comes from the wreck, and she +now lays to, awaiting the boat's return. + +On she comes; the broken water is now passed; the air is full of scud +and spray, but the cross seas overrun her no longer; she is in deep +water, and the exhausted emigrants begin to raise their heads and look +about them; they could not have endured that continual breaking of the +waves and rush of water over them much longer; how their hearts lift +with joy as they hear the cheering voices of the men, and have the +lights of the steamer pointed out to them, shining bright and near! + +Thus, with thirty women and children, their first sheave of the harvest +to be gathered from death, the life-boat men run their boat alongside +the _Aid_. The steamer is put athwart the seas, to form a break-water +for the boat, which comes under her lee; the roll of the steamer, the +pitching of the boat, the wild wind and sea, with the darkness of the +night only faintly broken by the light of the steamer's lanterns, render +it a somewhat difficult matter to get the women out of the boat. As the +boat rises the men lift up a woman and steady her for a moment on the +gunwale, two men on the steamer catch her by the arms as she comes up +within reach, and she is dragged up the side on to the deck. There is +here also no time for ceremony; a moment's hesitation, and the poor +creature might have a limb crushed between the steamer and the boat. As +each woman is thus got on deck, two men half lead half carry her to the +cabin below. + +One woman struggles to get back to the boat, crying for her child, the +men do not understand her in the roar of the gale, and she is gently +forced below; again the rolled-up blanket appears, it is handed into the +steamer, and is about to be dropped upon the deck, when half-a-dozen +voices shout out, "There is a baby in the blanket!" and it is carried +down into the cabin, and received by the poor weeping mother with a +great outburst of joy. + +"God bless you! God bless you!" she exclaims to the man, and then +blesses and praises God out of the abundant fulness of her heart. + +Some of the poor women are completely overcome by the reaction which +takes possession of them now that they find themselves in safety; they +had been comparatively calm and resigned during their hours of hardship +and danger; now they realise the nature of the peril to which they have +been exposed, and in which many whom they love are still placed. Some +throw themselves on the cabin floor, weeping and sobbing; some cling to +the sailors, begging and entreating them to save their husbands and +children who are on board the wreck; while others can do little else +than offer up some simple form of prayer and praise to God. + +Instantly that the boat is freed from her passengers she drops astern of +the steamer, and is towed round the sands, to get again into position to +make a second trip to the vessel; and when the straining cable is let +go, and her sail hoisted, she heads round, gathers way, and bounds in +like a greyhound through the troubled sea towards the wreck. A slant of +wind comes and drives her from her course, and she fails in reaching the +ship, and makes for the open water. The steamer speedily picks her up, +tows her into a more favourable position, and the boat soon gets again +alongside the vessel. + +There are still on board more women and children than will fill the +boat, and they have to leave some half-a-dozen behind. All the old +difficulties in getting the women down the side of the vessel into the +life-boat are repeated, although the wind has now fallen a little. They +make for the steamer, and as each new comer is handed down into the +cabin, the anxiety of those who are eagerly looking for some loved one +is great indeed, and the meetings again, after so dread a separation, +are naturally very affecting. + +For the third time the boat makes to the ship, and now brings away the +remaining passengers. The cabin of the steamer is full of women and +children in every stage of exhaustion and excitement; and they are all +very thankful to God for the full answer vouchsafed to the earnest +prayers of the previous night. + +It has taken more than three hours to get the emigrants on board the +steamer; there has been additional delay created by the boat twice +failing to reach the ship, but this very delay, which at the time seemed +so unfortunate, was, under God's providence, the means of saving further +life. + +The life-boat again makes for the _Fusilier_ to see what the crew of the +vessel will do, whether they will abandon the vessel at once, or wait to +see the result of a change in the weather which seems to promise. They +get alongside; the gale has gone down very considerably, and the tide +has been falling fast for some time. The ship being light, has not +received so much injury from the thumping on the ground as they +anticipated; and, as she is high up on the sands, the tide has left her +the sooner, so that she has settled down in shallow water, and there is +now, therefore, no immediate danger; although, should the wind get up +with the returning tide, she may be very speedily beaten to pieces. + +The captain of the ship thinks that if the wind goes down she may +possibly be got off at the next high tide, as she has not been much +knocked about; but while he is unwilling to abandon the vessel while +there is a chance of her being rescued, he feels the greatness of the +risk, and wishes the life-boat to remain alongside him. It is nearly +day-light; the night is clear, and the wind still blowing very hard, +although the fierceness of the gale seems expended. + +The life-boat makes her way to the steamer, and takes orders to be given +at Ramsgate to send luggers with anchors and cables, that every effort +may be made to get the ship off, if the weather continues to moderate. +The boat then returns and lies by the ship, while the steamer, heavily +freighted with rescued emigrants, makes the best of her way towards +Ramsgate. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE "DEMERARA," AND THE EMIGRANTS' WELCOME TO +RAMSGATE. + + + "Eternal Father, strong to save, + Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, + Who bid'st the mighty ocean deep + Its own appointed limits keep; + O hear us when we cry to Thee + For those in peril on the sea." + + _Hymn._ + + + "Now we must leave our fatherland, + And wander far o'er ocean's foam; + Broken is kinship's dearest band, + Forsaken stands our ancient home. + + "But one will ever with us go, + Through busiest day and stillest night; + The heavens above, the deeps below, + Stand all unveiled before his sight." + + _Hymn._ + + +The emigrants describe their perils to the men on board the steamer, and +mention that during the previous evening, while their ship was driving, +and some time before she struck, they saw a large ship in great +distress, and drifting fast in the direction of the Sands, but that as +darkness set in, they lost sight of her. + +The crew of the steamer keep a sharp look-out for this vessel, or for +any signs of her. She is evidently the one of which they had already +heard, and of which they had been in search before they discovered the +_Fusilier_. + +After some time they discover part of a mast and other wreckage +entangled in the Sands, and can only conclude that the vessel has gone +utterly to pieces, with the loss of all hands, during the night; they +must speed on, and get the poor emigrants cared for on shore with all +possible haste. But for the delay that had been occasioned, the steamer +would have been far on its way to Ramsgate by this time, while it was +yet too dark for them to see any distance; now in the grey light that +increases rapidly they can search for any other signs of wreckage. As +they proceed down the Prince's channel, and get near to the +light-vessel, they see the small remnant of a wreck, which they think +may be the bowsprit and jib-boom of a vessel dismasted and on her beam +ends; they get nearer to her, and find that she is well over on the +north-east side of the Girdler or Shingle Sands. Some of the crew wish +to launch the steam tug's small life-boat, eighteen feet long, and make +in through the surf to the wreck, to which they think they can see some +of the crew clinging; but it is considered too great a risk to take so +small a boat through such a broken sea, and it is agreed that they had +better go back for the large life-boat. + +They put back, and passing to leeward of the _Fusilier_, strike the flag +half-mast high, as a sign that the boat is to join them. This she +speedily does, and they together make for the newly-found wreck; as they +approach her, they can see that she is a vessel on her beam ends, with +only her foremast standing. The life-boat makes in for her; the men +wonder greatly that the vessel has held together so long, for she is +broken and torn almost to pieces; the copper is peeled off her bottom, +the timbers are started, rent, and twisted; the planking is wrenched +off, almost all the cargo is washed out of the shattered hull, and here, +and there, the light is to be seen through her bottom; there remains now +little more than the skeleton of the ship that a few hours before, taut +and trim, had buoyantly bounded over the seas; and where was her gallant +crew that had so bravely sailed her then? The foremast, feebly held in +position by a remnant of the deck, lies stretched a few feet above the +water. The crew and pilot have been lashed to it for many hours, and +have, for that time, seemed to be trembling over a fearful and yawning +grave; the heavy waves foam up and beat against the hull, and the doomed +ship is, bit by bit, being torn further to pieces. The crew, as they +cling on, hear the timbers creaking and snapping; the deck was blown up +as the water covered it, by the force of the confined air, and its +fragments have been swept away in the swift tide. + +The heavy waves make a greater and greater breach over the ship; at +times the ship lifts a little from the mere force of the blows given by +the tremendous seas; at any moment the foremast may break off short, +and the wreck be rolled right over. The mast quivers at every shake and +heave of the wreck; the fierce tide rushes five feet beneath where the +trembling sailors cling, over whom the waves are continually breaking. +An hour passes, and the men are to their wonder still spared; another +and another hour, but they have no means of giving any signals of +distress, and there seems no room whatever for hope. How can there be? +they ask each other. Suddenly they make out a steamer's lights in the +distance, and watch them with a wistful curiosity; to their astonishment +the steamer seems to make directly for them, and then to cruise +backwards and forwards within a few hundred feet of them. + +A few of the trembling sailors shout out once or twice, but the rest +smile grimly at the idea of any voice being heard, even a few yards off, +in the roar of such a gale. + +They watch the steamer's lights in a very agony of suspense, but without +any hope that they themselves can be discovered in the darkness. + +They see a smaller light some distance astern of the steamer, and +imagine it to be that of a life-boat. As they hopelessly watch the +movement of the vessels, they hear the dull throb of heavy guns from the +distant light-ships. They see the faint flashes of light from the +rockets: they know that these signals are calling to the steamer and +life-boat to speed on elsewhere, to the rescue of other drowning ones; +yes, the steamer, in answer to these signals, is leaving them, and +abandoning her vain search, and with a deepening despair they watch her +lights grow fainter and fainter, and at last disappear in the distance. +So they are left alone in their desolation, while the wild winds roar +and the hungry waves rage around them. + +The moon goes down, the darkness deepens, the gale rushes by more +furiously than ever; then comes a slight lull, and a faint light streaks +the horizon. They tighten their grasp upon the trembling mast and torn +rigging, and speak a few words of hope. + +They may yet witness another sun-rise; for in the dull grey light of the +early dawn they can see faintly a steamer in the distance. She is +approaching, but her course will hardly bring her near enough to +discover them, lying as they are up on one torn mast only just out of +the water. How intensely they watch her! and many an earnest beseeching +prayer is uplifted, and from some hearts that were withal not much +accustomed to prayer. Eagerly! eagerly! they watch her! How some feebly +speak words of hope, while others will not be aroused out of their +despair! Thank God! she changes her course, and makes in directly for +the Sands, upon the edge of which their frail wreck rests. They may all +begin to hope again, and joy comes in upon them like a flood. They shout +aloud, and wave a rag of canvas, the only means of signalling that is +left to them. The steamer sees them, she dips her flag as a signal that +they are seen; and then, to the unspeakable horror of the poor men, +slowly turns round, and steams away full speed in the direction from +which she came. An agony of fear again comes over the poor fellows; +they feel that they cannot be altogether deserted. Upon reflection, +they see that no ordinary boat could live through the surf which +separates them from the steamer; and the steamer would only have been +herself wrecked if she had come any nearer the Sands. She must have gone +for a life-boat. How long will she be away? They shudder as the creaking +mast trembles beneath them; and look with heart dread at the yawning +gulf of wild waters which gapes a few feet below; and they cannot but +have a dismal fear that the steamer on her return with assistance, may +find no vestige left either of them, or of the remnant of wreck to which +they cling. + +A short time, which however seems long indeed to them in their great +suspense, and they again see the steamer, and soon they can make out, to +their great joy, that she has the life-boat in tow. Still the flying +surf beats upon them, and drives them, with its sheer weight, still +closer to the mast; still the water rages around, while they cling with +all desperate energy to the quivering shrouds; they are cold, and +drenched, and exhausted, but they are full of hope; their hearts are +lightened, their strength seems to return, the long hours during which +they have seemed hopelessly face to face with death are passed, for the +life-boat is near, and her gallant crew are speeding to their rescue. + +The life-boat comes swiftly on, running before the still heavy gale; now +rising like a cork to the mounting seas, or plunging boldly through the +surf and broken water. Her men forget the long night-struggle of +fatigue and danger through which they have passed; much noble, +self-denying, and dangerous work have they done, but they have still +noble work to do--more lives to save, by the help of God--and with cool +determination they cheerfully proceed to their new labours. + +They find the water more and more broken as they near the ship; the +waves are flying high over the lost vessel; the ebb-tide is running +strongly. From the breaking seas, and from the position of the wreck, +now on her broadside with her keel to windward, they cannot anchor on +the windward side and let the boat drop gradually in upon the wreck, +their only chance is to run with the wind abeam right in upon the +fore-rigging. It is true that there is considerable danger in this, but +at such times the life-boat men cannot stop to calculate danger, and +must be ready oftentimes to risk their own lives in their attempts to +save the lives of others. They, therefore, charge in straight amid the +floating wreckage, and the boat hits hard upon the iron windlass, which +is still hanging to the deck of the vessel. + +A rope is thrown round the fore-rigging, and the group of exhausted +sailors shout with joy as they greet the glad friendly faces of the +life-boat men coming in upon them out of the storm of desolation that +rages around. The crew, sixteen in number, including the pilot and a boy +of about eleven years of age, are to the last extent exhausted and +feeble, and slowly drop one by one from the mast into the boat, and +leave to its fate the last storm-torn fragment of the _Demerara_, which +has been for so many hours their only hope. + +"Oars out, and pull hard; let us get clear of all this wreckage before +we have a hole knocked in the boat's bottom," and every boatman strains +his hardest; soon they are clear; now a moment's delay ere they hoist +the sail, and a great shaking of hands all round, and warm greetings, +and heartfelt thanks from the saved ones, and the boat's sail is again +hoisted, and away they make through the surf. + +It is now nearly ten o'clock in the morning; they soon reach the +steamer, which is waiting to leeward. The emigrants have been watching +the movements of the boat with the keenest interest; their feelings of +sympathy are moved to their very depths, by the fact of their having +passed so lately through similar scenes of danger and rescue. + +They crowd the deck, and shout after shout greets the boat; the women +cheer at the top of their voices, and welcome, with outstretched arms, +alike the rescued and the rescuers. + +One warm-hearted Irishwoman seizes the coxswain's hands in both hers, +and shakes them with might and main, sobbing out, as the tears roll down +her cheeks, "I'll pray the Holy Father for you the longest day that I +live." + +The steamer is literally crowded with rescued people; the cabins are +given up to the women and children, and the poor people half forget +their present misery in great thankfulness for their safety; they are +wet and cold, and trembling with excitement and with the effects of +their long hours of fear and exposure; the cabin is small and crowded to +the extreme; the steamer rolls and pitches tremendously, as she makes +her way through the cross seas which still run high and broken, though +the height of the tempest is past. + +It is no unusual occurrence for a crowd of people to be grouped at the +pier-head, watching with interest for the appearance of one of the many +steamers which, with flags flying in token of goodly freight, and with +gay appearance, as fitly betokens holiday time, makes swiftly for the +harbour; but with a deeper interest than ever is excited by such holiday +scenes is the steamer waited for now. + +It is one of those bright, genial winter mornings of which Ramsgate has +so goodly a share. Many persons have been attracted to the pier to take, +on that pleasant promenade, a good instalment of the fresh breeze, and +to watch the sea, bright with sunshine, and the waves glistening and +flashing in their turmoil of unrest. + +Intelligence spreads that the steamer and life-boat have been away all +night, and are now every minute expected to round the Point and appear +in sight. + +Great is the feeling of gladness, and deep the satisfaction, as the +gallant _Aid_ appears with her flags flying, and flags flying too at the +life-boat's mast-heads, telling the glad tale of successful effort. The +crowd rejoices greatly in the good work done; and as the steamer comes +nearer it is seen that never on a summer's day did steamer bear a fuller +freight of holiday-seekers than does the _Aid_ now bear of those who +have been rescued from deadly peril. + +From the pier the crowd look down upon the multitude on board, and feel +that that throng of fellow-beings have been just snatched from death, +and a thrill of wonder and gladness passes through the on-lookers, and +combines with that half formed sense of fear, which a realization of +danger recently escaped either by ourselves, or by others, always gives. + +The crowd waves, and shouts, and hurrahs, and gives every sign of glad +welcome and hearty congratulation, and as the steamer sweeps round the +pier-head, the pale upturned faces of one hundred and twenty rescued +men, women, and children, smile back a glad acknowledgment of the +welcome so warmly given. It is a scene almost overpowering in the deep +feeling that it produces. The emigrants land; they toil weakly up the +steps to the pier, all bearing signs of the dangers and hardships +through which they have passed. + +Some are barely clothed, some have blankets wrapped round them, and all +are weary and worn and faint with cold and wet and long suspense. There +are aged women among the emigrants; some who had been unwilling to be +left behind when those most dear to them were about to seek their +fortunes abroad; others had been sent for by their friends, and to them +the thoughts of the terrors and trials of a sea-voyage had been overcome +by the longing to see, once again before they died, the faces so long +loved and so much missed; to see perhaps the grand-children upon whom, +although they had never looked, yet they had thought of until they had +become almost part of their daily life. It is piteous to see these aged +women totter from the steamer to the pier. + +And young men and young women are of the number; they, crowded in the +race at home, determined to seek in a wider field to make better way. + +Here a poor stricken woman looks wistfully upon the white face and +almost closed eyes of the baby in her husband's arms. This is the child +that was so nearly lost overboard as it was thrown into the boat wrapped +up in a blanket; the mother's fears were not realised--the baby speedily +recovered. + +It now becomes the glad office of the people of Ramsgate to bestir +themselves on behalf of those suddenly thrown upon their charity. + +The agent of the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Society at once +takes charge of the sailors. Accommodation is found for the emigrants in +houses near the pier, and a plentiful meal at once supplied; many of the +residents busy themselves most heartily; clothes, dresses, coats, boots, +and all necessary garments are most liberally given; the people are +ready to _spoil_ themselves on behalf of the poor emigrants. + +And thus warmed, fed, clothed and consoled by the heartfelt sympathy +that is so evidently and practically manifested, the poor emigrants +recover in a wonderfully short space of time from the state of physical +and nervous exhaustion to which they had been reduced; but they are +never likely to forget the terrors of the night, or the debt of +gratitude they owe to the gallant Ramsgate life-boat men, who so nobly +effected their rescue. + +Subscriptions in the meantime have been raised in the town to pay all +expenses, and to put into the hands of the poor emigrants some little +ready money. + +One of the shipping agents has telegraphed to the owners of the ship, +and been empowered to provide the emigrants all needed board and +lodging; he does so, and on the next morning forwards them to London. A +crowd of Ramsgate people bid them good-bye at the station, and receive +grateful acknowledgments of the kindness and sympathy that have been +shown, and they from their hearts wish their poor friends God speed. + +The emigrants were cared for in London by the owners of the _Fusilier_. +The weather moderating the morning after the wreck, the emigrants' +things were got out of the vessel and sent on to them; and the owners of +the _Fusilier_ soon obtained another ship, in which they forwarded their +passengers, and they had a prosperous voyage to Melbourne. + +The _Fusilier_ was ultimately got off the Sands, but no vestige of the +_Demerara_ was ever again seen. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE WRECK OF THE "MARY"--GALES ABROAD. + + "Yet more! the billows and the depths have more! + High hearts and brave are gathered to thy breast! + They hear not now the booming waters roar, + The battle-thunders will not break their rest. + Keep thy red gold and gems, thou stormy grave! + Give back the true and brave!" + + _Mrs. Hemans._ + + +The year was fast dying out. Inland the wild winds did little to disturb +the progress of Christmas preparations, or the happiness of Christmas +gatherings. The blasts swept ragingly along, and the last of the dead +leaves were torn from the withering branches. The stalwart trees battled +sturdily in the woods; but many a stout veteran that had long laughed at +storms, at last was bowed in the grasp of the gale, and fell prostrate, +or, like a fainting giant, leant with arms all abroad against his +fellow-strugglers in the strife. + +In the towns there was much wondering gossip at the force of the wind, +and here and there some trivial disasters to record; but for all its +rage and bluster, the gale did not gather on shore many trophies of its +strength, and swept moaningly out to sea, to find in the yielding waters +a more ready ally, as it would visit with its wrath man and his works. + +The brave ships that were caught by the gale were prepared to accept the +accustomed challenge. It overtook the tall vessels, and then the +swelling sails garnered the force of the wind and held it captive, and +made it speed the swift ship along. + +It fell with its full strength upon the stout ships riding at anchor, +and moaned through the shaking rigging, and by the swaying masts and +yards, while the groaning cables shuddered in every link, and the strong +anchors grappled the ground with a tighter and tighter grasp, and held +the good ships safe, in spite of the raging wind and rush of sea, safe +from the greedy waiting sands, or cruel rocks. + +Thus on the tempest-lashed ocean all was life, and energy, and conflict; +and the dying year, as its closing hours sped away, had at sea the +howling winds and seething waves to sing its dirge, and storm weary +sailors, and storm-beaten ships to mark its close. + +Ships from the Thames, from the east coasts of England and Scotland, +from all northern Europe--ships sailing under every flag, and bound to +all ports, gathered day by day in the Downs anchorage, where they waited +for the strong south-westerly gales to give place to a more favourable +slant of wind, that they might pursue their way down Channel; but still +the strong adverse winds prevailed. But while the outward-bound ships +were thus obliged to halt in their course, the homeward-bound ships came +foamingly along, their masts bending like whips under the small spread +of canvas they were alone able to carry. Like white-winged gulls they +fled over the leaping seas, and threaded their way through the crowded +anchorage of the Downs. + +The careless sailors laughed at the heavy blasts of wind which in their +force only hurried the good ship on, and thus gave the crews a better +prospect of realising their hopes of being in Old England on the near +Christmas tide, to spend it with their friends on shore, and share in, +and by their presence greatly add to, all the pleasures of the season. + +But the smaller vessels at anchor in the Downs began to ride uneasily, +the force of the gale fell on them with unchecked fury, the swift tide +pressed them sore, and raging seas broke over them again and again. +Their anchors began to drag; the breakers on the Goodwin Sands leapt and +foamed dangerously near to leeward; there was also danger of collision +if their anchors continued to drag, the ships in the Downs being so +crowded together. Yes, there must be a flight from the Downs on the part +of many of the smaller craft. Some vessels make for Ramsgate harbour, +not many, as the charges are now so high and restrictive as almost to +make it cease from being a harbour of refuge. Other vessels make for an +anchorage round the North Foreland; a dangerous experiment this, as it +frequently happens that a sudden lull comes in the southerly gale, and +in a short time the wind chops right round, and begins to blow from the +northward harder than ever. It was so on the occasion of which we are +writing. If a strong fort, under which a fleet was anchored for +protection, suddenly fell into the hands of the enemy, a greater change +would not be wrought in the position, as to the safety of the vessels, +than is occasioned by this sudden shift of wind to the vessels in the +Margate Roads. The high cliffs which have been their shield now become +their deadly peril. It had been desirable to gain their shelter, it is +now a necessity to escape from their neighbourhood as soon as possible. +And so, on this occasion, as the wind chopped round all was at once +astir; some ships succeeded in regaining their anchors, others had no +time or power to do so; some were driven ashore; twenty or thirty +vessels had to slip their cables, and as, with no anchors on board, the +captains did not dare to remain in the neighbourhood of the Sands or +land, these vessels were hauled on a wind, and like a flock of weary +frightened birds went staggering out into the North Sea.[1] The +hovelling-luggers from Ramsgate, Margate, Deal, and Broadstairs are out +during the gale; they go in chase of the ships that have fled from their +anchorage; they place men on board such vessels as need them, either to +act as pilots, or to assist the weary crews. Some of the luggers receive +orders to fetch anchors and cables for such vessels as have lost theirs, +and away they go plunging and speeding through the seas, making for the +nearest port where they can find agents to supply them; and then out +again with all speed, heavily laden, with anchors and chains, in search +of the vessels which have employed them, and which have, likely enough, +been driven by the force of the gale, far from the position in which the +luggers left them. + +At midnight the gale gathers increased force; the dark heavy clouds seem +to settle lower and lower, and as the snow-squalls sweep by, the air and +sea seem one confused mass of flying foam and snow. + +The storm rages at Ramsgate Pier with all its fury; the pier stands an +advanced fortress unmoved by the fierce attack of the waves, and it is +well manned by brave boatmen, the reserved guard of the storm--Storm +Warriors ready to sally forth to rescue life at the first signal of +danger. One or two waggons, heavily laden with chains, and trucks with +anchors, are being drawn down the pier by the struggling horses, the +spray in heavy volumes washing over all. + +Luggers in the harbour, and alongside the pier, are rolling and pitching +in the rough tumble of the miniature sea that the gale arouses even +there. + +An anchor is hanging from the crane, a lugger beneath it is tossing up +and down; the men are doing their utmost to guide the anchor in its +descent into the boat as she plunges about; it is perilous work for all +hands; it seems a marvel that it can be done without staving in the +boat, or crushing the men. + +A group of boatmen are crouching under shelter of the wall of the pier, +near the life-boat; the night wears away--it is three o'clock in the +morning. + +A boatman makes his way to the pier-head; he finds the coxswain of the +life-boat on the look-out. + +"Well, Jarman, a heavy gale this." + +"A heavy gale indeed, Gorham; it is blowing great guns and no +mistake--a terrific sea, too; just the night for our work, and I shall +not be surprised if some is cut out for us, and pretty stiff too, before +the morning." + +"Likely enough, it is a sort of touch-and-go night for the Goodwin. I +noticed before dark several vessels riding in the Gulls; now the wind +has cast in so heavily from the north, it will go hard with some of +them, I fear. + +"Yes, I noticed them; they must have a bad time of it now; it is to be +hoped that the anchors will hold; it will be almost sudden death for any +poor fellows whose ships touch the Goodwin to-night; why, with the sea +that must be now raging there, it would take in a ship almost at a +mouthful." + +"True enough, coxswain; I have been very anxious about them all +night--cannot help thinking about them." And it is supposed that the +boatman's fears were very terribly justified. One vessel was wrecked in +the way we are about to tell; and very grave fears were felt as to the +fate of several others; when the morning came, not one of the vessels +that had been noticed the evening before as being anchored in such a +dangerous position was to be seen, and yet it was almost certain that +not any of them could have got away in safety. + +Fishing-smacks that had been lying-to not far from the North Foreland +saw the fleet of vessels driven from the Margate Roads, and afterwards +saw several of them flying signals of distress, and apparently in a +sinking condition; but from the extraordinary force of the gale, the +fishermen could render no assistance, and the weather was too dark and +thick for the signals for help to be seen from the light-vessels, or +from the shore; moreover, a good deal of wreckage was seen floating +about in the morning, and the mast-head of one vessel was discovered +standing out of the water upon the Goodwin, the last seen relic of some +unknown ship and crew. + +Among the vessels observed during the afternoon to be at anchor in a +very perilous position in the Gull Stream, and making very bad weather +of it, was the _Mary_, a schooner of about 170 tons; she had been a +Dutch galliott, had a cargo of coals on board, and was bound from +Shields to Dieppe. + +There was one fine young man on board, David Fullarton. Life seemed more +especially dear to him, as he was engaged to be married; the +arrangements for the wedding had been made; he had been busy in +preparing a home; and a short voyage from Shields to Dieppe and back, +would do something towards the expenses, and he would not be long away; +and so there were bright memories to look back upon, bright hopes before +him; but this terrible storm seems to cover all with its shadow. As soon +as darkness sets in, and the gale shows signs of increasing in force, +Fullarton becomes very anxious, and keenly alive to the danger the +schooner is in; time after time he entreats the captain to have the +masts cut away, that the vessel may ride more easily, and be less +exposed to the fury of the wind. "Do! captain, pray do! for the sake of +our lives let it be done! we are dragging our anchors--we are fast +driving on the Sands;" and again he begs the captain to signal for +assistance. "Why not! why not? you will do it too late, captain, too +late!" the poor fellow cries in his restlessness and distress. + +The night grows on, and its terrors multiply; the intense darkness, the +wild sea, the howling winds moaning and wailing through the rigging, the +hoarse roar and thunder of the breakers raging on the near Goodwin +Sands. + +At last, the captain feels that the schooner is in great danger, and +orders the crew to set a tar-barrel on fire; they hasten to do +so--Fullarton working with eager haste; but the wash of the sea over it +and the heavy wind will not let it burn; they fill the barrel with tow +and tar, and grease, and at last get it to flare up with a fierce flame +that resists the storm; the watch on board the Gull light-ship had +noticed before dark the danger of the vessel, and had been keenly on the +look-out in her direction for signals of distress; on Ramsgate Pier, +also, an anxious look-out had been kept for some hours, the boatmen +expecting disasters in that quarter. + +It is a little before four in the morning; the men on board the +light-vessel see the signal of distress, and fire a gun and send up a +rocket to convey to the shore the tidings that help is wanted. + +The boatmen at once commence preparations with all energy, they arouse +the men asleep in the watch-house on the pier, a man hurries to give the +harbour-master notice, the crew of the steamer _Aid_ get ready for sea, +the harbour-master hurries down the pier and gives the men orders to +start on their merciful and perilous errand. + +Away they go in the teeth of the hurricane, clearing their way through +the leaping foaming waves and the clouds of heavy spray. + +The town and harbour lights gleam out in the darkness, but there is no +looking back for them on the part of the men, and there may be none; +until by God's mercy, their work is successfully finished, and then +doubly will the lights shine out a glad welcome on their triumphant +return home. + +The lights they now look for are the beacon fires of warfare; calls to +conflict and peril; guides into the thickest of the dread battle-field. +As the life-boat lifts on the curl of a wave, the crew see the +flickering flame of the signal-fire that is burning so fiercely in the +tar-barrel on the wreck; they make in for the signal at once, pass +through the Cud channel; snow-squalls come sweeping by, adding to the +cold and darkness, and shutting out from their view all lights on the +Sands; the men are eager and excited in their quick sympathy for the +shipwrecked crew--eager to brave all the dangers of the lashing seas +which they know must be leaping and tearing about the wreck. And they +well realize the deadly peril the poor shipwrecked seamen must be in, +and think little in their struggle onward of all the hardships they +themselves are enduring. + +For about forty minutes they battle their way, and then find themselves +near the wreck; the signal flame from the burning tar-barrel leaps, and +flickers, and burns low, and is almost extinguished by the spray; the +life-boatmen watch it anxiously, for they know that if the crew of the +vessel cannot succeed in keeping it alight, it will be almost impossible +for them to find the vessel in the darkness of the night; the crew of +the schooner also feel this to be the case, and bring clothes and +bedding, and all the tar and oil they can get at, and by great exertions +manage to keep the fire burning. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[1] NOTE.--_Extract from Newspaper._--"Five vessels wrecked off +Margate:--On Friday evening there were about one hundred and fifty +vessels anchored in the Margate and North Foreland Roads, where they +were sheltered from a south-westerly gale. Suddenly, about one o'clock +on Saturday morning, a violent gale sprung from the north-east, and the +vessels in the Roads were compelled to slip their anchors and seek the +nearest shelter. Rockets and flares were seen displayed in all +directions from the numerous distressed vessels. The Broadstairs +life-boat and the Margate life-boat, the _Quiver_, put to sea. Four +vessels were driven ashore, three in the Main, and one in Margate Bay, +and the crews of three were saved by the Broadstairs life-boat. Another +vessel was run down off the North Foreland, and it is reported that +another has gone to pieces on the Tongue Sand, and, it is feared, with +all hands." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE WRECK OF THE "MARY"--A STRUGGLE FOR DEAR LIFE. + + "Sleep on; thy corse is far away, + But love bewails thee yet; + For thee the heart wrung sigh is breathed, + And lovely eyes are wet." + + _G. D. Prentice._ + + +"Now, my men, make ready!" the coxswain cries; "we've got our work +before us." + +The night is wild, and dark, and bitter, blinding snow, and sleet, and +storm-wrack rush along on the wings of the gale. + +The Sands are alive with the rolling breakers, the fierce dash and +seethe of the waves upon them add to the roar of the tempest; never was +a battle-field more full of raging foes than is that into the midst of +which our Storm Warriors are about to rush; never was band of men more +beset by foes, more helplessly, hopelessly beset, than are the crew of +the _Mary_; how shall they be plucked from the midst of ten thousand +raging waves? any one of which would swamp an ordinary boat; it can only +by any possibility be done by such a boat as the life-boat, and only by +such men as the life-boatmen. + +And now the men settle to their work. + +The mainsail and mizen are already close reefed, they are got ready for +instant hoisting. The steamer lashes through the seas towing the boat +farther to windward, the hawser is let go, the men hoist the sails as +fast as they can in the leaping rolling boat; she feels the force of the +blast, lays over on her side, down with the helm, she rights, her head +comes round, and in through the boiling seas she makes for the wreck. + +Each boatman has his life-belt on, and as the seas break more fiercely +over the boat, the men twist the life-lines round their arms, so that if +some huge wave, rushing over the boat, should wrench them from their +hold, and wash them out of the boat, or that the boat should upset in +the curl of a breaker, that they may have the better chance of getting +back to her. + +Each time that the boat lifts on the top of a wave they can make out the +signal-fire on board the wreck, as the boat falls in the trough of a sea +they speed swirling along, through a very gauntlet of hungry waves which +leap upon her, as wolves would leap upon a strong horse; but she throws +them off, as the horse might the wolves in the impetus of his speed and +power. + +"Ready in the bow?" + +"Ay! Ay!" + +"Ready all?" + +"All ready." + +"We are nearing the wreck," a plunge forward on a big wave, and the +dismasted vessel is seen only a few fathoms off. + +"Over with the anchor, down with the mainsail; keep up the mizen, to let +the boat sheer, and now for the wreck." + +The life-boatmen are near enough to her to see by the fitful blaze of +the tar-barrel that she is a small schooner, with a high stern, and that +she is totally dismasted, and they recognise the Dutch-looking craft +that they had watched during the afternoon; they catch the gleam of the +pale faces of the crew, who are clinging to the gunwale. + +Poor fellows! how they gaze out in the darkness; death, death, so near +from the raging storm, from their sinking ship, from the terrible Sands +on which the wreck of their vessel will be torn piecemeal by the strong +fierce waves in so short a time. + +How they cry out with hope, as they first catch sight of the lights that +are shining out in the gloom, and drawing nearer and nearer! it may be +only the lights of some vessel as badly off as they are: they will not +think so; they are on the Goodwin, the signals have been made, and +answered from Ramsgate; if the life-boat can save them, they will be +saved, and this small light dancing so wildly in the storm, and drawing +nearer out of the dread darkness of the wild night, may be the light of +the life-boat, and they will not despair. + +It _must_ be the life-boat! no other boat could come in through the seas +as that boat has done; and now as she nears, the light is reflected on +her blue-and-white sides, and they hear the men shout, and the poor +fellows pass from despair to hope, and cling harder than ever to the +gunwale of the wreck, as the seas wash over them. + +On board the life-boat they veer out the cable rapidly; many fathoms run +out, but still they seem to get no nearer the wreck, on the contrary, +the wreck is getting farther and farther from them. + +As the life-boatmen made the vessel out in the darkness, they supposed +her to be hard and fast on the Sands, and as they neared, and could see +how the waves were beating over her, this appeared still more to be the +case, but it proves not to be so; the tide is much higher than usual, +and the wreck, with two long lengths of chain-cable dragging over her +bows, is drifting over the top of the Sands, and with the force of the +gale, and in the strength of the tide, drifts faster than the men on +board the boat are able to veer out the cable. + +"Hold on the cable, the wreck is drifting, we must up anchor; to it, my +men, hard and fast as you can." + +This getting in the life-boat cable and anchor is terrible work; the +wild seas are literally raging over the boat; it was bad enough when the +boat was under weigh, running before the wind, bounding along with the +waves in their flight, and thus escaping much of their fury. + +But now the boat is head to the seas, she meets them as they rush on +with all their force, and she wrenches and jerks at the cable with a +power that threatens to tear her to pieces. + +As many men as can lay hold of the cable do so; they cling on to the +boat with their legs round the thwarts; they give the hawser a couple of +turns round the bollard--a timber head in the fore part of the boat used +for towing purposes; a huge wave passes; the boat falls in the trough of +the sea; as she falls the strain of the cable lessens; "Haul, and with a +will, my men, haul!" they get a fathom or two of cable in; the curling +crest of a broken wave falls on board, almost smothering the men, and +filling the boat; she droops and staggers under the weight of water; the +men in her as they cling to the thwarts are up to their necks, the +air-tight compartments in the boat lift her, the valves in the floor +open, she empties herself in a few seconds; a huge short wave curls on, +she rises to it, buoyant as ever; it catches her under the bows, throws +her high in the air, as if it would turn her end-over-end; the men cling +to the hawser for a breathless moment; it checks the boat, the wave +breaks over the boat in a cloud of spray and foam; the boat drops; the +men shake their heads free of the water; again a loud shout from the +coxswain; "Haul, haul, your hardest, my men, hand over hand!" they get +in a few more feet of the strong rope, and so much nearer to their +anchor; and then hold on with straining muscles for another dread +struggle with the next huge sea; hardly time for a few quick breaths, +and here the sea comes, like a terrible monster, with shaking mane and +gnashing teeth; it foams along, gleaming out of the darkness and +straightly leaps upon them; and thus amid all the wild turmoil of the +raging breakers, with the boat thrown violently here and there in the +might of the seas, with the waves breaking over her in such quick +succession that the men can scarcely find time to breathe, does the +fight go on in order to recover the anchor and cable; the men had no +thought of themselves; they had but to cut the cable and run before the +gale, and the fierce strife would be over; no! they must, at all costs, +recover the anchor and cable, or they will not be able to save the crew, +and they will fight and wrestle for it to the end. At last the cable +shortens, another pull and the boat is right over the anchor, she lifts +on a sea, the anchor is torn from its hold, and lifts with her: in with +it, make it fast, hoist the sails, the boat's head pays round, and she +is again steered for the wreck. As the boat runs before the wind and +seas, the men, who are thoroughly exhausted, have a few minutes of +comparative rest. + +The time occupied by the life-boat men in recovering their anchor has +been a dread time indeed, for the poor shipwrecked crew. + +With their shattered and slowly-sinking vessel staggering and shuddering +beneath their feet, the heavy seas thundering against her and breaking +over her, each one threatening to be the final one which shall sweep +them all to destruction; the men seemed to be each moment on the verge +of death. + +The storm howls around them, their only ray of hope proceeds from the +life-boat light, which shines feebly through the mist, and suddenly the +boat has halted short in her course towards them; why, they can scarcely +understand; but one thing they are sure of, that it is no failing +courage on the part of the men; it is impossible that they should be +left to perish in their distress. + +Their one effort now is to keep the tar-barrel in full blaze, and +cruelly the wind and seas seem to do their utmost to destroy this their +last hope, and leave them without the signal which alone can guide the +life-boat to their rescue. + +Fullarton, poor fellow, is working with an excited energy, burning in +the barrel everything that he can lay hands on, that is at all likely to +feed the flame. + +He had left home a few days before, so full of hope and joy, and glad +anticipation; they had had bad weather, and anxious watches, and +sleepless nights since they sailed, and now the poor fellow is almost +overwrought by work and watching, and broken down with dread anxiety. +"It is not for myself so much, not for myself, as for my poor girl," he +says to his mates; they, kind fellows, amid their own cares and +anxieties, and memories, and fears, do what they can to cheer him up. + +Now as the life-boat comes rushing in through the seething seas, and +breaks out from the darkness into the light of the fire which they +succeed in keeping burning on the deck of the schooner, it is +Fullarton's voice that is heard in piercing tones above the roar of the +gale. "Be as quick as you can! be as quick as you can! we are sinking +fast." + +Yes! it is very evident that the vessel must soon founder; the wild seas +are rushing over her; her deck is almost level with the surface of the +water; at any moment she may refuse to lift to the rise of the sea, and +with one plunge sink bodily down. + +The coxswain of the life-boat sees that the schooner is still drifting, +and decides upon not anchoring the boat, but tries to run alongside the +wreck, which is being kept head to the seas and wind by the drag of her +chains. The boat runs alongside within a few feet; the grappling-irons +are thrown on board, they catch in the gunwale of the wreck, the boatmen +take turns with the lines round the thwarts, and begin to haul the boat +slowly up to the wreck; it is hazardous work, for she is deeply laden +with coals, and is half full of water; she is buried in the seas, and +labouring very heavily; the men are afraid that in the rush of some +cross sea the boat will be tossed bodily on to the wreck. + +The boat lifts up on the crest of a towering wave; there is a tremendous +strain upon the stout grappling-lines, a moment's lull in the rush of +the broken water. "Haul in hard upon the lines, get her alongside, now, +my men; sharp, my men!" the coxswain shouts; and then to the vessel's +crew: "Be ready to jump directly we are near enough!" "Aye! Aye! all +right, all right!" the crew cry, excitedly, and crouch ready to spring +upon the gunwale, and over into the boat. "Be ready all! be ready all!" +the coxswain again cries, as he tries to sheer the boat near enough for +the men to jump on board. "Now! now! Stop! hold on, hold on all for your +lives!" A tremendous breaker comes gliding on like a dark snow-crowned +wall, deluges the men with the foam and spray that flies from its +crest, lifts the boat in its strong grasp, the grappling-lines snap +like threads, and the boat is swept on in the rush of the wave far away +from the wreck; the boatmen look back, and in the glare of the +signal-fire they can see the pale white faces of the despairing and +terrified sailors, and as the boat is driven on through the dark wild +seas, the cries of the poor fellows can be for some time heard +penetrating the tumult of the storm. + +Before the boat was driven away from the vessel, at the moment of the +ropes parting, the coxswain, seeing that the boat would be carried away, +shouted at the pitch of his voice, "Have ropes ready!" the crew heard +the words; and are consoled in the depth of their disappointment; they +know that they are not to be deserted, that while ship and life-boat +both last, attempt after attempt will be made for their rescue. But how +long will the wreck float under them? this is the terrible question, and +they call out, and this is the cry that the boatmen hear indistinctly: +"We are sinking fast! We are sinking fast!" + +The swirl of the sea and the tide, and the force of the gale, drive the +boat far away to leeward; the men hoist her sails again, heave her to, +and then try to stay her, and make in again directly for the wreck; but +she misses stays, as the seas come rushing over her, and they have to +wear her round. They battle on, and are speedily ready for their third +attempt, thankful to find that the poor labouring wreck is still afloat. + +They run the boat close under the schooner's port-quarter; the sailors +are all ready with the required ropes; they throw one on board the boat, +and the men in the boat succeed in throwing two strong lines on board +the wreck; once more the order is to haul in close alongside. + +And again the boatmen see the white faces of the almost drowned and +exhausted men light up with hope. Fullarton especially is full of joy in +the reaction of his feelings; he almost feels saved, and is very +excited. Cautiously the boatmen work, doing their utmost to prevent the +boat being dashed against the wreck; now they are just alongside; two +minutes more, and all are saved; no, a heavy sea comes foaming along, +and as it breaks fills the boat and rushes over the ship, which staggers +under its weight; the ropes which fasten the boat to the ship, jerk and +wrench, but still hold; the boat lifts, clears herself of water, the men +breathe again. Another tremendous wave comes rushing along, another, and +then several in quick succession; the men cling with all their force to +the thwarts; heavy volumes of water beat down upon their backs; the boat +plunges, and is wrestled here and there in the strong tumult of the +waves; the ropes seem ready to tear the masts and thwarts to which they +are fastened out of the boat; at last one rope parts; another gives the +moment after; the boat rises on the crest of a wave, she heels over, the +third rope breaks under the tremendous strain, the boat springs forward +and is torn away from the vessel, and is rapidly swept away under her +stern; a loud shriek is heard, it is from poor Fullarton; the boatmen +see him as he stands between them and the glare of the flame; he throws +up his clasped hands in despair; the next moment he wildly rushes along +the deck, for a second balances himself on the gunwale, crouches and +springs with all his force towards the boat--a heavy thud; he hits the +bow of the boat as she is driving away stern first; a cry from the +boatmen, "Man overboard!" as he sinks a huge wave rolls over him, and +bears the boat farther away; Jarman, the coxswain, seizes a life-buoy +and jumps upon a thwart ready to throw it to the man when he rises; a +blast of wind catches Jarman, nearly tumbles him overboard, and throws +him down into the bottom of the boat, wrenching the life-buoy from his +hand; the drowning sailor is again lost to sight in the trough of the +sea; he is swimming and struggling hard, but the boat, although without +sails, is being driven faster than he can swim; the men see his wild +desperate efforts, as he plunges and springs forward with outspread arms +as if to grasp at the boat; he is lifted high on the crest of a wave; it +curls him over, and with a cry he falls head first, and is buried in the +trough of the sea; once more they make out his figure as he springs up +on the top of a wave between them and the signal-fire; once again they +hear his cry of despair, and he is lost to them, and to all dear to him +on earth for ever. + +It is all over in a few seconds; the hardy boatmen shudder and feel sick +at heart: so suddenly, so terribly, so swiftly has the strong man died; +and to see their brother sailor thus perish within a few yards of them, +beaten under by the boiling waves so quickly that they were utterly +powerless to aid, is indeed, terrible to all. But not a moment is to be +lost, any one of the mad seas which rush so continually over the wreck +may founder her with its weight, or sweep the exhausted men out of her. +The wreck cannot by any possibility float much longer; how can the men +be saved? The life-boat is now right astern of the vessel, which is +drifting slowly towards them; the seas run with such violence, swaying +the wreck in one direction and the boat in another, that it is evidently +useless to attempt to fasten the boat alongside the wreck, and the +coxswain determines to adopt a new plan. The boat is right astern of the +wreck, which is slowly drifting towards them; the coxswain of the boat +will anchor the boat right in her path, and try to sheer alongside as +she drifts past, and thus get the crew out of her. "Over with the +anchor; veer out as little cable as she will ride to; hold on, stand +ready all!"--and they anxiously watch the approach of the wreck. + +On the wreck comes straight for them; the boats mizen sail is hauled +flat to help the boat sheer out of the ship's way; they must manage +skilfully or she will drive right over the life-boat; the helm is put +hard up; the mizen catches the wind; the boat sheers, the wreck just +misses her; the boat is close to her starboard quarter. Down helm, and +the boat sheers in close alongside, the men in the bow pay out the cable +quickly to let the boat float alongside the ship, "Jump when we near!" +they cry to the crew; "jump for it! be steady, but do not lose a +chance!" a sea throws the boat within a yard of the wreck, three men +spring on board; a moment, and the next rush of sea sweeps the boat away +and buries them all in foam. As the sea overruns the boat, the boatmen +cling to the sailors who have sprung on board, to prevent their being +washed out of her. "Have we got all?" "No, only three, one is left!" +"Look out, then, my men; in we go again! the lee-tide is running very +strongly--the cable is paying out fast."--"There is only about ten +fathom of cable left," the men in the bow shout to the coxswain; he +sheers the boat in, they can just make out the figure of a man at the +stern of the vessel; they cry out to him: "Be ready; 'tis your last +chance; you must jump for your life; we shall hardly have time to come +in again;" they close in alongside; a heavy sea knocks down the men in +the bow who are paying out the rope; at that moment the man on the wreck +makes a desperate leap for the boat, he falls among the men; the end of +the cable runs out into the sea. "Rope gone!" is the cry, but the man is +saved; the ship is on the point of sinking, and they at once lose sight +of her in the dark night. It is the captain who is last on board the +boat; he looks round with thankfulness upon the life-boatmen and upon +his saved crew: "But where is Fullarton?" he asks. "The man who jumped +for the boat when the ropes parted." + +"He fell short of the boat, and we could not save him," is the sad +answer. + +"Poor fellow, poor fellow! he was so terribly anxious, he could not +wait. Oh! that he had only waited with us! but he was almost in despair +before the boat came, and seeing you break away the second time was too +much for him." And afterwards he told them the drowned sailors piteous +story--what a good fellow he was, and that it was because he was to be +married upon his return home that he was so anxious, and felt life to be +doubly dear to him. + +It is about seven o'clock in the morning; the day breaks wild and cold, +and dismal as weather can well be. The faint light of the dawn scarcely +makes its way through the thick clouds of flying spray and foam and +half-frozen snow that drive fiercely along. + +A dread suggestive picture as witnessed from the cliffs on shore is that +of the Goodwin Sands in a storm--the raging mountains of white surf +springing high in the air, and breaking into clouds of spray, and the +waves racing along the Sands in foaming rollers, strong to sweep +anything before them: to watch this from the shore at a distance of six +miles is enough to make one shudder, so terrible a picture does it give +of wild, hungry, irresistible power and rage, but what must it be for +those who have to encounter this turbulent sea in the very thick of its +strife; in a boat almost buried by the waves, clinging to the thwarts, +the life half beaten out of them; and yet, hour after hour enduring all +hardship, and sternly battling with all resistance--and all this the men +in the life-boat have yet to endure. + +The boat is on the top of the south end of the Sand, and in the fiercest +strife of the wild sea, a foaming wilderness of water all around them; +the waves seem mad in the very fury of their contest; they rear up and +clash together with a roar and hiss; rush swiftly on; recoil as swiftly +back; now meet others in their full onward swoop and contend for +mastery; leap high in angry curling crests, then fall with thunder +tones, but only to form in serried ranks, and rush swiftly again into +the wild race and conflict. + +No ordinary boat could endure this for a minute, the first of these mad +curling waves would engulf her at once; the life-boat alone can contend +with such broken battling seas, and come out a victor from the strife. + +The men crowd aft that the boat may run better before the gale; they put +oars out on each quarter to help the boat steer, and to prevent her +broaching to, for if she does, the curl of the wave is so strong that +she will be rolled over, and probably many of her crew and passengers +lost, for although she would right again directly, all could not expect +to get back to her in such a sea; she is full of water; the seas break +over her in such quick succession, that she has no time to free herself, +but she bounds on, and on, and soon, but not without much danger, the +men escape from the broken water and reach the outer part of the Sand. + +The boat is now put under fore-sail and mizen, both close reefed, hauled +to the wind and pressed through the seas, to be certain of making the +land, from which the gale is blowing so strongly. + +The boat heels over under the pressure of her canvas, one gunwale is +buried in the seas; the rescued men have never been in a life-boat +before, and feel much alarmed. + +"Ah! Geordie, man," says the captain to the mate, "this is queer sort +of sailing; it's sailing under water altogether;" and the men afterwards +confessed, that not knowing what a life-boat could do, they expected +every moment that she would capsize, and felt themselves in almost as +much danger in the boat as they had been on board the wreck. It takes +the boat about an hour and a half of this hard driving through the seas +to beat up against the gale and get near to the land; the men then find +themselves not far from the South Foreland light, between Deal and +Dover. The ships in the Downs are many of them in great danger, driving +from their anchorage, and some with signals of distress flying. + +An English man-of-war is at anchor there; as the life-boat flies under +her stern, the men on deck give a hearty cheer in honour of the Warriors +of the Goodwin Sands. A large Dutch ship is next passed, all her crew +crowd aft, and with much energy they also cheer the brave boatmen. + +Some large Deal luggers are cruising about; the men on board see with +much surprise the flag flying at the life-boat mast-head, telling the +tale of triumph, that a crew had been rescued; for they declared in +speaking about it afterwards, that they thought it a mere impossibility +to get a crew off the Goodwin in such a night, and through such a +terrific sea. + +The life-boatmen begin to be uneasy about the steamer; they saw her last +about five in the morning, with the Goodwin Sands close under her lee, +and facing the full force of the gale. + +They think that she will have run down the Sands and be waiting for +them; they put the boat about, and run out a little, hoping to meet her; +after they have laid-to for about half an hour, waiting for the steamer, +a heavy squall strikes the boat, and carries away her mizen-mast; they +at once wear her head round to the land, and run into St. Margaret's +Bay. The men fear that if they leave the protection of the high cliffs, +the boat, as she is now partially disabled, may be blown over on the +French coast by the force of the gale, and they therefore run down under +the cliffs to Dover. Here they find further evidence of the terrible +nature of the gale; ships are being towed into the harbour disabled; the +sea is making a clean breach over the cross wall; part of the esplanade +has been washed away, and the mail packets have been driven back in +distress; hundreds of people, hiding in sheltered places, are watching +the fury of the sea; they have for some time seen, with much interest, +the gallant life-boat, with her flag flying, making for the harbour, and +many come down the pier to welcome her. The life-boat, as she shoots +round the head of the pier, meets the strong wind in all its force; she +has lost her mizen-mast, anchor, cables, and has scarcely a spare fathom +of rope left; she is fast being driven out again to sea, when they +manage to get a rope to her from the pier, and many willing hands clap +on, and tow her slowly along; in the meantime the harbour-master sends +the steam-tug to her help, and the boat is soon safely moored in the +inner harbour, and the men who have for so many hours encountered such +great hardship and peril are once more upon dry land. + +The shipwrecked crew are well cared for by the agent of the Shipwrecked +Mariners' Society; the life-boatmen go to the Sailors' Home, and under +the influence of a hearty welcome and substantial cheer, speedily +recover from the effects of their long exposure and fatigue. + +The coxswain hastens to telegraph to the authorities at Ramsgate the +safe arrival of the life-boat at Dover, and there is great satisfaction +felt there at the assurance of the boat's safety. + +While the life-boat was in among the breakers, battling with the seas, +and disentombing, we may almost say, the terrified sailors from the +hungry grave which yawned around them, the steamer kept her ground, as +near as possible to where the captain thought the life-boat was at work, +and just clear of the surf. + +They waited hour after hour, but no signal came from that fierce +battle-field; the hoarse blast of the storm, the many-voiced roar of +waters, overwhelmed all other sound; the darkness of the night, the +clouds of sleet and foam engulfed all in gloom. The crew of the steamer +waited on in much anxiety, and not free from great peril. + +The daylight broke, a grey flood of misty light rolled back the greater +darkness, but they could see no signs of the life-boat; they could make +out by-and-by a few spars tossing wildly among the leaping seas and a +tangled portion of wreck; they steam in as near to it as they dare, and +with their glasses watch closely every shadow, or spar, or mass of +wreckage, but see no signs of life; the sea is silent as to the fate of +the crew, and after a careful and vain search, the captain of the +steamer, feeling sure that if the life-boat has succeeded in getting +clear of the Sands, she must have been forced by the gale to run to +Dover for shelter, he determines to make the best of his way there. +Jarman, the life-boat coxswain, sees the steamer making for the harbour, +and hastens to the pierhead; one wave of his arm tells the whole story +of success and safety. + +The crew of the life-boat and of the steamer alike realize the +responsibility of their work, that it is indeed one of life and +death--that they must not be out of the way when wanted if they can help +it; for that any delay may be fatal to some dying crew, who are perhaps +straining their eyes in vain searchings for their one earthly hope, the +life-boat. + +All hands at once prepare for their return to Ramsgate; back round the +stormy South Foreland again; and home to be greeted, as such conquering +heroes should be greeted, with smiles of welcome from hundreds of faces +brightening up with hearty sympathy, and with ringing cheers that tell +alike of admiration for courage, and of gladness for their return; +cheers that know no reserve, as they welcome those who come triumphant +from the battle-field--cheers for those who come not from death-dealing, +in however good a cause, but from life-saving--leaving none to echo +their shouts of victory with the wailings of defeat. + +The following letter will prove an apt and not uninteresting conclusion +to the story, as it expresses the deep gratitude of the men who were +saved, and gives in simple heartfelt language their tribute of thanks, +and their declaration of admiration for the gallant and self-denying +efforts by which their rescue from otherwise certain death had been so +nobly effected. + + + "_119 Church St., North Shields. Capt. Shaw, Harbour-master, + Ramsgate._ + + "DEAR SIR, + + "I, the undersigned master, and likewise the crew of the _Mary_, + which were saved by the gallant coxswain, Mr. Jarman, and his crew + on the morning of the 21st inst., which I do believe to be + unrivalled, for my idea is they used every effort to save the young + man which was drowned, but it was in vain; we all beg to return a + vote of thanks to Mr. Jarman and his crew; likewise to you, dear + sir, which has everything in such order and discipline for the + rescue of life; and may the Lord bless them all, and look over + them, when trying their uttermost efforts to rescue their + fellow-men from a watery grave! + + I cannot express my feelings good enough to reward the brave + fellows' attendance. My love to them all, and I will make a letter + appear in the public press after I get myself settled, therefore I + beg to conclude." + + "From your grateful Friend, + + "WILLIAM FOREMAN, Master. + "C. H. MOORE, Mate. + "JOSEPH COLLINS, Carpenter. + "THOMAS ATCHINSON, A. B." + + +To which letter the harbour-master returned answer, stating how +gratifying it was to all connected with the life-boat and steam-tug that +such gallant and skilful exertions should have reaped such success; the +sympathy and great regret that was felt for the loss of their young +shipmate; and that there were at Ramsgate, at all times both by day and +night, gallant boatmen ready and willing to risk their lives when called +upon to perform such perilous undertakings. + +And, readers, can we do better than often, and especially when gales are +abroad, echo the prayer offered for the life-boatmen by the rescued +master of the _Mary_.--"The Lord bless them all, and look over them when +trying to rescue their fellow-men from a watery grave!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +DEAL BEACH. + + "Then courage, all brave mariners, + And never be dismay'd, + While we have bold adventurers, + We ne'er shall want a trade; + Our merchants will employ us + To fetch them wealth, we know; + Then be bold--work for gold, + When the stormy winds do blow." + + _M. Parker._ + + +Few places in the world, if any, have proved the scene of more daring +sailor-life than Deal beach. Generation after generation of boatmen have +passed away, having spent their lives, from early boyhood, in continuous +strife with the swift tide, strong seas, and rolling surf that race +through the channels off Deal, and break upon the Goodwin, or upon the +Shingle beach. + +Other antagonists the old days used to provide, and the young men's +hands grew hard with handling the bow, or spear, or javelin, or the +musket, cutlass, or boarding-pike, as well as with handling the tiller +and the ropes. + +In the days of old, the Northern Sea Kings were, to the east coast of +England, like clouds on the horizon, ever threatening a storm, but +without any indication as to where the storm would break. + +The coast of Kent was especially open to their attacks; they came down +like wolves on the fold; a bright sunny morning, a bowling northerly +breeze, a few specks on the horizon standing out darkly with the clear +dawn behind them. + +A few hours, and the Norsemen were at work; a fishing-village, wrecked +and half buried in ruins, some of its stout defenders lying gashed and +ghastly among its smoking embers; trembling fugitives still hurrying +inland with a few of their lighter and more treasured goods, and the +marauders holding swift and triumphant debauch upon the shore, as with +rude cries of mirth and victory, they prepare to start seaward again +before time can be found to gather forces to make any attack upon them, +or any efforts can be made to regain the plunder the hardy robbers have +obtained, or to revenge the slaughter they have worked. + +The Romans, when they were lords of the land, felt the necessity of +resisting these roving Sea Kings in a determined and organised manner; +they formed nine military stations along the coast, and placed all under +the command of an officer, to whom they gave the sounding title of Count +of the Saxon Shore. + +Four of these stations were in Kent--Reculver, Richborough, Dover, and +Lymne. Remains of the Roman fortifications still bear witness that they +were intended in defence from an enemy whose power was not lightly +esteemed. + +This military organisation of the Romans was afterwards developed into +the establishment of the Cinque Ports and their respective members, the +jurisdiction of which embraced a coast line from Reculver to Hastings. + +The inhabitants of the Cinque Ports well earned and fully obtained great +honour in the old days. The free men of the ports were styled barons, +and held rank among the nobility of the kingdom. They stood the vanguard +of defence against all England's continental enemies, and their service +is thus described by Mr. Boys in his 'History of Sandwich': + +"The inhabitants were always on the watch to prevent invasion; their +militia were in constant readiness for action, and their vessels stout +and warlike, so that, in Edward the First's time, they alone equipped a +fleet of one hundred sail, and gave such a blow to the maritime power of +France as to clear the Channel of those restless and insidious invaders. +The state depended upon them for the safety of its coast-line and towns, +and their services went by no means unrewarded; an encouragement they +had always been accustomed to receive, and this for commercial as well +as for warlike enterprise, as by the wisdom of our Saxon ancestors, a +merchant who had at his own expense three times freighted vessels with +home produce was entitled to the rank of thane or baron. The Barons of +the Cinque Ports walked in procession at the coronations of the kings +and queens, and at the feast of the coronation had an especial table +allotted to them in Westminster Hall at the right of the king; this +privilege was preserved up to the time of the coronation of George the +Third." + +All this is evident and sufficient testimony of the nature and extent of +the services of our coast heroes in defence of their country; and still +the enterprise and daring continue, and bold, vigilant warfare goes on, +although defence against a foreign foe has long ceased to be its first +consideration. In later times, indeed, the revenue officers +unfortunately, and to no small extent, took the place of the foreign foe +in the minds and labours of by no means a few of the boatmen and +inhabitants of these towns situated so conveniently adjacent to the +Continent; and the enterprise and labours of the boatmen were no less +daring, if less patriotic than in former days, and smuggling was +elevated into as organized a business as fishing is now: one writer +rather quaintly remarks, "Yet even this smuggling is not without its +utility, for however the revenue may suffer, it gives birth to a very +intrepid race of seamen, who are of the greatest service in relieving +others from the dangers which befall shipping on this coast in bad +weather." + +Certainly the boatmen of Deal beach are not now, and probably never have +been, surpassed for skill and daring. + +If they can by any possibility get their famous luggers out to sea, no +hurricane daunts them; their splendid boats glide over the seas, +escaping the broken water--now high on the wave, now buried in the +trough--and look like so many strong-winged gulls, as they seem almost +to play with the storm. + +Falconer, in his 'Shipwreck,' pays the following tribute to the skill +and courage of the boatmen: + + + "Where e'er in ambush lurks the fatal sands, + They claim the danger, proud of skilful bands! + For while, with darkling course, the vessels sweep + The winding shore, or plough the faithless deep; + Or bar, or shelf, the watery path they sound + With dexterous arm, sagacious of the ground. + Ceaseless they combat every hostile wind, + Wheeling in mazy track with course inclined; + Expert to moor where terrors line the road, + Or win the anchor from its dark abode." + + +Let us take a peep at Deal beach, and try to realize some of the scenes +that are there to be witnessed. + +Suppose a fine clear winter's day. A gentle south-westerly breeze has +been blowing on and off for several days; many ships have found their +way out of the Thames, or have beaten down helped by the tides from the +North Sea, and having reached the Downs there ride safely at anchor; the +ships-boats, or the galley punts, as the small Deal boats are called, +are doing the little work that is to be done, and the large luggers are +drawn high upon the beach. + +The boatmen are lounging about the beach here and there, or they are +smoothing the shingle down with shovels, where the tide has heaped it +up, to give the luggers a fair run down into the sea in the event of +their being wanted; tanned sails are spread abroad upon the shingle +drying, women hang about knitting and watching the ships at anchor for +any signal for a boat; at times there is a move down the beach to help a +boat that is coming ashore out of the surf and to drag it up high and +dry. + +The wind gets a slant to the south-east as the tide ebbs, and at once +all are alert in the fleet of ships at anchor in the Downs, that have +been waiting for a fair breeze. There is a hurry to the beach of all +officers, sailors, or passengers that may be ashore; the last supply of +fresh provisions is taken on board those ships on which the Captain can +afford to be luxurious: you can hear the orders shouted, the capstans at +work; jibs are set, topsails loosened, the anchors got up and catted, +the sails let fall, and away the ships go down Channel; a fresh +northerly breeze bowls along and lasts some days, the outward bound +ships go flying through the Downs with top-gallant sails set; and except +that they land a few pilots, there is nothing whatever for the Deal men +to do. + +At last a change of weather promises, the homeward-bound are to have a +turn; the outward-bound must anchor in the Downs and wait a while. The +French coast shows out clearly, the gulls are whirling about uttering +shrill plaintive cries; the boatmen watch the sunset, greyish white +streaky clouds are gathering in the west, the sun looks _sheer_, is the +boatmen's word for it, and as the long rays of light break through the +clouds--ah! yes, we shall have a change of wind and weather. "The sun is +setting up his backstays." "Bright _skies_ make dirty ways;" and before +daylight closes the men overhaul their luggers and see that everything +is ready for a sudden start, should their services be needed. + +A mizzling rain comes on, the wind is round to the westward and +freshening; some of the vessels which have been among the last to pass +Deal bound to the southward, give up the hope of getting down Channel in +the face of the freshening breeze, and return to find anchorage in the +Downs. + +It is a likely night for work, and the boatmen get ready for a cruise; +everything is prepared to launch one of the large luggers; she is now +drawn up high upon the beach; her crew of fifteen men hasten to get +ready for sea. It is a dark and squally winter's morning, about one +o'clock; fourteen of the men are now on board, each at his station; one +man stands ready to cut the lashing of the stop which holds the boat in +position on the ways; they wait till a squall passes; the word is given, +the lashing cut, the man springs to the gunwale of the boat, and climbs +on board. Scarcely has he tumbled over the side when the boat rushes +down the greased ways and is launched into the surf; the mizen is +already set, the foresail is hoisted with all speed, and the boat speeds +on her way seaward. + +As the day comes the breeze freshens, and many luggers are cruising +about, speaking the vessels at anchor, or the vessels running through +the Downs, ready to offer any assistance in their power; upon some of +the vessels they put men to pilot them into Ramsgate harbour, or round +the North Foreland into the Margate Roads. + +Or if the wind has blown heavily, there will be generally some vessels +that have lost their anchors and cables, and the boatmen will receive +orders to supply fresh ones. + +There is sometimes a degree of surprise expressed at the amount claimed +by a boat's crew for taking an anchor and cable off to a vessel in +distress; it requires some knowledge of the work to appreciate its +danger, and how hardly and well the money awarded is generally earned. + +Consider, as an example, the case of the _Albion_ lugger, as it happened +during the gale, some of the incidents of which we are about to relate. + +The _Albion_ during her cruise meets with a vessel which is driving +before the increasing storm; she has lost both her anchors and cables, +and the lugger receives orders to supply her from the shore; the hardy +crew receive the order gladly, put the lugger round, and beat through +the heavy seas, making for Deal. They have to force the boat against +wind and tide, and much skill is required to prevent her being filled by +the rising seas which sweep around her; now she rushes upon the beach, +the surf breaks over her and half fills her with water; with a +tremendous thump and shake, she strikes the shore with her iron keel. + +As the wave which bore the lugger in upon the beach recedes, a man +springs overboard from the bow with a rope in his hand; many catch hold +of the rope, and haul their hardest to keep the boat straight, head on +to the beach; there is a stem strap--a chain running through a hole in +the front part of the keel; a boatman watches his opportunity, and as a +wave sweeps back, rushes down and passes a rope through the loop of the +strap; the other end of this rope is fastened to a powerful capstan, +which is placed high up on the beach. "Man the capstan! Heave with a +will," and the strong men strain at the capstan bars until the capstan +creaks again. There is no starting the lugger; she is so full of water +from the surf breaking on the beach, that she is too heavy for the men +at one capstan to move her; ropes are led down from two other capstans, +and rove through a snatch block fastened to a boat on the beach; all put +out their strength, round they tramp with a "ho! heave ho!" and slowly +the lugger travels up the beach, and is safe from the roll of the +breakers. The men get the water out of her, haul her higher up on to a +swivel platform, turn her round head to the sea, and the leading hands +hurry away to inquire about an anchor and cable. The agent supplies them +with such as seem suitable for the size of the vessel, and which will +perhaps weigh together about seven tons. + +There is no small amount of labour attached to getting the anchor and +chain cable on board the lugger, but in a short time all are again ready +for sea. + +The gale has rapidly increased in force, and a frightful surf is running +on the beach; the roar of the breakers on the shingle, the howling of +the storm, the gleam of white foam, shining out of the mist and gloom, +all picture the wildness of the storm, but the undaunted boatmen do not +hesitate; all is ready, the signal given, the boat rushes down the steep +ways, and is launched into the sea. A breaking wave rolls in swiftly, +it meets the bow of the lugger in its rush, fills her; for a moment the +big boat runs under water, and then is lifted and twisted like a toy in +the grasp of the sea, and is thrown in the heave of the wave broadside +on to the beach; a cry of horror from all on shore, and a rush down to +aid the crew, who are all--there are fifteen of them--struggling in the +surf; now the men are washed up by the wave, and feel the ground, and +stagger forward; now they are caught again by a breaker and rolled over; +it is for each of them a terrible battle with the fierce seas; here, one +gets on his feet and stumbles forward, he is caught by the men on shore +and dragged up the beach; there, a man is lying struggling on the +shingle, trying in vain to rise, exhausted and confused; two men seize +his collar and pull him forward a yard or two, then get him to his feet, +and he escapes the next wave, which would have washed him out to sea +again. Now all the men seem to be saved; names are shouted--do all +answer? no! there is one missing; all rush to the water's edge, and gaze +into the darkness; eagerly watching each shadow mid the surf; there he +is! no! yes it is! there lifting on the surf; there rolling over: +"Quick, quick, form a line!" and the brave boatmen grasp each other's +hands with iron strength and form a chain, the lowest of the four or +five men at the sea end of the chain being in the water; the waves +battle with them, but sturdily they persevere; at last the body is +within the reach of the seaward man, he grasps it, the men are dragged +up the beach, and the poor insensible man is carried ashore. Alive? or +dead? they cannot say, and with a great fear in their hearts they carry +him hurriedly up the beach, and soon, to the great joy of all, he gives +signs of life, and gradually recovers. + +In the meanwhile the poor boatmen on the beach have nothing that they +can do, but watch their fine boat, which was worth five hundred pounds, +being torn, and hammered to pieces in the surf, plank after plank is +wrenched from her, now with a loud crash she is broken in half, the two +halves part, the anchor and cable fall through her, they can see part of +the fore-peak with one side torn away, floating in the breakers; soon +that also is rent to pieces, and nothing but fragments of the boat float +in the surf, or are strewn about the beach, and the boatmen, +heavy-hearted, but thankful that they have escaped with their lives, go +slowly to their homes, to rest for a few hours, and recruit their +strength, and then to be ready to form part of the crew of any other +boat, and at the first summons to rush out again to the encounter with +the stormiest seas. + +In a narrative of adventure and conflict with the seas that rage over +the Goodwin Sands, it would not be well to refrain from bearing +testimony to how readily, how gallantly, the men of Deal, of +Broadstairs, of Walmer, and of Kingsdown, as well as of Ramsgate, man +their respective life-boats, whenever the call is made for their +services, and race out to the scene of action, full of hardihood, of +skill, of courage--true Storm Warriors, ever ready to dare all and do +all that they may rescue the drowning from a watery grave. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE LOSS OF THE "LINDA," AND THE RACE TO THE RESCUE. + + "A sudden crash, the mast is gone, + And with it goes all hope; + No longer can the fated crew + With the surging waters cope. + + "Now they commit their souls to God, + As men about to die; + For vain seems all the help of man + In this extremity." + + _G. Ward._ + + +At daylight, in the morning after the destruction of the _Albion_ +lugger, the weather grows worse and worse; the grey misty gloom that +hangs over the sea is scarcely broken by the swift gleams of light that +find a faint way through the fast drifting clouds. + +And the weather continues to grow more tempestuous still as the night +grows on. Many ships come scudding northward before the gale; they make +the South Sand Head light, and steer their course for the narrow Gull +channel that runs between the Goodwin and Brake Sands. The South Sands +Head light-ship is moored at the southern extremity of the Goodwin +Sands; it is about three miles from the South Foreland light. + +In thick misty weather, which so often prevails in the Channel during +westerly gales in winter time, it is often very difficult for vessels to +make either of these lights. + +And as the edge of the Goodwin Sands is very steep at this part, and has +deep water close to it, keeping the lead going scarcely affords +sufficient protection, for between two casts of the lead a vessel +running fast may well pass out of deep water on to the Sands, and there +be lost. + +So it often happens that vessels running through the Downs in such +weather, suddenly find themselves in a position of great peril. + +On the night in question, the men on board the light-ship keep an +especially vigilant watch, as the darkness of the night adds to the +gloom which spreads its folds over the raging sea, and the direction and +force of the wind, and the many ships that are flying before the gale, +suggest the probability of disaster. + +About midnight, the men on watch make out, in the lift of the mist, a +fine brig not far from them, driving before the gale, and making +straight for the Sands; the alarm is given, and a gun at once fired to +give the unfortunate crew warning of their danger. + +The look-out men fancy, by the changing of the position of the brig's +lights, that the crew are making an effort to alter the vessel's course, +and to weather the Sands; but it is too late! nothing can save her! The +crew of the light-ship lose sight of her in the darkness, and make all +ready to signal for the life-boat to come to the rescue of her crew; +they wait a minute or two, watching, in the direction they think the +brig must strike, for the usual signals of distress, and almost +immediately see the bright flare of a tar-barrel; they fire a signal-gun +from the light-ship, and its warning voice booms loudly above the storm; +then they send up rockets; the shipwrecked are thus encouraged to hope, +while the ready boatmen on shore are called to action. + +The signals are seen at the Walmer life-boat station, one mile from +Deal; and at the Kingsdown station, three miles from Deal; at both +places the call is promptly and eagerly obeyed; the life-boats are got +ready with all haste; they are speedily manned and launched, and +struggle their way through the boiling surf, which is rolling upon the +beach. They spread all the canvas they can stagger under, and the two +boats fly before the gale straight for the light-ship; there they learn +the position in which the signals of distress were seen, and cruise +round the edge of the Goodwin in all the fierce tumble of sea, and skirt +the ring of surf which marks where the rollers are breaking with +terrible force upon the Sands; but they can obtain no guide, no clue to +where the wreck is; no signal light shines out of that drear darkness +pleading for help, and no sound can the men hear, listen as they will, +other than the ceaseless roar of the storm. Still the brave boatmen will +not abandon the search, and for some hours the boats continue their vain +efforts. + +The crew of the Kingsdown boat determine at last that further search is +useless, and as it is not possible for them to beat back to their +distant station in the teeth of the gale, they run for Ramsgate, +arriving there just before dawn. The Walmer boat continues cruising in +the neighbourhood of the Sands until after daylight, when her crew, +seeing no signs of the wreck, also determine to make for the shore. + +The seas have been steadily increasing in violence, and are now running +very high, and as they curl and break, the crest of each wave is caught +by the fierce wind, and dispersed in a cloud of spray. + +Bravely the boat sails on through the troubled seas; she is constantly +overrun by the waves, and filled with water, but each time she speedily +regains all her buoyancy, and bounds on over the seas. The men have +almost too much confidence in her, as if no amount of sea and wind could +possibly capsize her; they carry on a press of canvas, until the stout +masts bend and the ropes strain again, and they make the sheet fast; but +now a fierce huge wave comes rushing along, catches the boat broadside +on, lifts the boat high on its crest, and then completely curls her over +and passes, leaving the boat capsized, and all the men struggling in the +water. + +But it is however only a passing victory, after all, that the sea can +boast over the life-boat; at once she rights herself, gets rid of the +water that fills her, and rides upon the seas as bravely as ever. + +Happily all the men have on their cork jackets, and in them they float +breast high; never was there such a wild dance as they now seem to +dance; tossed high and poised for a moment on the cone of a leaping +wave, again engulfed in the hollow trough of a sea, with a wall of +tumbling water all around; rising and falling in quick succession, their +arms beating broken time as they struggle to swim towards the boat, +which begins to drift fast away; it is fortunate that some of the men +have retained hold of the life-lines, the ends of which are fastened to +the boat, by these they haul themselves alongside her, and all soon +succeed in getting on board. + +Away again through the Downs, across the high rolling seas, making for +the shore, but their troubles are not yet at an end; a blast of wind, +fiercer than its fellows, strikes the sail, the boat careens over; at +that moment a huge wave leaps on the boat, strikes it with such force +and so high, that it fills the sail with water and drives the boat +bodily over, and the second time she is capsized, and the men, before +they have recovered from the exhaustion caused by their former struggle, +are the second time plunged into the sea, to find themselves battling +for their lives with the waves. The cork jackets keep them afloat as +before, but the waves run over them, and they are almost smothered in +clouds of foam, until they are thoroughly worn out by the rush and beat +of the seas which break over their heads. Up and down, tumbling here and +there in the turmoil of the seas, pale and gasping for breath, almost +too faint to make any struggle to regain the boat, becoming rapidly +unconscious; this time the wild dance mid the raging seas becomes truly +too much like a dance of death. + +Happily a powerful Deal lugger is near the scene of the disaster; her +crew at once do their best to pick up and return to the life-boat those +of the men who are themselves unable to gain it. + +The life-boat, self-righted, is floating high on the waves quite ready +for action as soon as her crew can again take charge of her, and speed +her on in her course. + +The men are, at last, all once more on board, the boat is again got +under weigh, and speeds safely to the land. + +But how, all this while, fared the unfortunate crew of the vessel, in +the vain effort to render assistance to whom the life-boat men had +incurred such hardship and peril. + +The unfortunate ship was the brig _Linda_: the captain fancied the ship +was in a safe course, free from any immediate danger; the storm fog was +too thick for them to see the land, or any of the numerous signal lights +that guard the coast, but they kept the lead going, and sped on before +the gale; suddenly all hands are alike startled and terrified by the +loud report of a gun fired quite close to them, and at seeing the light +of a light-vessel very near; they at once realize their danger, for they +know that the dread Goodwin Sands must be right under their lee; with +frantic haste they attempt to wear the ship, but it is too late; as she +feels the helm she plunges in among the surf, crashes upon the Sands, +and the great seas begin to fly over her; the ship must be lost, it is +beyond all hope that she can be saved; is there any hope for the crew? +They will not despair, or be lost without making what small efforts they +are able to obtain assistance; they know, from the violence with which +the ship rises and thumps upon the Sands, that she must very speedily go +to pieces. They get a tar-barrel, fill it with canvas, grease, and rags, +light it, and have the satisfaction of seeing it flare up with a +brilliant flame; that, at all events, must sufficiently penetrate the +surrounding darkness and gloom to make known their distress to the +neighbouring light-vessel. + +Again, and almost immediately, they hear the loud boom of the gun; but +as previously it seemed to them the signal of death, so now it affords +them a faint--a very faint hope; rockets too are fired by the +light-vessel; surely the signals will be heard and seen on shore, and +the life-boat will come out in search of them; but where will they be +then? There is no time--no time; the seas are washing over the deck, the +fierce fire of the tar-barrel is at once extinguished, and the men +hasten to take refuge from the sweeping seas in the cross-trees and +shrouds of the masts. Seven men spring to the foremast shrouds, and +climb to the cross-trees, the captain and four men cling to the +mainmast; time after time the vessel lifts and falls with a crash that +wrenches her from stem to stern, and makes all her timbers groan and +rend, and nearly shakes the sailors from their hold. Now the ship begins +to work and writhe, the timbers break with loud reports, planks are +wrenched from her side in the fierce tear of the sea, stout iron bolts +are torn from their hold and twisted like so much thread--the ship is +breaking up fast; the masts sway about, the men have to hold on their +hardest to prevent being shaken into the sea, so are they tossed and +swung about in the roll of the mast and the sway of the vessel. Each +wave leaping higher than those that have gone before, seems to claim +them for its prey; everything on the deck is swept away; the deck itself +opens, the water gets down into the hold, and soon the deck breaks up, +and pieces float away in the wash of the sea; the bulwarks are torn off, +and now a piece of the side of the vessel is wrenched away; the vessel +must be torn to fragments in a few short minutes, and death seems very +near to all the crew. + +A tremendous wave rushes over the wreck, a crash louder than a thunder +peal; the foremast has broken off close to the deck, it falls over; a +few loud despairing cries, and the seven poor fellows who clung to the +mast are hurled into the sea, and are at once lost in the wild rage of +water. + +The five men on the mainmast shudder in their terror and despair, and +cling closer and closer to the mast as it sways and jerks from side to +side; there may be a few minutes yet to live; they think of home and +wife and children, and hold on the more convulsively while the seas +break over them with increasing violence; it takes but a short time, and +the wreck beneath them seems in absolute fragments; the poop-deck is +wrenched up, and a large piece of it is torn away; at the next sea the +wreck heels over, the mainmast is carried away, and the captain and the +four men are hurled from it into the sea; the captain is thrown against +a large fragment of deck with such force that both his legs are broken; +he, however, manages to hold on to the piece of wreck, the other four +men are also swept to it, and there cling; they find themselves +surrounded by the hundred fragments of wreck into which the stout brig +has been so rapidly torn. + +The tide sweeps away the piece of deck to which the five men are so +desperately clinging--away from the scene of the sad, swift, tragedy, +and, by God's mercy, into an eddy of the current away from the surf and +breakers which are thundering down in all their fury upon the Sands, and +which would have swept the poor sailors at once to destruction if their +frail raft had come within their reach. Away in the rough but not now +broken seas the men are borne, their only hope the shattered, heaving +piece of wreck that forms their raft; the horrors of the dark night are +added to by the roar of the breakers as they crash down upon the Sands, +and the poor sailors know not but that at any moment they may be met by +some fresh eddy of the swift tide, and swept into the midst of that +fatal surf. The fierce gale howls over them, the men are exhausted and +hopeless, but they manage to lash the captain to the piece of wreck, his +two broken legs make him faint and sick with agony; and on and on they +float during the long dreary hours of the night. + +They pass the Gull light-ship, watch its bright and, to them, mocking +light, then they are carried to the north-east of the Sands; there they +meet the changing tide, and it sets them to the southward, and, to their +great joy, away from the fatal Goodwin, away in the direction of Calais, +the seas still wash over them. The agony of the captain is almost +unendurable, as every wash of the sea, every heave of the frail piece of +wreck jars his broken legs; the men have their nails torn from their +fingers with the desperate energy with which they clutch the smooth +timbers of the piece of deck on which they are lying. Hour after hour +passes, and for fifteen hours they thus float about, cold and wet, and +wounded, and faint with hunger and thirst; the poor fellows become +almost unconscious, and can only just manage to hold on mechanically to +their frail support; the morning passes, and they have no energy to look +for a passing sail, and no means of signalling if they saw one. + +Suddenly a loud shout surprises them, and they lift their heads and see, +with boundless joy, a large cutter almost alongside the raft; they seem +called back from death, and begin to arouse themselves from the swoon +into which they were all so rapidly sinking. + +The cutter is a pilot-boat from Antwerp; they are got on board her not +without much difficulty, so helpless are they, and so high is the sea +still running; the kind-hearted Belgians have every pity for the most +miserable condition of the poor men, and do all they can to restore +them; as soon as possible the pilots land them at Deal, and they are +taken to the hospital and receive all possible medical care and +attention; they soon revive, the captain's broken limbs are set, and he +ultimately recovers; and while they mourn over the sad loss of their +comrades, they cannot feel too much wonder, or be too deeply thankful, +for their own most marvellous escape. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE "AMOOR." + + "No wild hurrahs accompany + The deeds these men do dare; + No beat of drum, no martial strain, + No spirit stirring air. + + "But in the cold and darksome night + They combat with the blast; + And gain, by dint of hardihood, + The victory at last. + + "Then let us pay the honour due + To such devoted strife; + Where gallant men so nobly risk + For fellow men their life." + + _G. Ward._ + + +We left, in our last chapter, the Kingsdown life-boat making for +Ramsgate harbour, and the Walmer life-boat, after a couple of upsets, +making for Deal beach. The Kingsdown boat reached Ramsgate about seven +o'clock in the morning, the gale still blowing very heavily. + +Shortly after seven o'clock signals are heard from the Gull light-ship; +and the coxswain of the Ramsgate life-boat receives orders from the +harbour-master to proceed at once to sea,--the steamer as usual taking +her in tow: the sea is very heavy, and the air thick with rain and +spray. The steamer and life-boat work their way out through the storm, +and find a brig riding at anchor in the Gull stream, not far from the +light-ship; she has a flag hoisted at her peak as a signal, and they +make for her; the crew tell them, that shortly before, in a lift in the +storm, they saw a ship on the north-west spit of the Goodwin; the +life-boat cruises in the direction pointed out, but the crew can see +nothing of the wrecked vessel, so they proceed to the Gull light-ship, +hoping there to obtain further information. The men find the crew of the +light-ship anxiously watching for their approach; they crowd aft as the +steamer and life-boat passes under the stern of the vessel, and make +signals to describe the position of the wreck; the boatmen soon discover +it, and as soon as they have been towed into the right position for so +doing, slip from the steamer, and make in for the stranded vessel. + +It is now nearly low tide. As they approach, they find that the wreck is +high and dry on a ridge of sand: nearer still, and they see a man +walking towards them on the sand, waving a large shawl; the life-boat is +steered towards him, and choosing a place where the surf is breaking +with less force, they run the boat on to the sands; three of the crew +jump overboard and wade through the surf; they join the man on the +Sands, and make for the wreck; the heavy seas have driven the Sands into +high ridges, and the gullies between these are waist-deep and full of +running water, with the sand soft and quick at the bottom; through these +deep gullies the men have to wade. + +Arriving at the wreck, they find it to be that of a brigantine, named +the _Amoor_. At about eleven o'clock of the night previous, in the dark +mist and heavy gale, she had run on the Sands at nearly high tide, the +sea immediately ran over the vessel, and the crew had no time to make a +single signal of distress, but had directly to climb up into the main +rigging to prevent being washed overboard. Fortunately the ship was stem +on to the Sands, with her stern to the wind and tide, and she kept +straight--and as she was laden with coals, she kept upright on her keel. +As the tide rose, the waves in their rush lifted the wreck and carried +her gradually on and on, letting her fall after each lift with a heavy +shock that made it difficult for the men to retain their hold. Then the +seas broke over her so heavily that the men feared that they would be +washed even from their position in the main rigging, and managed to get +on to the foremast; here they found more shelter. For about four miles +did the ship thus beat over the Sands, and the men felt, with a great +and deep thankfulness, that if they had had the guidance of her +themselves, they could not have kept her more straight in her course +along the narrow high ridge of the sand than she was kept by God's +providence, for if the vessel had been carried to the right or to the +left of that narrow ridge of sand, she would have got into deep water, +and then must have sunk immediately, so much was her hull shattered, +and all her crew would of necessity have been at once drowned. + +But the agony of mind and the suspense endured this time by the men was +something terrible. They could scarcely feel any hope that the wreck +would long sustain the terrible shocks that she was receiving. They +looked down upon the mad waves as they raced by, and each one seemed a +ready grave; there was nothing to be done, no fierce struggle for life, +which in its excitement should lessen the terrors of the apparently +approaching death, only to cling on and wait in the darkness. + +And now they feel that the end must soon come, for they hear the surf +roaring near; it is roaring on the edge of the Sands, the waves rushing +in from the deep water and breaking upon the Sands, and this right in +the path along which their vessel is being driven yard by yard. A little +more and she must be plunged in this surf, and then a few yards, and she +must sink in deep water; and as thousands upon thousands have earnestly +prayed that they might be kept off these deadly sands, so these poor +sailors now earnestly seek that they may be left on them, until daylight +comes, and their pitiable position may be seen, and they have a chance +of being saved. + +They are now within a quarter of a mile of the end of the sand, but the +tide is falling rapidly, and the wreck lifts less and less; at last, to +the great joy of all her crew, she grounds heavily and ceases to lift. +She is swung round broadside to the tide, and falls over on her side, +and then works and crashes almost to pieces. The water now soon leaves +her, and she becomes high and dry, and speedily the men can leave the +wreck and stand upon the sand; the surf rages around them at a short +distance; it is only for a few hours that where they now stand will be +dry, and then the sea will rage over the sand again with all its fury. +The captain is a bold, active determined man; he will throw away no +chance of safety; something must be done before the return of tide, and +he will lose no time. The captain and crew can form no opinion as to +where they are; the vessel is an absolute wreck, beaten by this time +almost to fragments, they have no means of signalling their distress, +and it seems that their only chance will be to make a raft out of the +many shattered pieces of timber that are hanging about the wreck; the +boats have long since been destroyed and washed away. The shipwrecked +crew have only their knives to work with, but they commence with all +energy, wrenching away the broken timbers from the deck and sides of the +vessel, cutting away the ropes, lashing the timbers together. But with +their utmost efforts they can make but slow progress, and they feel that +their raft, when as hastily completed, as it must be, will be but a +frail support in the rage of waters with which it will have to contend, +as soon as the sea again beats over the Sands; but still on that dry +knoll of sand, in almost pitch darkness, with the wind howling by them, +and the roar of the breaking waves all around, the men work on and on. +The poor storm-beaten, wearied men, feel faint and exhausted, but spare +no labour, slack no energy, for the tide will turn with the dawn, and +then, as an enemy creeping up to destroy them, will, in its speedy +advance, give them short time for labour, and scant mercy, when it once +seizes them as its prey. The dawn has broken, the tide is rising, and +each man is inspired to fresh exertions. Suddenly, they are all startled +by the loud report of a gun, fired at no great distance from them. What +is it? What is it? they all cry. Soon a rocket goes whizzing up into the +grey misty clouds. Is it a signal from some unfortunate vessel in +distress similar to that which they are in? At all events that feeling +of intense and hopeless solitude which almost overcame them, seemed +disturbed, and whilst they eagerly work on, they at the same time keep a +sharp look out in the direction from which the signals have been given; +they are soon able to make out that it is a light-vessel that is +signalling; this fills them with hope; they must have been seen by the +watch on board, and it is on their account that the signal must have +been made; but still they will not abate any of their efforts, the +life-boat may not be able to reach them, or she may not be out in time +to save them; at all events, with the tide creeping up as it is, they +will not lose a chance, and go on busily constructing the raft. They +have made considerable progress, having lashed a good many spars +crosswise, and pieces of bulwark over them, when they discover a +steamer's smoke not far off, and soon after make out a boat, which must +be a life-boat, making in over the seas towards them; one man makes for +the edge of the Sands, and soon the boat grounds not far from him, and +three boatmen wade towards him. + +The boatmen, when they reach the raft, find the men getting some +provisions on to it, but all the stores have been under water during the +night, and are spoilt. The joy of the shipwrecked men at the arrival of +the boatmen is intense. "Thank God! that you have come," said the +captain; "I did not at all expect that any of us would have been alive +this morning." + +A strange meeting it seems, in that wild stormy morning, there, on the +centre of the Goodwin Sands, where the waves had raged so furiously a +few hours before, and would in a few hours rage so furiously again; +there, where the shipwrecked had expected to die a tragical death, the +sailors and the boatmen stand greeting each other; the life-boatmen +rejoicing almost as much at being there ready to save the poor sailors, +as they are at the prospect of being saved; the ship's crew look down +upon their raft, and feel indeed what a poor protection it must have +proved in the storm which they would have had to encounter. + +The crew of the wrecked vessel, now that the excitement of working with +such fierce energy at the raft is over, begin to feel the reaction, and +feel thoroughly exhausted, and look so worn and weather beaten, as if +the death shade, which had seemed to hover over them for so many hours, +had left its impress upon the countenance of each. + +A few more words of greeting and thankfulness between the castaways and +the rescuers, and all prepare to find their way across the Sands to the +life-boat. The life-boatmen first climb on board the wreck, to see if +they can find any small things which they can save for the men, but +every moveable thing seems to have been washed out of the vessel; they +find the cabin broken and crushed up, but manage to drag a few of the +captain's clothes out of it; they find a dog on board, which they save. +And now all turn their backs upon the wreck. + +The shipwrecked sailors have become very feeble, and some of them are +scarcely able to drag their limbs along, and require to be held up on +both sides as they wade through the shallow channels of water, many of +which they have to cross on their way to the boat. + +They hurry on as fast as they can, for the weather is very uncertain, +and a mist or snow-squall coming on would put them in the greatest +possible peril, for they would in that case very speedily be lost among +the gullies, which are half filled with water, and which stretch in all +directions across the Sands at low water; and the boatmen know what it +would be to be lost there; with the sand getting soft and quick beneath +their feet as the tide rose, and with the narrowing belt of surf each +moment drawing nearer and nearer, there to wander hopelessly for a short +time, then to be scarcely able to move as the sands grew quick, and then +to fall an easy prey to the fierce sweep of the first breaker that +rolled in upon them. It is no wonder that the boatmen look with dread +upon the increasing gloom of the morning, and hurry the men on as much +as possible; they make out the life-boat, and with much difficulty and +exertion they get to the edge of the Sands. + +The life-boat is at anchor with ten fathoms of chain out; the heavy +breakers are rolling in and lifting her with such violence as they sweep +on, that at each lift she drags her anchor, and beats further and +further over the spit of sand upon which the waves are expending their +first fury. The surf flies over the boat, fills her, and then rages on +in clouds of foam. The men on board are anxiously looking for the return +of their comrades with the shipwrecked crew, and greatly rejoice as they +see the groups of men struggling across the Sands to the boat. They soon +make out how exhausted the shipwrecked men are, and feel that it will be +very hard work for them to wade through the surf to the boat. Some of +the boatmen get life lines ready to throw to any that may be overpowered +and thrown down by the wind and tide, others jump overboard to go to the +assistance of the enfeebled sailors. It is bitterly cold, and the water, +as they wade through it, feels as if it would freeze them through and +through; they bring off the shipwrecked crew one by one, the more +exhausted of them being supported on both sides between two life-boat +men; at last all are on board, but they cannot yet leave the sands; they +must wait until the water is high enough to float the life-boat over the +ridge which surrounds her. All are shivering with cold and wet; they +crouch in the boat and protect themselves as well as they can from the +flying surf; a long weary hour is thus passed; the tide rises +sufficiently, sail is set, and the life-boat makes for the steam-boat, +and is greeted with cheers--cheers that are heartily answered. The +shipwrecked sailors, who had had during the night no hope of again +giving a cry of joy on earth, join in as lustily as they can, in that +cry which, sounding over the wild seas, tells of noble deeds in +struggling to save life, and of happy and most blessed results. That +although the storm still swept furiously by, and although the waves +still rushed madly around the shipwrecked, that they were now safe in +the safety afforded by the noble life-boat. So safe, indeed, that it was +not too soon for the poor sailors to rejoice in their rescue, and to +express with heartfelt cheer their gratitude to the brave men who had +rescued them from their position of deadly peril. + +The steamer does not take long in towing the boat to Ramsgate, where all +receive the usual warm greeting, and the shipwrecked the needful care. + +The crew of the wrecked vessel, the _Amoor_ of Elswick, are Germans; +their consul takes care of them, and sends them to the Sailors' Home. + +They proved so thankful for the rescue effected, that they wrote to +their home authorities, and the life-boat men soon received from the +Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin an expression of gratitude and +admiration for their conduct, accompanied by a Silver Medal, a +Certificate of Merit, and ten shillings each man. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE "EFFORT"--THE DANGERS OF HOVELLING. + + "All where the eye delights, yet dreads to roam, + The breaking billows cast the flying foam + Upon the billows rising; all the deep + Is restless change; the waves so swelled and steep, + Breaking and sinking; and the sunken swells, + Not one, one moment, in its station dwells." + + _Crabbe._ + + +The famous old life-boat _Northumberland_ had done her work, and had +done it nobly and well. Staunch, and true, she had breasted the hardest +gales, stemmed the fiercest seas, and had been the means of rescuing +hundreds of perishing men, women, and children from that which, without +her, and the brave hearts and strong hands that sailed her, must have +been swift, certain, and terrible death; but at last her time had +come--weather beaten, wrenched, and worn, with her thousand battles with +the gales, she was condemned as being no longer to be intrusted with the +precious lives that she contained, as she went forth to contend with the +wild seas that rage over the Goodwin Sands. + +The _Bradford_, a very powerful and excellent boat presented to the +Life-boat Institution by the good people of Bradford, and by the +Institution appointed to Ramsgate, had not yet been sent down, and a +smaller boat called the _Little Friend_ was occupying her place for the +time. + +But it was a clear fine morning, with the waves fretting and fuming +somewhat, but dancing and gleaming brightly in the sunshine; it had been +squally during the night, and at times had blown very hard, but the +morning promised better, and the life-boat was rocking gently at her +moorings, no one thinking it likely that her services would be required +for some time. + +But the boatmen must be doing something, if only drawing their bow at a +venture, and now the _Champion_ is getting ready for sea; she is one of +the Ramsgate hovelling-luggers, a noble boat of twenty-two tons, fit for +any weather. In summer time she is fitted as a pleasure-boat, and, as +such, takes many a holiday cruise; but now she is in winter gear, and +ready for rougher scenes and harder work. + +The more threatening and heavy the weather, the greater the probability +of disaster occurring, or having occurred, then the more ready are her +crew to work their way out to the Goodwin Sands, and to cruise round +them on the look-out for vessels in distress; they dare not take the +lugger into the broken water--there a life-boat alone can live; but +still she is a grand sea-boat, one that will stagger on with a ship's +heavy anchor and chain on board, through weather bad enough for +anything--a boat that is well suited for the hard and dangerous service +which employs her during the winter months. + +Her crew consists of ten men; the men get no regular pay, but any +salvage or reward for services they may obtain is divided into fourteen +shares: the boat takes three and a half shares for her owners, one half +share goes to the provision account, as the crew when on board are +supplied by the owners with provisions, and one share is given to each +of the men--this is the ordinary arrangement. Complaints are sometimes +made of the amounts charged by these men for services rendered; but the +cases of a good hovel are few and far between; and often the luggers put +out to sea, night after night, throughout a stormy winter, hanging about +the Sands, in wind and rain, and snow and mists, the men half frozen +with the cold, and half smothered with the flying surf and spray, and +often week after week they thus suffer and endure, and do not make a +penny-piece each man; working their hardest, without any other result, +than that of getting more and more into debt at home, and almost tempted +to become disheartened with it all, hardly able to hope against hope; +then at last, perhaps, comes a chance--a big ship is on the tail of a +sand bank; they render assistance and get her off; if she had remained +there another tide she would probably have been knocked to pieces: they +have saved thousands of pounds' worth of property; and the captain, and +the owners, and the underwriters, all look aghast, and cry out with +indignation, when they ask perhaps a sum that will give them ten or +fifteen pounds a man--do something to pay the scores that have been +growing month after month, something to requite them for the weary +watching, and labour, and suffering, that they have had so many weeks in +vain. + +No! let those who grumble at the demands made on such occasions, feel +fully assured that they know many easier, more pleasant, and more +profitable ways of making money, than by hovering around the Goodwin +Sands throughout the nights of a stormy winter, on the look-out for +vessels in distress. The following tale will illustrate, in its simple +narration of actual facts, some of the dangers to which the men are +exposed when on such service. + +On the morning in question a haze floated over the Goodwin Sands, +preventing anything being made out from the shore; wherever the haze +lifted a little, the men on the look-out on the pier closely watched the +break in it with their glasses; for the channels on either side of the +Sands are so narrow and the tides so strong, that it is an easy matter +for a ship-master to lose his bearings in thick weather, and to run his +ship on the Sands. + +A squall passes over the Sands, driving the mists before it, and the men +on the pier make out that a vessel is ashore on the Goodwin; she is +completely on her broadside, and the boatmen, looking through powerful +glasses, can see that men are walking about on the side of the wreck. +The harbour-master is immediately informed; he knows that the _Champion_ +lugger is out there, but the surf may be too great for her to be able to +render assistance, and he gives directions that the life-boat shall be +at once manned. The steamer soon takes the life-boat in tow, and they +proceed through a comparatively smooth sea to the vessel. Upon arriving +there, they find that the _Champion_ lugger has succeeded in sending in +her small boat, and in taking the men off the wreck. + +But as the boat makes off to the lugger's she loses an oar, and the tide +is running with such strength that the boat's crew cannot stem it, and +are driven back in the direction of the Sands; the life-boat men see the +danger the boat will get into if she is carried into the broken water, +and at once give chase. + +The men on board the lugger's boat are, not unnaturally, anxious to have +the honour of saving the crew without the assistance of the life-boat, +and they persevere in their efforts to reach the lugger; suddenly the +wind flies round to the north-east, and a heavy squall sweeps along +accompanied with snow and sleet; it becomes very thick and dark, the +lugger's men think the squall will soon pass, and although their boat is +only sixteen feet long, and has eleven men on board, they still work +away striving to get back to the lugger. But the wind increases in +force, and the sea begins to make rapidly, the little boat gets into +shallow water and thumps heavily on the edge of the sand; then the +boatmen and the shipwrecked crew realize the danger they are in. The +wrecked sailors begin to shout to the life-boat men to come to their +help, and the boat's crew see that they cannot get away from the Sands +by themselves; in fact, that without the aid of the life-boat they must +all then and there perish, and they are glad to make for the life-boat +with all speed. The sailors and some of the boat's crew get on board the +life-boat, two or three hands remain in the small boat, which is taken +in tow by the life-boat, and they start in search of the steamer; but +the weather becomes more and more thick, and they can see nothing of +her; in fact, can only see a few yards before them. Now to their dismay +they find that they have come away without a compass, and the wind has +shifted so frequently and rapidly, that they cannot guess at its +direction, and therefore cannot tell which way to steer; they are on the +top of the Sands, and in very shallow water, and the boat often touches +the ground with a great jerk as she sails along. Now, and again, she +grounds bow on and is swung round and round by the tide. The tide as it +is low water runs through so many channels and swatch ways that its +direction does not at all help the men to tell the course they are +steering; and so, as a mere matter of guess-work, and that they may keep +the boat's head in one direction, they put her on the wind, and after +being beaten about a good deal by the broken seas, succeed in getting +into deep water; but not until they have been entangled for four hours +among the Sands. + +After sailing for about half an hour, they discover the Gull light +looming red out of the thick mist. They then soon make out the +_Champion_, and put her crew on board her. The lugger's men want the +shipwrecked crew to accompany them, but they are too content with the +life-boat, and refuse to move; the steamer comes up and takes the +life-boat in tow. Again the wrecked sailors cannot be persuaded to leave +the life-boat for her, and as soon as the boat is in tow, and they are +well under weigh, the wrecked sailors begin to tell their tale. + +"The name of our wrecked vessel is the _Effort_; it is now several days +since we sailed from the Forth, bound for Rotterdam, and ever since we +have had a a terrible time of it, nothing but gale after gale, the wind +flying about in all directions, until you can guess we were pretty well +tired of all this beating about in the North Sea; what with the wind +driving us first in one direction and then in another--what with +contrary tides and thick weather--we soon lost our reckoning, and must +have been caught in the lee drift of the tide, and thus got carried on +to the Goodwin Sands. We grounded heavily, at once felt the danger we +were in, and hoisted lamps as signals of distress, but we knew that +these could not be made out at any distance in such thick weather, and +hurried to get a tar-barrel on deck to set fire to it, and make a good +blaze; but our vessel was very light--she rolled from side to side +almost yard arms under, and suddenly capsized altogether. At once, and +with difficulty, we made for the weather-rigging, and were glad to find +that not any of the crew were lost as she fell over. We lashed ourselves +to the rigging. We knew to our great joy that the tide was falling; had +it been rising we must have very soon been overrun by it, the vessel +broken up, and every man of us lost. We were in danger enough as it was, +for the brig soon after she capsized was caught by the tide, and worked +round with her deck towards the seas; and as the heavy seas broke over +her and came rushing up the deck, they fell on us with terrible weight, +and beat us and crushed us against the ship's rail, so that we were +forced to unlash ourselves from the rigging, and what to do we did not +know, till one of us said, 'Our only chance is to lash the end of the +ropes round our waists, and let go the rigging as the waves come,' and +so we did; and terrible work it was. As the waves came we slackened the +ropes and went away a little with them, and as they passed, half +smothered as we were, hauled ourselves back to the rigging and held on a +bit; and then, when the next wave came, we let go, and were all adrift +in the wash again; our hands were almost torn to pieces with the strain +on the ropes, and grasping at the side of the vessel." And they shewed +where their hands were torn, with the nails almost drawn from the finger +ends. "You see, too, how our clothes were nearly dragged off us; it was +indeed an awful time. We encouraged each other as well as we could, but +soon became too exhausted to speak much, and just went struggling on. +The topmast heads were right down in the Sands, and every moment we +expected the masts would break off short, and then the vessel would have +rolled over, and it would have been death to us at once--but while there +was life there was hope, and so we held on, just hoping against hope, +and so we would not despair, but seemed to gather a little bit of +courage, again and again struggling to prolong, for a few minutes, the +life of which we saw so little chance of at last saving; but the tide +was still falling, and if we could only live through all the wash of the +sea, until it had gone down a bit, there was just one more chance for +us. + +"Well, we stood it for about two hours, I should think, the seas +breaking over us continually, when we began to feel that they were +getting less heavy, and ran less and less up the deck, and over the +vessel. And at last, although half dead with breathlessness and fatigue, +from the exertion and the constant rush of the waves over us, we were +able to drag ourselves up on to the broadside of the vessel, and then we +threw ourselves down full length, to try and recover our strength a +little." + +It was with no slight degree of interest and sympathy that the life-boat +men listened to the tale of the poor fellows; three of whom were married +men, and they described how the thoughts of the loved ones at home, +while it added to their agony, yet nerved them time after time to fresh +efforts to struggle free from the seas that overran them. + +One man grew very excited as they told the dismal story. His limbs and +features worked, the horrors of the past night came upon him in all +their force, and as the waves dashed over the life-boat, he fancied +himself again being washed off the side of the wreck, and springing up +he shouted, "Let me drown myself, let me drown myself, I can stand it no +longer!" and tried to throw himself into the sea. Three men seized him, +held him down and tried to pacify him, but still he struggled, +shouting,--"I cannot stand it! I cannot stand it! let me go! let me +go!" He soon became somewhat quieter, from exhaustion, but the men did +not feel it safe to let go their hold upon him, until they got into the +harbour. + +It was now about half-past four in the afternoon, and the life-boat work +for the day was done, the shipwrecked crew staggered to the Sailors' +Home; wondering much to find themselves still alive, after the dread +perils, and terrible struggles, and exhaustion, of the previous night. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE HOVELLERS, OR SALVORS, SAVED. THE "PRINCESS ALICE" HOVELLING LUGGER. + + "When they who to the sea go down, + And in the waters ply their toil, + Are lifted on the surge's crown, + And plunged where seething eddies boil, + + "Then with Thy mercies ever new, + Thy servants set from peril free; + And bring them, Pilot wise and true, + Unto the port where they would be." + + _Hymn._ + + +No sooner has the life-boat started in the morning, in answer to the +signal from the Goodwin light-vessel, than the master of the _Princess +Alice_ gathers a crew of twelve men, and follows as fast as possible in +the wake of the life-boat. + +A fine south-westerly breeze is blowing and the noble lugger bowls along +at a great speed, and reaches the neighbourhood of the Sands about a +mile and a half behind the life-boat. The lugger brings to an anchor +just outside the Sands, and her crew, finding that the weather has +somewhat moderated, and that the sea has gone down with the tide, +determine to send six of their men in their small boat into the wreck, +to see if they can save any cargo or rigging; the men get to the wreck +without much difficulty, and find her right over on her broadside, with +her yard-arms buried some feet in the Sands; the top-gallant mast is +gone; her rigging and all her top-hamper, a tangled mass, is floating +and washing about in a deep hole which the eddy of the waves, beating +against the wreck, has worked. + +The men climb on to the side of the vessel, and then lower themselves +down from the weather-rigging across the deck, which is lying almost +upright on its side, that they may look into the hold; the hatches are +off, and they find that the hold is quite empty, everything washed out; +it is difficult to get into the captain's cabin, as the vessel is +completely on her side, or there may be things there worth saving; they +will see to it by-and-by, and now they proceed at once to save what +rigging they can. The three men on the vessel get their knives and +choppers to work, and commence cutting away, when suddenly it begins to +get dark, a heavy squall threatens, and a storm of snow and hail comes +driving along before the wind. + +The men in the boat shout out, "It begins to look bad; do you not think +that we had better be leaving, and get out of this?" + +But the men busy in the rigging are somewhat excited over their work, +and answer back, "It is only a squall, a mere spoon drift, and will soon +work round;" the wind, however, rapidly increases, and sweeps by in +such violent gusts, that the men on the ship's side are nearly blinded +with the snow, and can no longer hold on against the wind; well! they +are willing to work hard and risk much, to save what they can from the +hungry Goodwin Sands, even if that which they save will give them only a +few shillings a man; but if they cannot, they cannot; it is not the +first time, by very many, that they have returned with nothing but +danger and labour for their pains. + +"Look sharp, men, look sharp; do you want to drown us all?" "Come down +at once," is the cry from the boat; and the men lower themselves down +over the slippery side of the vessel, into the small boat, which is +leaping and tossing about in the waves which begin to surge up with some +violence. + +"Now, men, oars out and away with a will; I doubt we have left it quite +long enough." "Aye! Aye! too long, I fear." "Well! time enough to think +that when we find it so." "Which way are you going?" they ask the +coxswain. "I don't suppose there is much choice, there will be less surf +running at the back of the Sand, and the lugger is sure to expect us to +come out there, now that the sea has got up; so round with her, and pull +hard." + +And away, as for their lives, the men pull, the little boat seethes +through the troubled water, urged by her powerful crew; and they soon +near the edge of the Sand, and are making for deep water. "Easy all, +men! do you hear that?" And to their dismay, they hear the surf beating +heavily, right ahead of them. "Didn't I tell you so?" "Hold your +tongue--our work is to get out of this, not to grumble while in it." +"Right enough then, and I am your man; but what next?" + +"Pull ahead a little, and let's look at them;" and doing so, they see +huge waves rolling in out of the deep water upon the shallow Sands, +mounting up, curling over, and breaking, washing back, meeting other +breakers foaming up against them; in fact, a sea of raging water +surrounding the Sands; a sea in which their little boat would be swamped +at once, and in which, indeed, no ordinary boat could float, and only a +life-boat could possibly pass through. + +As they mount on a wave they can see the lugger, riding safely just +outside the surf, only a quarter of a mile off, waiting for them; but +that quarter of a mile it is impossible for them to pass, and equally +impossible for the lugger to get any nearer to them. + +"Well, my men, there is no help for it here; we cannot get off the Sands +this way, that's certain." + +The seas begin to break heavily over the boat; the men keep her head to +the waves, or she would be at once rolled over, so rapidly is the swell +setting in; as it is, she begins to fill with water, and they have to +continue bailing her; they must let her drift back, pulling easy to keep +her head straight, and each wave carries them some distance further from +the edge of the Sand. As soon as they get clear of the rollers and the +surf, they rest on their oars, and consult what is to be done; it all +seems very hopeless, but it is no good waiting where they are; and so +they determine to return again to the wreck, as to their only place of +safety, and this indeed but for a very short time. + +They get to the wreck, and lay under shelter of her hull, not knowing +what to do; never did men seem in more terrible plight, the wreck could +afford but the scantiest shelter to the crew who hopelessly clung to her +the night before; then the tide was falling, but now the tide is rising; +each moment the great rollers that are rushing in upon the Sands break +nearer and nearer; soon they will rush over the wreck, cover her +completely, and rend and tear her to fragments. What can be done? To +remain where they are is certain death, to attempt to escape in their +small open boat seems death, equally certain. Well, it is better to die +doing than to die waiting; but never have men held consultation under +more apparently hopeless circumstances; the boat the men are in is the +boat the _Princess Alice_ generally carries on her deck, between the +masts; she is about eighteen feet long, and four broad, fine boat enough +for her size; but she seems more than sufficiently filled by the six +powerful men who are in her, and if she should be caught in the roll of +one of the big waves, she will at once be capsized, or fill with water, +and sink, leaving her crew but a few gasping moments of vain struggle +with the boiling seas. + +And the seas rage round them every moment nearer and nearer. Some of the +men think that if they can drag the boat for about a mile over the crown +of the part of the Sands that is still dry, and thus get out to windward +of the North-west Spit, that they may find more shelter there for a +time, and if they do find it somewhat smoother there, will perhaps be +able to work their way through the surf; but upon a snow-squall, which +for a time had darkened all around them, clearing away, they find that +the breakers are throwing up as much surf there as anywhere else, and +all hope of rescue in that direction is gone; and the conviction settles +down upon them all, that there seems indeed no possibility of escape; +but still they kept cool, and quiet, and undaunted, prepared to do their +utmost, calmly and skilfully, up to the last moment, letting no chance +go by; at all events, they will stop where they are no longer, as the +breaking seas are closing in upon them fast. + +The Goodwin Sands are about nine miles long; in the middle of them there +is at low water a large lake, which is called on the chart "Trinity +Bay," but which is known to the boatmen as the In-sand; the men row in +the direction of this lake, and row over the sand-banks which surround +it, as soon as the tide has flowed sufficiently to enable them to do so; +now they find themselves in completely smooth water, and are safe; but +for how long? a short hour or so, for the hungry waves are following +them up fast, still higher and higher comes the tide, and a furious surf +begins to rage over the banks that for a time protect the lake. + +Well do the men know how short a time of rest remains to them; they hear +the beat of the heavy waves thundering near, they see the gleam of the +surf, the sea begins to boil up around them, the circle of safety gets +each moment more narrow, their dread ruthless enemy is on them again, +and the men brace themselves for a life-and-death struggle, for with +such a struggle they are face to face. + +"Now, my men, to it again! look out all!" and each man grasps his oar +hard, fixes his eye upon the steersman, James Penny, watches his every +sign, and listens to his every word; for in the struggle that is before +them any mistake may be at once fatal to all. + +The big waves roll in, fast following each other, and the boat meets +each one head on, and rises to it; the surf flies over the men, and into +the boat; "Bale away, Penny! bale away! or she will swamp!"--and fast +the steersman bales; he has one hand on the tiller, and is watching the +direction of every wave, and shouting to the men, on which side to ease, +on which to pull a little harder, to keep the boat's head straight to +the waves; for if but one wave catches the boat on the side it will roll +her over at once, and all must perish; they must row sometimes harder in +a lull, sometimes gently when a high roller comes, to avoid its breaking +upon them, or to prevent their burying the boat's bow in its steep side. + +The coxswain sees a tremendous wave rolling on; a few smaller ones come +first; up the boat flies, down again, again mounts high, and again falls +down; "Steady all, look out, half a stroke hard starboard side, easy +port, now easy all--easy all;" the men stop pulling, and lay their oars +flat on the water to steady the boat; the great wave rolls on, the +boat's bow is tossed high, nearly on end, the men lean back as far as +possible, but can scarcely keep their seats, or prevent being thrown +bodily forward upon the coxswain; the boat falls with a heavy plunge; +there is a moment's lull. "Now a stroke, or two, my men;" and they +gently press the boat forward and make a little way; "Easy all, head her +to it, here she comes," and up again they mount upon the crest of a +wave, and are again nearly turned end-over-end, but, happily, fall on an +even keel as the wave passes, and at once prepare themselves to meet the +next sea, and thus meeting wave after wave, overcoming danger after +danger, they go drifting slowly with the tide. The men do not dare at +any time to pull hard for fear of rowing the boat under, they make +therefore but little way ahead, not more than half a mile, or so, an +hour, but they are carried slowly by the tide down Trinity Bay in the +direction of the Downs. + +The boat has been nearly full of water all this time, from the surf and +spray that have broken into her, but she happily has a belt of cork +round her, underneath the thwarts, or she must have long since been +swamped, but this, with the constant baling of the coxswain, has kept +her afloat. + +The men have been able to remain in the bay until the tide has risen +greatly, and it is now high water over the Sands, and the water being +deeper, the seas do not break nearly as heavily as before; they are +mounting seas, not running seas. The mounting sea swells up and comes +pushing along, like a hill of water, steep on both sides; its crest is +caught by the wind and is driven away in clouds of spray and foam, but +a boat meeting it has time to rise, and float over it; but a running sea +is much more dangerous; its base is caught and retarded by the Sands; it +comes along, its sides steep as a wall, its crest curling more and more +over until it breaks, and the upper portion of the wave falls with a +mighty crash, with perhaps tons of water in its volume; it would be +impossible for any boat but a life-boat to contend for a moment with +such a rushing breaking sea as this, and the little boat the six men are +in, with its heavy freight, would be swamped, beaten under water and +rolled over by the first such sea she met; but if the men can only steer +clear of these breakers, and keep the boat's head so as to meet the +mounting seas bow on, and manage to bale her constantly so as to keep +her a little free from water, they may live through it all yet; with +this hope they labour on steadily, bravely, and hour after hour they +thus contend with the storm; the boat is now coming to the worst of the +water--to the steep edge of the Sand--and the men feel that, for a time, +the danger must increase, and all brace themselves up again, prepared +for any further effort, or care, that may be required. + +The steersman, who has been steering and baling the boat for about four +hours, suddenly lets the bowl with which he is baling fly from his hand; +he gives a cry of horror, the men cannot help repeating it, for is not +this likely to be a death-stroke to them all? The men at once realize +the dread increase of danger this misfortune creates. + +To keep the boat afloat without baling is impossible; the surf breaks +into her continually; the men cannot bale with their southwesters, for +they must keep rowing; they require both hands, and to exert all their +strength to free their oars from the seas, and to keep the blades from +being blown up into the air, as the force of the gale catches them; +while the steersman must of necessity keep one hand on the tiller; and +all must continue labouring without one moment's cessation to keep the +boat's head straight to the seas. + +Most happily the bowl is a wooden one, and there it is floating a few +yards from them; they watch it wistfully, as they, and it, are tossed up +and down by the quick waves; back the boat down upon the bowl they +cannot, for it is on their broadside, and drifting away on the tide +faster than they are floating: it would seem, that it must be an easy +matter to pick up a bowl that is floating only a few yards from the +boat; but not so now, for every moment, racing swiftly after each other, +the waves come rushing on. It is strange as they watch the bowl to feel +that their lives depend upon their recovering it, and yet how likely +they are to perish in the attempt, and thus the men casting anxious +glances at the bowl keep steadily to their work; they allow no word of +fear or discouragement to be spoken; they must have mind, nerve, and +muscle in full play; if a word of hopelessness is let fall, "Don't speak +like that--don't speak like that, stick to your oar!" they must be words +of encouragement, or no words at all, and in grim silence, except for +the few words of direction shouted out by the coxswain, the men wait +their fate. Suddenly the coxswain cries, "Here is a lull, round with +her, sharp!" The men on the starboard side give a mighty pull; the men +on the port back their hardest; one pull all together, the bowl is +within reach; the coxswain grasps it with a hasty snatch! "Round! round, +with her quick, quick!" and the eager men get her head straight to the +seas again, before the waves have time to catch the boat broadside on +and roll it over. All breathe again; they have another chance of life. +Thank God! thank God! + +They now pass away from the Sands and get into the Gull stream, but the +wind has chopped round and continues to blow a fierce gale; the sea is +running very high and broken; and in that rough sea they are still in +extreme danger on account of the smallness of their boat, and so many +men being in her, and they have to proceed with the greatest care and +caution. + +As they get into the Gull stream they see vessel after vessel running +with close-reefed topsails before the gale; the boatmen hail them but +they get no answer: one little sloop affords them slight hope, for she +is evidently altering her course, but after a moment's apparent +hesitation, away she goes again before the gale, and abandons them to +their fate. The captain of the little vessel related afterwards, how in +the height of the storm he saw some poor fellows in a small boat, and +had a great wish to try and save them, but the sea was running so high +that he felt it was impossible to heave his vessel to, and so had to +leave them, and that they must have been driven on the Sands and lost. +This sloop was about a quarter of a mile from the boat, and the men do +not again get as near to any other ship, and as vessel after vessel +passes, and the night begins to grow dark, the position of the men +becomes more and more hopeless--and they all feel that if no vessel +picks them up, they must soon be blown in again upon the Sands, and +there perish. + +All of the men, except one, are married; the man in the bow has a wife +and five children, and it is his thoughts of them that keep him nerved +to his work, for although weak, exhausted, and almost fainting, he still +sticks to his oar and feebly paddles on; the only single man in the boat +is his brother-in-law; and his mind keeps running as much upon what his +sister will do, as a widow with five children, as it does upon the +thoughts of his own probable fate; and so although the men will not +permit themselves to lament or bemoan their almost certain fate, for +fear of weakening their own nerves or discouraging each other, each has +his solemn conviction of what must soon happen, and is in his own breast +thinking of death, and bidding "Good-bye," to the loved ones who are +resting those few miles away. + +The Downs had been full of ships at the commencement of the storm, but +as the wind increased in violence and blew right through, the anchorage +was no longer safe, and vessel after vessel slipped her cable and ran +before the gale; until at last only one vessel, a large American ship, +remains at anchor. The boatmen make her out when they are about half a +mile from her, and find, to their great joy, that she is almost +directly in the path in which they are drifting; to get alongside her is +their last hope, for although the tide is now carrying them against the +wind and from the Sands, the tide will very soon turn, and then with the +tide, and before the wind, they will be swept with terrible speed right +in upon the Sands, and must there at once perish, and it will be +impossible for them to row against the tide, as all their efforts will +still be required to keep the boat bow on to the seas. + +Whenever, after the passing of a few of the largest of the waves, there +comes a comparative lull, or smooth, and they dare press the boat, they +pull a few strokes and shoot ahead, and thus manage to get exactly in +the path of the American ship. + +As they drop slowly towards her they shout time after time, but cannot +make themselves heard; and it is getting too dusk for them to be seen at +any distance; the seas are running alongside the ship almost gunwale +high, and it is impossible to get nearer to her than within fifty yards. +Hail after hail the men give, still they get no answer; they can see a +man on the poop, but he evidently neither sees nor hears them, and their +last chance seems slipping away, for they are fast drifting past the +vessel. "Get on the thwart, Dick, and shout with all your might!" the +coxswain says to the man pulling stroke-oar; "I'll hold you," hauling in +his oar, and catching it under the seat; the man springs upon the +thwart, and balancing himself for a second, hails with all his force. + +"The man is moving, he hears us; hurrah!" is the glad cry in the boat. +They can see that he is looking about in astonishment, wondering from +where the voice from the sea came. They all shout together; he sees +them, waves his arm, and hurries along the poop; other men come +hastening up, called by him, and look with astonishment at the little +boat so full of men, being tossed about in that wild sea. The boat +drifts by the ship, they venture a pull or two and get her under the +stern of the vessel, shooting her a little across the seas; they then +pull a little harder to try and keep her position, risking a little more +to keep near the ship--indeed the vessel somewhat protects them from the +rush of the seas. + +The coxswain sees a man on the vessel throw something overboard--it is a +coil of rope with a life-buoy attached; they make it out as it floats +near, and manage to get it on board. The pilot is the man who first saw +the boat, and has got the life-buoy and thrown it over to them. The +captain of the vessel is now on deck; he orders the men to send down a +rope from each quarter of the vessel, and to try and keep the boat +directly astern of the centre of the ship, for if the boat sheers to one +side or the other, and any of the big waves which are racing by the ship +catch her on her broadside, she must go over at once. + +So they shout to the men in the boat, "Hold on--we will send you another +rope," and soon another life-buoy with a rope attached, comes floating +by; they get it on board, and seeing directly the object for which it is +sent, haul the ropes over each bow, and strive to keep the boat in +position; but still they are in great danger; their safety hitherto has +been in floating with the waves, yielding to them as they rolled on; +but now as she is moored to the ship, the little boat has to breast the +waves, and at times is tossed high with her bow in the air, and again +plunged down, smothered with spray, and in danger every moment of being +overturned; indeed it is only by the skilful manoeuvring of the captain +that the boat is kept safe at all. He has stationed six men on each +quarter of the ship; they hold the ropes to which the boat is fastened; +and as the big waves press the boat, the men slacken the rope, and let +the boat go with the seas, pulling her up again between the waves, +hauling on one rope, and slacking the other if the boat sheers too much +on one side. The difficulty now is how to get the men out of the boat, +for they dare not haul her up closer to the vessel, as she will not ride +with a shorter scope of rope. They send another rope down to the boat, +with a bowline knot made in it for the men to sit in, and then shout to +the men, "We will haul you on board, one at a time." + +There is a moment's question as to the order in which the men shall go, +for each feels that at any moment the boat may sink under them; it is +quickly decided that the men shall leave the boat in the order in which +they sit, and one after another, they plunge into the waves, and are +hauled on board through the seas. + +All safe at last! and very soon the boat fills and turns over, and hangs +there held by the ropes till the morning. As soon as the men have shaken +the water a little from their clothes, and have wiped their eyes and +faces somewhat clear, the captain says, "I suppose you have come from +the barque that was riding near at the beginning of the gale, and which +I missed after a squall, and which must have foundered." (It was +supposed that two or three ships went down with all hands that night). +"No, sir; we have come from no barque, we were blown away from a wreck +some hours ago, near the North Sands Head, and have drifted right over +the Goodwin." + +"Impossible! impossible! no boat could live in such a sea, and over the +Sands, impossible!"--"It is true, sir; we are Ramsgate boatmen and +belong to a lugger; we went in from her on to the Sands to a wreck, and +could not get back to her again." And the captain declares that their +escape has been wonderful indeed. The feelings of the men at finding +themselves safe are perfectly overwhelming; the reaction after those +long hours of almost hopeless and constant struggle; it is too much for +them, especially added, as it is, to the condition of physical +exhaustion to which they are reduced. Some of them can scarcely speak; +one of them, realizing the almost miracle by which they have been saved, +leans against the boom, repeating in a broken voice, "What, I saved! I +saved--I saved! one of the worst! one of the worst!" Another can only +think of the words he had so often repeated to one of his mates, who had +seemed almost dying during the night. "Come, cheer up! come, cheer up! +stick to your oar, keep up your heart, man," and he continues for some +time repeating these words in a strange dreamy way. + +The coxswain, upon whom the chief anxiety and greatest stress of mind +had fallen, for he had hour, after hour, to sit watching every sea as it +rolled to them and meet it with the tiller, felt more than the others +the effect of the night's work; he soon after fell very ill, was nigh to +death's door, and did not recover his strength for a twelvemonth. The +captain, officers, and crew of the American ship are full of sympathy +and kindness. + +The captain takes the men into his cabin, and gives them each a little +brandy, then offers them dry clothes, and orders beds to be made up for +them in the cabin: the clothes and the bed the men think too kind, but +the beef-steak supper and the glass of grog all round, as soon as they +have eaten a little, is not to be refused; and the hardy fellows are +soon sound asleep on the cabin-floor, with all their perils for a time +forgotten. In the morning the gale has greatly abated; the men have a +hearty breakfast provided by the hospitable captain: their boat is by +his orders hauled up, baled out, and as everything has been washed out +of her, the captain lends them oars, and they start for Ramsgate, giving +their most hearty thanks for the great skill with which they were got on +board the ship and saved, and for the kindness they have received on +board. + +When the crew of the _Champion_ lugger had put the men she had saved +from the wreck on board the life-boat, they found that they could not +well get back to Ramsgate in the then state of the wind and tide, and +they were forced to run for Dover. + +The men on board the _Princess Alice_ remained in the greatest state of +anxiety as to the fate of their comrades who went into the wreck in +their little boat, and waited on, and on, in the position in which the +boat must come to them, if she clears the Sands; hour after hour she +cruises backwards and forwards, her crew keeping most anxious watch, and +then runs down the back of the Sands, thinking it possible the boat +might get out somewhere there; the gale increases; the night comes on; +the high tide has swept over the whole of the Sands with its wild seas +long before this, and they can only conclude, which they do most +positively and sorrowfully, that their companions in many a hard +struggle--their friends since childhood--have been lost, overwhelmed in +the rage of the sea on the Goodwin. They therefore give up the search, +and now regard their own safety, and they also find that they cannot +reach Ramsgate, but must make away for Dover. + +Arriving there, they at once telegraph the sad news to Ramsgate, that +they have lost six hands; news that creates the greatest excitement in +the town. The next morning the _Princess Alice_ starts at daylight for +another cruise round the Sands, hardly with the hope of finding their +lost comrades, but possibly fragments of the boat may be found; but they +search in vain, and feeling their fears to be altogether confirmed, they +steer for Ramsgate. There the arrival of the lugger is most anxiously +awaited, and the report of the men increases the excitement, and sorrow, +and sympathy, which had been created by the telegraph sent the night +before, and now that the names of the missing men are known, there is +sad, sad, grief among their supposed widows, and orphans, and their +friends. + +In the meanwhile the boatmen, having left the American ship, row +steadily toward Ramsgate. They see a lugger making for the harbour; this +proves to be the _Champion_. The lugger takes the men on board, and the +boat in tow, her crew rejoicing over their friends whom they had +supposed to be drowned. They hoist the lugger's flag in token that they +are bearers of good news, and speed towards Ramsgate. The lugger's +approach with her flag flying excites the curiosity of the men on the +harbour, and a crowd hurries down the pier to watch her arrival. And, as +soon as the men missing from the _Princess Alice_ are recognised, the +cheers and excitement are wild in the extreme, and men speed off at +their hardest to bear the good news. One poor woman in the midst of her +agony and mourning for her husband, and surrounded by her weeping +friends, is surprised by her door being burst violently open, and at +seeing a boatman almost dropping with breathlessness, gasping, and +gesticulating, and nodding, but trying in vain to speak; and it is some +seconds before he can stammer out "All right! all right! your husband is +safe, coming now!" + +A little subscription was got up by the men and their friends, in order +to give to the captain of the American ship and the pilot a small +testimonial of the appreciation of their skill and hospitality. The men +took the borrowed oars back and presented their thankofferings, in the +shape of a silver cigar case each, to the captain and pilot. + +And as the men told the story of the despair and grief that had existed +among the wives and children at home--of the tears of sorrow that were +turned into tears of gladness--of the rejoicings that took place upon +their return, the brave and feeling American captain shared the emotion +of the men as they told their tale, and was much overcome as he thanked +them for their present, saying,--he should value it as long as he lived, +and ever be deeply grateful that he had in any way been the instrument +of saving such honest and brave fellows, and of restoring them to their +wives and families. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE SAVING OF "LA MARGUERITE"--(A HOVEL). + + "The spirit of the storm pursued + Their long and toilsome way; + At length, in ocean solitude, + He sprang upon his prey. + 'Havoc!' the shipwreck-demon cried, + Loos'd all his tempests on the tide, + Gave all his lightnings play." + + _J. Montgomery._ + + +The case of _La Marguerite_, a small French brig that was rescued from +great peril by a Margate lugger, assisted by the Ramsgate steamer and +life-boat, will perhaps convey a sufficient idea of the difficulty and +danger that frequently occur in rescuing vessels from positions of +peril, and in bringing them in their damaged condition safely into port. + +_La Marguerite_, a small French brig of 187 tons, is owned by her +captain, an honest and brave French seaman, and represents to him a +great part of the savings of many years' hard work and economy. + +She is bound from Christiana to Dieppe with a cargo of deals; her hold +is full, and her deck piled up and hampered with cargo almost to the +level of her gunwale. + +But on she goes rolling through the seas, with a fair wind and fine +weather, and her crew suffer only that amount of discomfort which must +always be the case when the deck of a vessel is so crowded with cargo. + +The fresh breeze increases in force, and threatens a storm; the men +close reef the topsails and speed on their way; they make the Orfordness +light on the Essex coast, and then, correcting their course, steer for +the Knock and Galloper lights, which are stationed to guard sands so +named, and which are situated about eighteen miles from the North +Foreland. The breeze lulls a little, and they shake out a reef in the +sails; it is now getting somewhat thick--they soon make out a couple of +lights, but they shine so dimly through the mists that the crew conclude +that they are only fishermen's lights, and shaking out another reef, +they run fast before the wind, carefully steering their course by the +compass; but all this time a strong set of tide has been carrying them +to the northward and westward; this they have not discovered, and are +quite unaware that they are getting into a dangerous neighbourhood. + +The captain is on deck; he is well-pleased at the prospect of making a +rapid voyage, and seeing that the night is likely to be wet and squally, +he gives his crew an extra glass of grog all round and goes below, +taking a last look at the compass, and feeling fully assured that they +are steering a straight course home. + +In an hour or two the men on deck have their attention aroused by a +hoarse murmur which seems right a head of them, and which sounds like +the noise of waves breaking upon the shore. They look at the compass, +their course is correct, they cannot account for it; a couple of men run +forward, and soon see distinctly a white line of foam gleaming out in +the darkness, and make out the flash of the breakers as they leap high +in the air; they are terror-stricken at the sight, and, with a loud cry +of "Breakers ahead! breakers ahead!" they rush to the hatchway and shout +to the captain to come on deck at once; he, poor man, rushes up and +hurries to the wheel, round it flies, but before he can get the brig's +head round, she mounts upon a breaker, is thrown forward and grounds +heavily upon the Sands. + +Where are they? Where can they be? What horrible mistake have they made? +they think they must have run somewhere on the mainland, on the Kent +coast; one man proposes to swim ashore with a rope, but the seas come +sweeping over them with a degree of violence, that quite does away with +any thought of making such an attempt. They hurry to the long boat to +try and get it out, but it and the only other boat which is in the brig +are speedily swept over board by the seas. The vessel is on the edge of +the sands and feels all the force of the waves as they roll in and leap +and break upon the bank; with every inrush of the seas she lifts high +and pitches, crashing her bow down on the sands, each time with a thump +that makes her timbers groan, and almost sends the men flying from the +deck. + +As the big waves recoil and leap against her in all directions she +rolls heavily, while her masts sway, and her yard-arms almost touch the +water on either side. + +The tide is rising, and as she lifts she beats each time a yard or two +over the Sands; the timbers, piled upon her decks, speedily break loose +and are washed away; the hull is writhing and working very badly--her +seams open; and so heavily does she strike, that time after time the +captain thinks that she must soon break up. This thrashing over the +Sands lasts for about twenty minutes, when they find that she is in deep +water, but completely water-logged, and torn and wrenched almost to +pieces; her rudder is knocked away, and if her cargo were anything but +deals she would sink at once, and all would be instantly drowned; as it +is, so long as her timbers will hold together her cargo will keep her +afloat, and her crew are comparatively safe. But she is by no means a +strongly-built vessel, and could not by any possibility stand much more +of the thumping and wrenching which she has just gone through, while +beating over the Sands. + +The captain is still unable to make out where they are; they get a heave +of the lead, and find that they are in thirteen fathoms of water; it +must be a sandbank in the middle of a channel that they have just beaten +over--they had better anchor at once for fear the ship should be driven +upon another bank. + +"Is the anchor clear?" + +"No," cries the mate. (It is neglect of such matters as these that loses +many a fine ship.) + +"Get the anchor and cable clear, then, as quickly as you can, or we +shall be on the sands again; for although the brig is water-logged, the +wind is driving her fast, and the tide is running with great speed." +After some delay they get the anchor overboard, and the brig rides to +it, head to wind. + +The men gather together in the stern of the vessel, and group round the +captain, and as there is no work to be done to keep up their excitement, +they the more fully realize their danger, and begin to express their +fears. + +They speak of their wives and children, and bemoan their own probable +fate. + +The captain is the greatest sufferer, and the bravest hearted of them +all. + +"Look at me!" he replies. "Have not I got a wife? Have I not got six +children? Do I want to be taken from them, any more than you do from +yours? Besides, this is my own ship, you know that, and you know that +she is all I have got--all I have worked and saved for; if I lose her, I +lose all I have, and am a poor man again; you may be sure I'll do all I +can to save the ship and our lives too." + +But the men watch how severely the brig pitches in the heavy seas. The +cable strains as if it would tear itself out of the ship, and the men +are afraid it will part, or the anchor drag, and think the ship would +ride more easily if her masts were cut away; they urge the captain to +have it done; but the ship is not insured, and he, poor man, knows how +great must be the expense of repairing her if she is saved, and +naturally does not wish to increase that expense by losing her masts, +so for some time he resists their entreaties; but at last is forced to +give an unwilling consent to have the foremast cut away. The carpenter +seizes the hatchet, a few heavy blows, and a great notch gapes in the +mast, they cut the weather shrouds, and after the ship has given two or +three heavy rolls, the mast goes over with a loud crash, falling well +over the side clear of the vessel; one man receives a nasty gash in the +cheek, from a splinter from the falling mast, but is not much hurt. They +cut the rigging of the mast from the vessel, and the mast is speedily +carried astern by the tide. + +The brig certainly now rides more easily; the night passes on, and very +long and weary the hours seem. The vessel sinks lower and lower in the +water, right down, indeed, to her deck lining. The captain and the crew +know how weak she is (like some of the small timber ships, she has no +lower hold beams), and they fear that as she is full of water, the +buoyancy of the timber cargo may break up her deck, for she is almost +all to pieces already, and if the deck bursts, she will break up at +once. + +All hands, therefore, watch eagerly for the daylight, and as soon as +they are able to see, begin to make a raft; there are a goodly number of +eleven-feet deals stowed on deck which have been jambed too tight to be +washed away by the seas, and the crew begin to lash these together as +rapidly as they can, although, from the rolling and pitching of the +vessel and from the seas washing so frequently over the deck, it is a +matter of great difficulty to do so. + +As soon as it is daylight the wreck is seen from Margate, and all is at +once astir down by the jetty and the pier; the life-boat is speedily +manned and gets under weigh, and two fine luggers race with her to get +first to the vessel. + +But it is a long beat to windward, and against a fresh gale and strong +tide, and it is doubtful whether either of the boats will be able to +reach the wreck, at all events, before the turn of the tide, or at the +least, slack water. The luggers have, as a matter of course, a +sufficient amount of ballast on board, and are in good sailing trim. The +life-boat cannot be so heavily ballasted, or she would sink when filled +with water, or beat to pieces when grounding on the Sands among the +broken seas; the luggers therefore, make to windward much better than +the life-boat can, and leave her astern, the life-boat crew soon find +that it will be impossible for them to reach the wreck, and return to +Margate; the luggers persevere, and one of them runs alongside the brig +in fine style; the men on board the other lugger think that the brig is +drifting and not at anchor, they therefore make too far to leeward, +astern of her, and cannot beat up into position again. + +The men from the first lugger spring on board the wreck; they find that +she is greatly damaged, and working very heavily as she rolls gunwale +under; they think she would ride easier with her remaining mast gone, +and try to persuade the captain to let them cut it away, but he stoutly +refuses his permission, and the Margate men make the best of it, as it +is. + +They get the anchor up, and passing a hawser on board the lugger, seek +to tow the brig away from the Sands; knowing the Sands as well as they +do, they hope to be able to get clear of them and get the brig into deep +water; but it is very difficult work, for with her rudder gone there is +no power of steering her, and the weight of the lugger is scarcely +sufficient to keep her head straight: they make a little progress, +however, the tide being somewhat in their favour, but the tide is on the +turn, and they will soon be driven back into their old position, if not +in worse, and the men begin almost to despair of saving the vessel, when +to their great satisfaction they see the Ramsgate steamboat and +life-boat making their way round the North Foreland. + +The coastguard officer at Margate, when he saw that the Margate +life-boat could not reach the brig, and knowing that if any sea got up +where the vessel was, that the luggers could be of no use, telegraphed +to Ramsgate that a vessel was on the Knock Sands. + +The steamer and life-boat get under weigh at once, and proceed as fast +as possible to the rescue; there is a nasty sea running off Ramsgate, +but it is not until they get to the North Foreland that they feel the +full force of the gale--here the sea is tremendous, and as the steamer +pitches to it, the waves that break upon her bows fly right over her +funnel--indeed she buries herself so much in the seas that they have to +ease her speed considerably to prevent her being completely overrun by +them. + +No one on board the boat knows where they are being towed; "a telegram +from Margate," was the first news "the life-boat wanted;" and then in +the hurry and excitement to get under weigh with all possible speed, no +one on board had thought of asking for further particulars. + +The life-boat plunges on, and her crew are ready for the work whatever +it is, and wherever it is. As they round the North Foreland they see a +brig, with her foremast gone, in tow of a lugger. + +The boatmen cast off the steamer's tow-rope and make for the brig; they +run in close under her lee, and venture too near to her; she is rolling +so heavily that her yard-arm comes right over the boat, and the loose +ropes swaying about catch in the boat's mast; they cannot get the mast +down, and the brig hangs so heavily they fear that she is going to +capsize right upon them; an active fellow severs the entangled rope with +a hatchet, the brig slowly rolls up again, and the life-boat drops +astern. + +The boatmen get on board the brig; there are six of the lugger's men on +board; they find that the lugger is quite unable to make any way with +the wreck, and as the tide is on the turn, the vessel is in great peril, +for the Sands are just under her lee; no time must be lost, they signal +to the steamer to come at once, the life-boatmen take a hawser on board +her, and she begins to tow the brig away from the Sands; but the brig's +rudder is gone, and she is sheering right and left, jerking the hawser +at the end of each sheer with a strain hard enough to break it, and the +foremast being cut away, the men cannot carry sail to steady her; she +must be steered by the boats. + +The life-boat and lugger drop astern, each having a rope from the +opposite quarter of the wreck. The steamer moves ahead, and as the brig +begins to sheer in one direction, both boats steer in the opposite +direction, and turning their broadsides to the vessel as much as +possible, hang with all their weight, and try and keep her stern +straight; then as the vessel sheers again in the other direction, away +the boats immediately make across her stern, to check her on the other +side. + +It is difficult and perilous work, this swiftly sheering across the +brig's stern in the heavy tumble of sea and strong gale, for the boats +can carry no sails to steady them, or they would not be able to sheer +quickly from one direction to the other; and thus they are in constant +danger of coming into violent collision with each other, and once they +strike together very heavily. + +The French crew on board the brig are utterly exhausted with fatigue and +excitement, and are quite ready to leave their vessel in the hands of +the English boatmen. The men get the anchor and cable clear and ready +for use if wanted; it is of no good attempting anything with the pumps, +for the wreck is water-logged; and away the brig goes plunging and +rolling with the seas washing over her decks, which are scarcely out of +the water, and the two boats sheering and tossing astern, all being +towed by the gallant little steamer. + +As the brig gets good way on her, it is easier to steer her by means of +the boats; but still they do not dare attempt to take her through the +narrow Cud channel, they therefore find their way through the Gull +stream, and round the small Brake-buoy, and then make up for the +entrance of Ramsgate harbour. But the tide has not been long on the +flood, and the strong northerly wind is checking it; and so they doubt +whether there is water enough to take her into the harbour, and wait +until they can see the red light showing on the west pier-head; this is +the signal that there is ten feet of water at the harbour mouth; the +weather is so thick that they cannot for some time see the light, and it +has been up for at least an hour before they can make it out. + +They regret every moment's delay, for although it is of no use +attempting to enter the harbour before there is abundance of depth of +water, yet the tide is making more and more strongly every minute, and +it will be a matter of increasing difficulty to steer the brig, in her +present helpless condition, across the strong tide, and through the +heavy seas, into the narrow entrance of the harbour. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE WRECK BROUGHT IN. + + "God keep those cheery mariners! + And temper all the gales, + That sweep against the rocky coast + To their storm-shattered sails." + + _P. Benjamin._ + + +As they tow the wreck near to the harbour they shorten the steamers +hawser to give the brig less scope for sheering; and as there is not +room for both the lugger and the life-boat to hang astern and help the +brig steer, the life-boat casts off and makes in to the harbour. + +In spite of the rough cold night, the interest in life-boat work is too +great for all sympathisers to be driven away from the pier-head; and +there is a crowd there ready to watch the boat's return, and to welcome +the men with a cheer. + +The steamer approaches cautiously, the brig's head is straight, and she +seems well under command; a couple of minutes more and all will be safe, +when suddenly the rush of tide catches the wreck on the bow; she +overpowers the lugger which is towing astern; round her head flies; she +lurches heavily forward, and strikes the east pier-head just outside the +bend; crash goes her jibboom; in vain the steamer tows its hardest, she +is in the grasp of a strong tide and leaping sea, and again she pitches +and plunges heavily against the pier: with a terrible wrench her +bowsprit breaks off short; again, and again, she strikes as she drifts +round the pier; her figurehead is crushed, her stem broken and twisted, +her forefoot torn off, and sweeping round she grounds on the Sands +almost alongside the pier, on the outer side, grinding and rubbing her +sides against the massive granite walls at each heave and work of the +sea. + +The change of scene on the pier is very sudden, and very great; at one +moment the people were cheering the crews of the life-boat and steamer +upon the apparently successful ending of their labours; the next, and +the work of the brave fellows seems almost more than undone; and there +is quick dread peril, and deadly strife, and a wild outcry of fear, and +a very wildness of excitement, in the place of apparent safety and +congratulation. The people on the pier can look down upon the men on +board the brig, can see them clinging to the wreck as the seas break +over them, can hear the brig grinding and thumping against the pier as +if she would at once break up. + +Some of the lookers-on run for the life-buoys, which are hanging upon +the parapet of the pier and on the pier-house, and throw them down to +the men on board the brig, others get ropes, and throwing one end down, +shout to the men to make themselves fast, that they will haul them up. + +The poor Frenchmen are almost paralysed by the scene and by +excitement--they cannot make it out; the harbour-master, Captain Braine, +has enough to do; he sees the danger of the men on board the brig, but +he sees more than this, he sees the danger of the crowd at the +pier-head, for the brig's mainmast is swaying backwards and forwards, +coming right over the pier as the vessel rolls, and threatens to break +and come down upon the people as the brig strikes the pier; and if it +does, it will certainly kill some, perhaps many. + +The women are shrieking, men shouting, some running about here and +there, all anxious to do something, and yet not able to render any +assistance. + +The French sailors are making themselves fast to the end of the ropes +that have been thrown on board, but the harbour-master sees the great +danger the men will be in, of being crushed between the wreck and the +pier, if they make the attempt to be hauled up, the vessel is rolling so +quickly, and the seas are so heavy, he therefore shouts to them not to +try it, and the boatmen hold them back. + +But still the French sailors struggle to get hold of the ropes, crying +out, "Much danger, much danger! What shall we do? what shall we do?" The +outcry of the people on the pier naturally adding greatly to their +excitement. + +During this time, which has occupied but very few minutes, the steamer +still keeps hold of the hawser. She has been swung against the inside of +the pier by the strain of the wreck upon her cable, and by the eddy of +the tide, while the wreck has been beating against the outside; now she +steams out again with all speed, gets her head round, brings a gradual +strain upon the hawser, and makes every effort to tow the brig away from +the pier and off the Sands; after a few seconds of hard tugging the brig +begins to move, and they get her into deep water again. + +But during this time the crew of the Margate lugger have been in equal, +if not greater, danger than the men on board the brig. + +As soon as the men on board the lugger saw the brig sweep and crash +against the pier, they cast off their tow rope, but before they could +hoist any sail, the way they had on the boat, and the rush of the tide, +carried the lugger almost between the vessel, as she swung round, and +the pier; the men, however, escaped that danger, and indeed death, but +the boat was swept to the back of the pier, and in the eddy of the tide +was carried into the broken water; there she rolls in the trough of the +sea; wave after wave catches and sweeps her up towards the pier as if to +crush her against it; but each time the rebound of the water from the +pier acts as a fender, and saves her from destruction; but she is an +open boat, and if one big wave leaps on board it will fill her, and she +must sink at once; and the seas around her are very wild, the surf from +their crests breaks into her continually; the people on the pier see her +extreme peril; some run to the life-boat men who are preparing to moor +the boat, and shout to them to hasten out--that the brig is breaking up, +and that the lugger will be swamped; before, however, the life-boat can +get out, the brig is towed clear of the pier, and the lugger having +gradually drifted to the end of the pier, the men are able to get up a +corner of the fore-sail; it cants the lugger's head round; the men get +the fore-sail well up; it fills, she draws away from the pier, and away +from the broken water, and is clear. + +The steamer has the brig in tow, but now the wreck has no boats to help +her steer, and she therefore yaws about with tremendous lurches. + +The boatmen have all this time been working their utmost; their danger +and the scene of excitement around them having no other effect upon +them, than to make them the more cool and determined to do everything +they can to save the vessel and themselves. + +They rig up a stay-sail upon the tottering mainmast, and as soon as the +steamer gets a little way on the brig, they try and steer by it, raising +and lowering the sail as the brig sheers one way or the other, and doing +their utmost to keep her head straight. + +A very heavy sea strikes her on the bow, and she lurches right across +the tide; at that moment the steamer's hawser tightens and strains, and +the whole weight of the brig as she lies broadside to the seas dragging +upon the rope, it breaks in a weak place, where it has got chafed +against the pier. + +The brig falls into the trough of the sea; the waves begin to make a +clean breach over her; water-logged and helpless as she is, with her +deck down almost to the level of the sea; the men on board can now do +but little, for time after time, as the seas sweep her decks, they have +enough to do to hold on; still the boatmen on board work when they can, +for they see that their lives depend upon getting the vessel in tow of +the steamer before she can strike the Dyke Bank, which is just under her +lee. + +They make all haste to haul in the broken end of the cable; they already +have a good part of the cable on board, which they hauled in when they +were about making for the harbour. + +They tell the French captain to get all his men to work, and have the +ship's hawser ready, but the brig rapidly drifts before the heavy gale +and with the tide towards the Dyke Bank, over which the seas are running +with fearful violence, the poor shattered wreck must indeed be very soon +broken up altogether if she once strikes amid that terrible rage of +waters, and there, too, the waves will sweep over her with a violence +sufficient to sweep the men from her decks; they must expect the +tottering mast to go at the first shock; there would be no refuge in the +rigging, and the deck would be virtually under water; it is doubtful +indeed if she strikes whether the men will be able to hold on, even +while the life-boat, which is close at hand, can reach them. + +The life-boatmen had made out to the rescue of the lugger, but when they +saw that she was out of danger, and that the brig was under tow of the +steamer, they put back, but directly the harbour-master sees that the +brig is again adrift, he hastens to order the life-boat out once more to +the rescue. Many of the excited people on the pier throng round the +harbour-master, and entreat him to order the life-boatmen to take all +the boatmen and the crew off the wreck at once. + +But the harbour-master knows the boatmen too well to think that they +will be content to leave the wreck, whatever the danger may be, while +there remains a single chance of saving her; he therefore tells the +life-boatmen to keep as near to the wreck as possible. + +The captain of the steamer, directly he sees the hawser break, realizes +the deadly peril the wreck and those on board it are in; without a +moment's delay, he orders his crew to haul in the broken end of the +hawser, and as speedily as possible to back the steamer down to the +wreck, which is now within one hundred yards of the Dyke Sand. She is +rolling heavily broadside to the seas, which are making a clean sweep +over her; the men on board are scarcely able to keep the deck for the +wash of water, a few minutes more--two or three--and she will be right +in upon the breakers; round the pier-head dashes the life-boat, leaping +the seas as she is carried swiftly before the gale, she makes for the +wreck, and is ready to plunge into the surf to the rescue of the crew +directly the unfortunate vessel touches the Sands. But the steamer may +yet be in time to save her: now she is close to her, and they throw the +end of a rope on board the wreck; the boatmen on board fasten a cable to +it, the steamer's crew haul it in with all possible speed, the steamer +moves slowly a-head, the cable gets taught, the steamer tugs and +strains, but it is with the greatest difficulty she can get the brig's +head straight; now it comes slowly round, but as the wreck faces the +tide, she sheers right and left; they see that the wreckage of her +bowsprit and jibboom are right across her bow entangled in her +cut-water; it is this that causes her to sheer so much, and to hang so +heavily that the steamer cannot make any way with her, or keep her head +straight for one moment. + +The English boatmen stand ready to hoist the stay-sail, as soon as the +steamer can move her ahead, and keep her at all to the wind. + +The poor French sailors give way to much excitement in the wildness and +peril of the scene; clasping their hands and shouting; and there is +little wonder that their fears should be so aroused. "Hold! hold, good +rope, for if you break, nothing can save the ship; in a short time she +must be torn utterly to pieces by the waves now breaking so wildly, +almost directly under her lee!" + +Each time the brig sheers heavily to one side or the other, she is +brought up with a jerk that makes the steamer tremble from stem to +stern, and tries the strength of the cable to the utmost. + +The life-boat continues to cruise round the brig, keeping as near as +possible, but taking care to avoid her, as she sheers swiftly from side +to side. + +Suddenly the wreckage clears itself from across the vessel's bow, and to +the joy of all, the vessel ceases to sheer so violently, and rests for a +minute straight in her course. + +The boatmen on board at once hoist the stay-sail; it steadies her, and +she forges ahead, and they battle their way through the waves, round the +west pier-head, and a little out of the rush of the worst of the seas; +here, five brave fellows come off in a small boat, and bring a line to +her from the pier; with this they haul the second hawser from the vessel +to the pier; they get another hawser from the pier to the wreck, and as +the tide is setting her in a direction away from the pier, they can hold +her fast by these hawsers; the steamer now moves round the wreck, and +gets a rope from her stern, but in the meantime they have made the +life-boat's cable fast to the stern of the wreck, and passed it on to +the pier; the crowd of people on the pier lay hold of it, and begin to +pull their hardest, and succeed in moving the wreck fast astern; with +such energy do they pull that the small cable breaks in their hands, but +the steamer has by this time again got hold of the vessel, and tows her +safely into the harbour, and the long hours of peril and of struggling +against the storm are at an end. + +A miserable figure the poor wreck looks, when she is hauled up on the +slip-way for repairs. Her masts are out of her, her bow crushed, her +stern twisted and broken, the oakum is streaming out of her seams, her +timbers are started, her rudder is gone, she looks truly the very wreck +she is. Indeed, it was nothing but the fact of her being timber laden +that prevented her going down immediately after striking the first time +upon the Margate Sands, or has kept her afloat during any one of the +many terrible struggles with the seas, that she has had since to endure. +The brig was ultimately repaired, and sent to sea; but to whatever +extent the general average upon the insured cargo contributed to the +bill, the balance required must have made a sad hole in the poor +brave-hearted captain's savings. + +The Margate and Ramsgate men got some few pounds each for salvage: the +ship and cargo were not very valuable, and there were many to share the +small amount awarded, so there was not much for each one. But the men +were thankful, on account of the captain, as well as on their own +account, to have saved the vessel through so much peril, and as a +result, to have anything at all to share. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE WRECK OF THE "PROVIDENTIA." + + "What dangers press'd, when seas ran mountain high, + When tempests raved, and horrors veiled the sky; + When prudence fail'd, when courage grew dismayed, + When the strong fainted, and the wicked prayed;-- + Then in the yawning gulf far down we drove, + And gazed upon the billowy mount above; + Till up that mountain swinging with the gale, + We view'd the horrors of the watery vale!" + + _Crabbe._ + + +A dark stormy December night had been followed by a gloomy morning, a +heavy gale had been blowing for some hours from the north-east, and +thick drifting snow-squalls still further threw heavy shadows over the +sea, and added greatly to the perils of the dangerous navigation around +the Goodwin. + +The men on Ramsgate pier said to each other, "It is _likely weather_." +Likely for disaster and for the need of their services; they therefore +keep a careful watch, but the snow and drifting fog-clouds shut out the +Goodwin Sands and the light-vessels from their view, and so the men can +only wait on, speculating upon the possibility of some unseen tragedy +being worked out amid the darkness and the wrath of waters that surround +the Goodwin. + +It is now after breakfast-time, about nine o'clock, the weather is too +bad for much ordinary work to be going on, and so a large number of +boatmen assemble in the look-out houses and at the head of the pier +watching the storm. + +Many are the spy-glasses which are every now and then pointed seaward, +scanning any break in the storm-drift; three or four men are at the end +of the pier by the watch-house; one of them fancies that he can make out +a dark line 'mid the grey gloom; he watches carefully, a sheet of fog +lifts for a moment; "Yes, there is! I see a ship on the Goodwin!" + +"Where? Where?" and another man looks at the direction of his spy-glass, +and points his own the same way. No; he can see nothing; and the man +himself can now see nothing; it was just a glimpse, that was all, and +the cloud closed in upon the Sands and wrapt them in darkness again. + +"But are you positive you saw anything?" they ask the man. + +"I am just as sure of it as I am that I am standing here." + +"What was she like?" + +"She seemed a large ship with only two masts standing, and high up on +the Sands." + +"Well, if you saw her once, and are certain of it, once is as good as +fifty times. Away then for the life-boat." + +Hurrying up the pier to give the alarm, they shout to some boatmen who +are at work helping to stow cargo on board a Dutch steamer--the +_Orient_: "A vessel on the Goodwin; Life-boat! Life-boat!" Immediately +the men throw down whatever they have in their hands, spring to the +gunwale, and are out of the ship, up the steps, on the pier, and running +for the life-boat in a moment; and this to the intense astonishment of +the Dutch mate, who had not heard the cry of life-boat. He runs along +the deck on to the poop, and shakes his fist at the men, shouting after +them, "You be bad men you! You be bad men! What for you run away? You +come here work no more!" + +The honest-hearted fellow was, however, more than appeased, when he was +told that it was to rush on board the life-boat; to go out in that wild +dark storm and terrible sea to the rescue of life, that the men had so +suddenly deserted their work and fled from the vessel. + +One of the pier men runs to the harbour-master, and reports that a large +ship has been seen ashore on the Goodwin; the harbour-master hurries to +the pier-head, but the lift in the storm has settled down thicker than +ever; he can see nothing; he, and all with him, listen attentively for +any report of a gun from the Goodwin light-vessels, but can hear +nothing; they cross-question the man who saw the wreck. The +harbour-master thinks he may have been mistaken--that it was probably a +ship sailing through the Gull Channel that he saw. No! the man is +positive that it was a ship on the Goodwin, and nothing else; and so +the harbour-master, although they can hear no signal from the +light-vessels, decides upon sending the life-boat, and orders the +coxswain to proceed to sea. + +Rapid preparation for the start has been going on all this time; and +very speedily steamer and life-boat are away in the dark storm speeding +their way to the Goodwin Sands. They get to the North Sand light-ship +about eleven o'clock, and find a very heavy sea running in the +neighbourhood of the Sands, with frequent snow-squalls sweeping along. + +The men on board the light-vessel say that both they, and the men on +board the Gull light-ship, have been making signals since daylight. (The +roar of the storm, and the wind not being on shore, the guns were not +heard, and the weather was too thick for any signals to be seen). They +report that they had seen a ship on shore on the South-East Spit of the +Sands. + +Away go steamer and life-boat, the crew of both alike eager to make up +for lost time, and they soon discover the vessel they are in search of +looming out in the mist. + +They see that she is a complete wreck, and that she is settled down upon +the Sands, with her bow to the seas; her mizen-mast is gone close to the +deck; the seas are running quite over her as they break upon her bow; +they mount up and fly over her fore-yard and race along her deck, +breaking again upon her deck-house, which they smother in foam. + +There are no sailors to be seen lashed to the rigging, and it is +doubtful whether they can have found shelter anywhere on deck, so great +is the rush of water over the ship. Indeed, the life-boat men think that +it is very improbable that any of the crew can be left on board. +Nevertheless, they determine to get on board the vessel, and see if they +can find any poor exhausted seaman still clinging to some portion of the +wreck. + +There is a very heavy sea running, and they have a short consultation as +to the best method of getting alongside the vessel; they determine to go +in upon the lee quarter, and make preparation for so doing. Now they +make in for the wreck; they sail in swiftly; plunge in through the +broken water; their anchor is all ready; they watch their distance. Over +with it; lower the foresail; and they are about to run the life-boat +right alongside the vessel, when the man in the bow shouts, "Up with +your helm; up with it hard; sheer off, sheer off!" Up the helm is; +swiftly the boat answers, and bears away from the vessel. + +The mizen-mast, which had been broken off short, has fallen over the +quarter of the vessel, and become entangled in the Sands, and with the +ship's side, and is standing out at right angles to the wreck, right in +the way the life-boat was steering. If it had been night-time the boat +would have been steered in right upon the wreck of the mast and yards, +when in every probability she would have been stove and rolled over by +the seas; the men would then have been washed out of her, and it would +have been impossible for them to have got back to her again, against the +rush of sea and tide and entangled as she would have been in the +wreckage of the mast, she could not have floated down to them; as it is, +this very catastrophe nearly happens, for the men hardly see the danger +in time; it is a moment of great peril, for the boat is being tossed +about violently in the broken water, and becomes somewhat entangled in +the wreckage; the men lay hold of the cable, and haul upon it with all +their strength, and do what they can to check the way of the boat, and +help her head round; now they get a good cant out, they throw out some +coils of the cable in one cast, they sheer out well, and get clear of +the wreck of the mizen-mast; the seas catch the boat and drive it astern +of the vessel, the cable runs out its full length and brings the boat up +with a strong jerk. The men, on looking at the wreck, are glad to find +that there are some of her crew still alive; they can see three men and +a boy crouching down, under the shelter of the deck-house, but they must +be but a small proportion of the original crew of the ship, for she is a +large vessel, and must have had a crew of certainly not fewer than +fifteen or sixteen men. "Thank God," say the life-boat men, "that they +are not all gone, and that we are here in time to try and save some." + +The shipwrecked men have been crouching there for some hours, and have +been getting more and more wretched, cold, wet, exhausted, and hopeless; +every now and then they heard the loud boom of a gun from one of the +light-vessels, but no life-boat came, and the wreck might at any moment +break up; they at first felt confident that a life-boat would certainly +soon come to their rescue, and had prepared for her coming by getting a +life-buoy with a long line fastened to it, ready to throw overboard. + +But the hours passed by, the seas broke over the vessel with increasing +violence, the storm grew more and more wild, they could not understand +why the life-boat did not come, but she did not, and they began to +despair of being saved. + +Suddenly, as they crouch under the deck-house in their hopeless misery, +they see the life-boat swing round on the tide, and come up to her cable +just astern of the ship; never were men more agreeably surprised; it is +as a reprieve from death; and they feel their blood course again through +their veins, their strength returns, and they start up ready for action; +the life-boat men give them a cheer, which they answer with glad cries +of welcome. + +The men on board the wreck throw the life-buoy and line to the life-boat +men; there is a tremendous tumble of sea, the life-boat is flying about +in all directions, and it is not for some time, and not until after much +trouble, that they succeed in getting the life-buoy on board the boat. + +All hands lay hold of the rope, and do their utmost to haul the +life-boat nearer to the wreck; but the heavy gale, the rush of the sea, +and the strong tide, are all directly against her, her cable is +straining to the utmost, and they cannot get her to move in the least; +they struggle on, and on, but it is all in vain. + +"Pull, men, pull! now all together, as the seas pass; now, try and get +a foot or two ahead." Not an inch, strain and pull as they will. + +"Look out! look out! let go; take care of yourselves!" + +Too late; a tremendous sea comes rushing over the vessel, right over the +life-boat, beats her back with a wrench and jerk that tears one of the +timber heads, to which the rope is fastened, right out of her, knocks +down by its great weight five or six of the men, who are holding on to +the rope, hurts two or three of them somewhat severely, and buries the +boat in its very flood of water; for a moment she is swamped, and beaten +right away from the wreck; she lifts again, in a few seconds rises to +her water-line; she frees herself of water, the men spring to their +feet. + +"Are all there? Are any washed out of her?" "All right! all right!" +"Thank God! Now at it again, my men." + +Happily the anchor still holds, and the boat's cable brings the boat up. +But what is to be done to save the poor crew? They feel that it is quite +impossible for them to haul the boat any nearer to the ship. + +To their great surprise, they see the captain spring up from the lee of +the deck-house, hurriedly take off his oilskin coat, throw it into the +water, and then jumping on the gunwale, grasp the hawser that holds the +boat, and slide down it into the boiling sea. A huge wave breaks over +him, and washes him away from the rope; he now tries to swim to the +boat, but the life-boat is not directly astern, the sheer she has to her +cable that is fastened to the anchor which was thrown over some +distance to the side of vessel, prevents her dropping right astern; and +although the captain has but to swim a few yards out of the direction of +the sweep of sea and tide, it is impossible for him to manage it. He is +perfectly overwhelmed by the boil of sea, tossed wildly up and down, +wave after wave beating over him, it is all that he can do to keep his +head above water, and cannot guide his course in the least; the boatmen +try all they can to make the boat sheer towards him, so as to reach him, +or to throw him a rope, but it is impossible, they cannot get +sufficiently near; and in a few seconds they see him swept rapidly by in +the swift tide; Jarman, the coxswain of the boat, seizes a life-buoy, +and throws it with all his force towards him; the wind catches it and +helps the throw; it falls near him; he makes a spring forward and +reaches it; the men gladly see that he has got it; they see him put his +two hands upon one side as if to get upon it; as he leans forward it +falls over his head like a hoop; he gets his arms through it, and +shouting to the boatmen "All right," he waves his hand as if to beckon +to them to follow him, and goes floating down in the strong tide and +among the raging leaping seas in a strange wild dance, that threatens +indeed to be a dance of death. + +It is with deep feelings of dismay and sorrow that the boatmen see him +thus drifting away, sea after sea breaking over him; they think it +impossible that he can live long; they watch him as far as they can see +him; he rises now and again on a sea, and waves his hand to them, but +soon disappears from their view, and they seem to have wished him for +ever good-bye, for if they go after him at once they will not be able to +get back to the ship again, perhaps for hours; and there are two men and +a boy still on board whom they must not desert; they must do what they +can for these poor fellows first, and then they will hasten away in +search of the poor captain, although they have but little hope of then +finding him alive, even if they find him at all. + +At once they are reminded of the dread peril the men on board the ship +are in; for a tremendous crash like a peal of thunder startles them all; +and looking round they see the tall mainmast of the ship fall swiftly +over on the port side of the vessel. + +The men on board give a loud cry--the terrible crash and rend and shock +of the falling mast appals them to the uttermost; it is as if the wreck +was breaking to pieces in one vast wrench beneath their feet. The chief +mate springs wildly to the starboard quarter, and seizes the end of the +mainbrace, which is hanging there; he makes it fast round his waist; and +with a rapid spring, and with arms outstretched towards the boat, he +jumps into the sea; he is a fine powerful young man, and a very good +swimmer; but what can he do in a tide and sea so tremendous that twelve +strong men cannot haul the boat one foot against them? and so a fearful +tragedy is worked out before the boatmen's eyes; they make every effort +to sheer the boat towards the man, but in vain; the tide sweeps him at +once away on the lee-bow of the boat; he struggles fearfully hard for +his life; the sea takes him and throws him away to the full extent of +the rope, which tightens round his waist; the strain of the rope draws +him back a little; he falls in the trough of the sea; he is just in the +thick of the surf, in the break of the waves, and they curl over him and +beat him down beneath their weight, and then again the next rushing wave +catches him and flings him out, till he is brought up with a jerk as the +rope tightens, that seems almost to tear him in pieces; now he is thrown +high in the air on the crest of a wave, now he is buried in a sea, +rolled over and over; sheering here and there, as the tangled waves +catch him, first on one side, then on the other, but never nearer the +life-boat; every now and then he strikes out wildly as if to make a last +effort, and cries aloud in his agony and despair. It is indeed a most +piteous sight, and it moves the boatmen to the very heart; the poor +drowning fellow so near and they unable to render him the least help. + +They cannot remain doing nothing, although they feel fully assured that +all they attempt must be in vain; they haul with all their power on the +cable to try and get nearer to the ship when they might sheer down upon +the poor fellow; but the sea is raging over them as much as ever, and +they cannot get the boat to move at all; the waves rush over the boat in +rapid succession, and as they do so the men have to crouch down and +cling with all their force to the thwarts, and struggle hard to prevent +being washed out of her. As each sea passes, up they spring and again +try to haul in the cable; the poor drowning sailor is ahead of the boat, +on the starboard bow; if the line which he has round his waist were only +a few fathoms longer he might be saved; it would be madness for any of +the boatmen to jump overboard to get at him, they would be instantly +swept astern of the boat, without a hope of saving him, and at great and +useless risk of their own lives; they try and throw the lead-line over +the rope which holds the poor fellow; hoping that if they can succeed in +doing so, that he may manage to get hold of it, and loosing himself from +the rope which fastens him to the ship, be hauled on board the boat; but +the boat is pitching and tossing so much that it is hard work attempting +to throw the line, but again and again they make the effort. "Now he +rises on a wave: now try; heave with a will, well clear of his head. Ah! +missed again; look out, hold on all;" a wave rushes over them, boat and +all; another half-minute and they make another attempt; no! all in vain, +each time it falls short; the struggle cannot last long; strong and +young as the man is, his strength cannot possibly endure long in such a +conflict; his cries grow more feeble and soon cease; they see him try +and get back to the ship, climbing up the rope, but his strength fails, +and he falls back; his arms and legs are still tossed wildly about, but +it is by the action of the waves; his head drops and sinks; yes! it is +all over!--all over! with him; and it is with intense sorrow that the +boatmen realize that all hope of saving him is at an end--that he is +dead. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +HARDLY SAVED. + + "Much would it please you sometimes to explore + The peaceful dwellings of our borough poor; + To view a sailor just returned from sea, + His wife beside, a child on either knee, + And others crowding near, that none may lose + The smallest portion of the welcome news.... + The trembling children look with steadfast eyes, + And panting, sob involuntary sighs; + And sleep awhile his torpid touch delays, + And all is joy, and piety, and praise." + + _Crabbe._ + + +The second mate and cabin-boy still remain on board the wreck; they have +watched with the greatest horror and dread the terrible death of the +chief mate, and are themselves almost in absolute despair. + +The seas continue to wash over the ship with great violence; the +deck-house, under the protection of which the sailors have been +crouching, begins to break up, and wrench, and tear, and is carried away +piecemeal; the second mate, as the wreck wrestles and writhes beneath +him, under the rush of a huge wave, fears that it is going to break up +altogether, that the ship's last moment is come, and he throws himself +upon the rope by which the life-boat is made fast to the ship, and +begins to make his way along it; it is almost level with the water, for +the wreck has so worked herself down in the Sands that her gunwale is +but four or five feet above the sea; the breakers rush over the poor +fellow as he painfully struggles on; he is again and again buried by the +waves, but he clings on; and half working his way, half carried by the +seas and tide, he reaches the high bow of the life-boat, which is +leaping, and falling, and jerking, tearing the hawser to which the +sailor is clinging, up and down through the seas, as if trying its +utmost violence to jerk him from his hold. + +But still he holds on, his hands convulsively clutching the rope as his +body is being swayed and thrown violently about; he is exhausted, and +breathless--he is half drowned; his face is pale as death, his jaw +drops, he seems about to swoon; in another moment he will be gone; he +gives a wild despairing look at the life-boat, and as the waves dash him +against it, makes an effort to grasp it; the man in the bow of the boat +has been watching his every movement, has shuddered with dismay as he +saw the seas wash over him, expecting him to be carried away in the +strong tide. No! he still grasps the rope, and at last is within reach; +in one spring, and with a cry to his mates, "Hold me! hold me!" the +boatman throws himself upon the raised foredeck of the life-boat, and +with his body half stretched over the stem, he grasps the collar of the +sailor; the drowning man throws his arm around the boatman's neck, and +clings to him convulsively, by his weight dragging the man's head down +and burying it in the water; but the brave fellow clings as hard to the +half-dead sailor as the sailor does to him; the seas wash bodily over +them and over the bow of the boat; up and down the boat plunges them +both, but he still holds on; three or four of the boatmen have hold of +his legs, and are doing their utmost to pull him back into the boat, but +they cannot do so, and so the struggle goes on; it is only as the boat +rises on a wave and throws her bow up in the air that the men can +breathe. + +Now a shout of horror, and a cry--"Look-out! look out! sheer the boat, +quick! quick! port--port your helm!" For right down upon the bow of the +boat, tossing on the huge seas, and borne swiftly by the tide comes the +wreck of one of the ship's largest and heaviest boats; it has been +entangled in the mast, which is hanging over the side of the ship, but +it has now washed free, and comes driving down as if to stave in the bow +of the boat, and crush to death the two poor fellows hanging on to the +side:--the boat sheers a little; a cross wave catches the wreckage, and +it just sweeps clear. Thank God! is the cry of every man in the boat. + +The boatmen cannot get the two men in over the high bow of the boat, and +the poor fellows are drowning fast; and so they drag the life-boatman by +his legs along the side of the boat, he still clinging to the sailor, +and get him to the waist of the boat where the gunwale is very low; some +of the men can now catch hold of the sailor, they drag him on board, and +the boatman is pulled in by his legs. The brave fellow is very +exhausted by his great and gallant exertions; but he has saved the man's +life, and that is every consolation to him; the mate of the vessel is +almost unconscious. If the boatman had not clung to him as the seas +broke over them both, he must have let go his hold and soon have been +beaten under by the waves, for he was quite incapable of any further +exertion. + +The boatmen again turn their attention to the wreck; they have been so +much engaged with the two men struggling in the water, that they have +not been able to think of the poor boy still clinging to the vessel in +loneliness and fear. + +The deck-house has by this time been completely washed away, and no +longer affords him any protection. The poor little fellow is clinging to +the gunwale, holding on to the cleats; and he is calling out in good +English, and in the most piteous tones, O save me! O save me! O do save +me! He is only thirteen years old. The boatmen answer him back; and much +as they have passed through, it affects them very deeply to see the poor +child in his fear, and misery, and danger, to hear his cries and sobs, +and not to know how to help him. Continually he is completely buried in +the seas, and it seems wonderful that he can hold on; each time the +waves rush over the wreck, the boatmen expect to find him washed away +like a cork, but he still holds on, and again and again his piteous +pleading voice is heard 'mid the roar of the storm--"O save me! O save +me! O be quick and save me!"--"What can we do? What can we do?" the +boatmen ask each other in tones of real sorrow and dismay; there is not +a man among them who is not ready to risk his own life to save the boy, +but nothing can be done. It is impossible for them to climb on board the +wreck by the rope with which the life-boat is fastened to the vessel, +for the wreck is now so overrun by the tide that the bend of the rope is +continually under water, and the wreckage of the vessel's masts is +washing over it; moreover, although it was possible for a man to come +down the rope, the sea and tide making with him, it would be impossible +for a man to work his way up the rope against such a tremendous rush of +water and breaking surf as are continually sweeping over it. The steamer +is not in sight, or they might be tempted to go to her, get towed to +windward again, and try to run in upon the wreck and grapple her closer; +but this would be almost impossible, so wild is the sea on the weather +side, and on the lee side the wreck of one of the masts is flying about +in the broken water in a way, which would at once prove fatal to the +life-boat if she got entangled with it. + +And so all they can do is to wait on, till the tide slackens, when +perhaps they will be able to haul the life-boat up to the wreck, and +save the boy. But while the tide runs so fiercely they can only wait, +and watch the poor little lad. They do not forget the captain of the +vessel, they will go in search of him by-and-by, but they conclude that +all life must have been beaten out of him long since; and they must not +leave the living to go and search for the body of one whom they think +must very certainly be by this time dead. + +A short time, and the tide rapidly slackens, an eddy comes rushing +through some channel in the Sands, and the boat begins to sheer about +wildly; and is soon in danger of being crushed against the wreckage of +the masts, which is heaving and tossing about among the very heaviest of +the seas. + +"We must make an effort soon," the coxswain cries; "make ready, my men; +try and keep the wreckage clear; haul the boat up to the ship sharp, +when I tell you: we will soon have the poor little chap." + +Scarcely are the words shouted out by the coxswain when some of the men +give a cry--"What's that! look out! yes, he is overboard, washed over by +that big sea. Where is he? where is he? There he is! No! only his cap, +there he lifts on that sea--he is coming straight for the boat."--From +the change and eddy of the tide, the rush of the sea past the boat is +not nearly as rapid as it was, and the poor boy comes floating slowly +from the ship; once or twice he has been rolled under by the waves, now +he is on the surface again, and near the boat. "Here he comes! look! on +that wave! Lost! no, he floats again; slacken the hawsers; now he is +within reach, carefully, quick; now you have got him; he is making no +effort, and floating with his head under water;" a boatman manages to +hook his jacket with a long boat-hook, and pulls him towards the +boat--gently the men lift him in, sorrowfully; and tears are in the eyes +of more than one, as they look upon the small face. "Poor little chap! +too late! too late! he is gone," they say--and think that the delicate +little face and slender childlike form suggest that he is fitted rather +for quiet home scenes, and home care, than for such scenes of hardship +and peril as he has had to endure. + +"Now, my men," shouts the coxswain; "stations all! put the poor boy down +here in the stern-sheets. If we do not look sharp we shall be driven +upon the wreck, and likely enough all lost." + +"Ay! ay! all right. Get the foresail clear! All clear,--hoist as the +boat sheers; stand by to cut the cable, and ship's ropes; hoist away! +Now she pays round; cut the cable; all gone; round the boat flies; away +she goes before the wind. Make all fast. Now come and look to the poor +lad again;" and some of the boatmen with tender fatherly pity in their +hearts, take up the little fellow. They chafe his hands and rub his back +and limbs, and his chest over his heart, with strong rum, put a little +rum to his lips, and persevering as well as they can, following the +instructions given to all life-boat men, for recovering the apparently +drowned, after about half an hour they have the joy of seeing him show +signs of life; the men who can be spared from working the boat continue +their care of him; his circulation returns, and he can drink a little +water; some of the men take off their jackets which have been kept dry +by their waterproof overalls, and wrap him up in them; they then spread +the mizen sail above him, to prevent the seas breaking over him; and the +poor lad lies quiet, gradually recovering his strength. + +During this time, the coxswain and the men have been consulting about +the poor captain, who floated away with the life-buoy round him some two +hours before; and they determine to run down the Stream-reach in search +of him, dead or alive. But alive scarcely for one moment can they hope +to find him. + +The Stream-reach or Stream-wreckage, as it is called, is where the +currents setting down on either side of the Sands meet on the highest +part. + +Most of the wreckage is washed up into it, and what remains of a lost +ship or cargo will often be kept in this stream, and float away in one +long line some miles to leeward. Along this Stream-reach, and in the +heaviest of the seas, the men steer the life-boat, all keeping a keen +look-out for the body of the lost captain. + +They look back at the wreck several times as they speed away; and they +soon see the foremast of the vessel go over the side; the hull of the +vessel seems also to heave over, and that is the last that is seen of +the _Providentia_, for by the next morning her hull is completely torn +to pieces, the lower part buried in the Sands, and the remaining portion +utterly swept away. + +They run down the Stream-reach for about two miles; when one of the men +fancies that he can see an arm waving. All look in the direction pointed +out; and to their astonishment they see the captain in the life-buoy; as +he rises on the sea, he shouts to them and again waves his arm. + +The coxswain at once steers the boat for him, but the seas are so heavy +that they knock the boat to leeward, and they just miss him. + +The brave fellow shouts, "All right!" as they pass a few yards from +him. + +The boatmen lose no time; they take the mizen-sail which covers the mate +and lad, set it with all possible haste, shake out all reefs in the +foresail, head the boat round, and sail well to windward of the captain; +almost capsizing the boat under her press of canvas, so eager are they; +they keep a good look-out for him, for the seas are leaping so violently +that it is a hard thing to keep the poor fellow in view, and at last +they lose sight of him altogether. As soon as the boat is well to +windward they make across the Stream-reach, then sail down it, and soon +catch sight of the captain again; they lower the mizen and run straight +for him; soon they down with the foresail to lessen the speed of the +boat, for fear they should over run him, and manage to drop gently down +by his side. + +They lay hold of him and drag him into the boat; the exertion of being +pulled in over the side of the boat, and the reaction after his fearful +time of suffering and suspense, is too much for his remaining strength, +and he seems dying in the men's hands; they try and get him to swallow a +little rum, but he cannot do so, and faints. + +The men now set sail and make for the Gull light-ship; they see the +steamer coming round the South Sands Head in search of them; she takes +the boat in tow, and they proceed towards Ramsgate. In the meanwhile +some of the men have been doing all they can for the captain, rubbing +his back and limbs, and doing all they possibly can to restore his +circulation; he soon gets a little better, and is able to tell them +that his ship was a Russian ship, the _Providentia_, from Finland, and +that he is a Russian Fin; this last fact enables the men to account for +his wonderful powers of endurance in his long exposure to the beating of +the waves and to the coldness of the water, for the Finlanders are the +hardiest of all sailors. He also tells the men, that the _Providentia_ +was a full rigged ship of 700 tons, bound from Newcastle to the +Mediterranean with coals. That they had run ashore about eleven or +twelve o'clock the night before, in thick weather. That they made +signals, which the light-vessels answered. That they had seen the +light-vessels signal to the shore; and as he knew that he was near +Ramsgate, he felt sure that the life-boat would come out to their +rescue; he therefore tried to persuade the crew, eleven in number, to +remain by the ship; but that they took the big boat, and left the ship +in so heavy a sea that he feared they must all be lost (they were blown +over on the French coast, and at last got into Boulogne). Upon reaching +Ramsgate the captain, mate, and the boy were carried to the Sailors' +Home, being too weak to walk, and were well cared for. + +The captain made a long statement as to the gallant services of the +life-boat men, and of his deep gratitude to them. + +We may as well add, that as some of the men, who had run away so +suddenly from their work on board the Dutch steamer, to make a rush for +the life-boat, were walking upon the pier, they saw the Dutch mate +hurrying to them, evidently in a state of excitement. Halloo! What's up +now? think the men, remembering how the mate had shouted after them as +they left the vessel. Halloo! What's up now? but the honest fellow comes +to them, and shaking them heartily by the hands, says with deep +feeling,--"Me sorry me called you bad men for running away from the +steamer. You good men! you good men! _Me give you_ more work if me can." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +SAVED AT LAST. THE FATAL GOODWIN SANDS. + + "There are to whom that ship was dear + For love and kindred's sake, + When these the voice of rumour hear, + Their inmost heart shall quake, + Shall doubt, and fear, and wish, and grieve, + Believe, and long to unbelieve, + But never cease to ache; + Still doom'd, in sad suspense, to bear + The hope that keeps alive despair." + + _J. Montgomery._ + + +Do we not often find in the winter evening that our warm rooms seem more +cosy, and the flames to lap more brightly and closely round the +half-consumed log, as a blast of wind moans in the chimney, and perhaps +the cry of some poor street hawker tells its plain tale of toiling +misery as it goes shiveringly along the streets? Do we not find our +sensations of personal comfort increased, and our sympathy for the +sufferer quickened, as the wintry gale and slashing rain beat against +our well-shuttered windows, and suggest the hardships we should have to +endure if we were less cared for and less protected? + +But if we may learn the deeper to realize our blessings, and the more to +enlarge our sympathies, as we contrast our respective positions with +such as are endured by many of the poor toilers on shore, truly still +more may we do so as we consider the trials and hardships endured by +many of the toilers at sea. Jamb down the window harder to prevent those +few drops of rain bubbling in, draw the curtain closer and check that +one breath of draught; and now think of those of your fellow-men who are +breasting the storm in its wildest rage, out in the full perils and +dense darkness of the night, where cruel winds and mad seas attack them +in all their dread force; but neither daunt their courage, check their +efforts, nor frustrate their skill; their errand is to save, and all +personal considerations are lost in the grandness and hope of their +enterprise. + +Thinking of these things, we shall not fail again and again to render +our ready and full-hearted sympathy, not only for the shipwrecked, +crying aloud in their quick peril and deep agony for rescue, but also +for the poor brave-hearted boatmen of our coasts, who never hesitate to +do all and to dare all when the prospect before them is that of saving +life. + +Let us recall again some of the features in the lives of those whom we +may well call the "Storm Warriors" of seafaring life, who not only find +their bread upon the waters, but upon the most troubled waters of the +most storm-lashed seas; who, the darker the night, the sterner the +tempest, the more blinding the snowdrift, are the more full of +expectation that their services will be required, and are therefore the +more determined to urge their way out into the storm, to be ready to +render aid at the first call for assistance, and perhaps to pluck a +harvest of saved lives off the very edge of the scythe of death. + +Yes, my readers, I would once again carry you in thought far away from +quiet home scenes and peaceful associations, from the pleasant nooks and +sunny corners of memories which you delight to recall, upon which you +love to let your thoughts half consciously ponder; but I ask you to take +the joy of your home peace--the gladness of your blessings--with you, +that you may be quickened in every chord of sympathy as you let me draw +your thoughts away into the dread darkness, which is only broken by +spectral sheens of light shed by flying foam, there to picture the +rolling sea-mountains hurling along their avalanches of white spray; to +listen to the dread discords of a howling tempest; to hover in fancy mid +a scene of fierce turmoil and strife, where the elements in their rage +seem to have cast off all bonds to their fury, and to have determined to +sweep from their path every vestige of man and his works; and now to let +your eyes centre upon a shattered wreck, to which are clinging a few +storm-beaten sailors trembling upon the very verge of a grave. + +Are you practically interested in life-boat work, then you have a +message to them in their hour of agony; you would have a message to +many a loving wife and innocent child if they could now realize the +danger of those they love, upon whom they depend. And your whisper is of +rescue and of hope. Look where a fitful light gleams in the darkness; +now rides high on the crest of a huge wave, now falls buried in the +trough of the sea, shines out again, is hidden in a cloud of spray, but +pressing on and on, getting nearer each moment to the shipwrecked. + +The light gleams from a life-boat in which a small band of men are +battling,--battling on in the teeth of the fierce storm. No terrors stay +them, no failures quell their courage and their zeal; are not fellow-men +held captive and threatened with death by fierce and cruel seas? and +shall they, the Storm Warriors, not be ready at every peril, and at +every hardship, and against all difficulties to make in to their rescue. +In such scenes we see the men actually at their work in their efforts to +save life and property; but the life-boat work does not merely consist +in doing the work at the moment of its necessity, but also in the +unwearying watch and readiness for when that time of emergency shall +come. Many a Ramsgate boatman leaves his poor, but warm and comfortable +home, his humble and loving home circle, to pace Ramsgate pier for +hours, and this, night after night, for many winter months, and for the +mere chance of being among the first to make a rush for the life-boat +when the signal is given to man her,--a chance that may not come a dozen +times in the season, and which, when it does come, may afford indeed a +grand opportunity for daring all and doing all for the saving of life, +but not for doing much in the way of refilling the half-empty cupboards +at home, or rubbing off the debts that have been gradually growing +during the winter season. + +And in this, the last tale, I propose telling of the doing of the Storm +Warriors, the Life Savers, who watch and struggle mid the fierce seas of +the Goodwin Sands, I have deeds to relate done by our brave +boatmen--acts of daring and determination--for which I claim a place +amid the records of the bravest, grandest deeds of heroism of the age; a +tale to tell which, unless I fail utterly in the telling--and this God +forbid--I reverently pray, and pray it for the sake of noble deeds done, +and for the sake of the good life-boat cause--a tale which must excite +sympathy for those in suffering and in peril from the dangers of the +sea; and sympathy and high esteem for the daring and unselfish workers +of brave works;--a tale, the echoes of which may well stir, as a trumpet +peal, stout hearts to perseverance and brave deeds, to do and dare all +in God's name, and for the right, whatever storms of opposition may +impede their onward course, and stand between them and their high and +holy aim. + +The early days of the new year were bleak and cold; strong northerly and +easterly winds swept over land and sea; people on shore spoke of the +weather as being seasonable, but shuddered over the word. + +At Ramsgate, on the 5th of January, it was a fresh breeze from the +east-south-east, and the anxious boatmen were as usual keeping a good +look-out. About half-past eight in the morning, the booming of signal +guns was heard; the signals came from both the Goodwin and the Gull +light-ships. + +The boatmen, who had been watching all night in momentary expectation of +such a signal, speedily manned the life-boat. + +The steamer, the _Aid_, was soon ready, with her brave crew full of +courage and hardihood, and full of zeal as ever to second every effort +made by the life-boat men in saving life. The steamer is steered for the +North Sands Head light-vessel. As they were making their way across the +Gull stream, they saw what proved to be a shipwrecked crew in their own +boat; they took them on board the steamer, and found that they were the +crew, eight in number, of the schooner _Mizpah_, of Brixham. The +schooner had stranded on the Goodwin in a thick fog the night +previously; the weather was still thick, and the men could give no +account of the position of their vessel, and thought that it was +hopeless to try and find her, and that it would be useless to try and +get her off if they did find her, and so the steamer took the boat in +tow and returned to Ramsgate. + +It proved afterwards that the vessel floated off the Sands at high +water. A Broadstairs hovelling-lugger, while cruising about, fell in +with her, and succeeded in bringing her into Ramsgate. The vessel and +cargo were worth £6000 or £7000; the Broadstairs men obtained £350 as +salvage. The life-boatmen were glad to take a few hours' rest after +their night's watch and morning's work, they therefore found their way +homewards, leaving, however, plenty of ready and able boatmen to watch +on the pier, eager to make up another crew should a call for their +services be made. The cold became hour by hour more intense, and the +fresh breeze steadily grew; as the tide made, the sea broke over the +pier in heavy clouds of spray, thundered down upon it, and poured over +it in foaming cascades into the harbour. + +The evening grew on, the gale became terrific; heavy snow-storms went +sweeping by, showers of freezing sleet rushed on before the wind, and +the night was as dreary and dismal, as dark and cold, as night could +well be. + +At about half-past ten the storm was in its full fury, and the sea a +very howling wilderness of raging waters. + +At that moment the boom of a signal gun made itself heard, in spite of +the roar of the wind and sea, and rockets were soon seen streaming up +from the Gull light-ship. + +"The life-boat was manned with despatch," would be the short report the +coxswain would afterwards make to the harbour-master. This means, that +directly the signal was given, all was astir at the pier-head, the +harbour-men on watch hurried themselves to lose no moment in getting the +life-boat ready for sea; that the crew of the steamer also made all +zealous speed; that the boatmen, in spite of the piercing cold and +terrific gale, rush along the pier, hurry down the harbour steps, spring +into the boat, and at once set to work in preparing her for sea, as +readily as schoolboys bound down the school stairs and out on to the +common for the joy of a summer holiday. + +It takes the steamer and life-boat about one hour and a half to urge +their way through the terrible storm into the neighbourhood of the Gull +light-ship; the crews speak her about one in the morning, and are told +that the men on board saw, some time since, a large light burning +south-east by south, but they had lost sight of it for about twenty +minutes. + +The steamer at once tows the boat in the direction described; a careful +look-out is kept; the snow-storms come down more darkly than ever, and +the men find it bitterly cold, as they are continually overrun by the +foam and spray, and by the broken crests of the waves, which are very +wild and running mountains high; still on and on the brave fellows +battle their way, but they can discover no signs of any signal-light. +The crew hold a consultation as to what is best to be done; there +appears no possibility of any of the crew of the vessel which gave the +signals of distress being still alive; she must have broken up at once, +in so tremendous a sea, and it would be impossible for any poor fellow +to float clinging to any piece of wreckage in the midst of such a +terrific turmoil of water. Still some other vessel may be in danger; the +night is wild and dark enough for disaster after disaster to occur; and +so the men determine to wait and watch for any signal of distress, and +not seeing one, to remain in the neighbourhood of the Sands at all +events until daylight, that they may feel sure before they leave the +Sands that they are not turning their backs upon any whom they might +leave to perish in the storm for want of their aid. + +And so, my readers, while most of you, if not all, were quietly in your +beds (the wakeful ones of you perchance listening wistfully to the +storm, and perhaps having your hearts moved to great pity and deep +prayer for the poor fellows at sea), these brave boatmen, from choice, +and not for the hope of money reward, but for the far dearer hope of +saving life, waited on and on, by those gloomy storm-beaten Sands, a +prey to all the fierceness of the gale, the raging seas, and deadly +cold. + +Time after time the mad rushing waves break over the boat, burying her +in clouds of spray and foam, or, coming in heavier volume still, bury +her and the men for a moment or two completely under water. It is to the +crew something more than intense discomfort; their sufferings become +very great, yet they will not give in; they do all that they can to +encourage each other, and still let the boat lay to. + +Willing as every man is to endure to the utmost, they soon find that it +is getting beyond their strength; they feel as if frozen through and +through, and are rapidly getting numbed and exhausted with the continual +wash and beating over them of the heavy seas. There is no help for it, +and unwillingly they make a signal for the steamer, and are towed back +to Ramsgate, arriving between four and five in the morning. + +The name of the vessel that was lost during that terrible night was +never known; the greedy Sands soon swallowed up every vestige of the +ship; her name may perhaps be found among the missing ships at Lloyds'. +Hope, doubtless, long lingered, may still linger, in many mournful +homes; still the story be told to wondering children, how their father +or their brother sailed on such a day from a foreign port, and has not +since been heard of; but no clue has ever yet been found as to which of +the many missing vessels it was that came to such sudden destruction in +that dread night on the Goodwin Sands. + +Shall we linger another moment or two in thought over the poor fellows +thus lost in the fierce seas. We fancy that the bronzing of a tropical +sun was still ruddy upon their cheeks; a few weeks since they were ready +to rest 'neath the shadow of the sails, and lie about the deck at night; +and then speeding north they were met in the chops of the Channel by the +rough welcome of a strong adverse wind, against which they sought, day +and night, to beat their way, while the sails and cordage grew hard and +stiff with frozen rain and spray. + +Favoured at last with a slant of wind, the vessel finds her way up +Channel; the crew already feel the hardship and dangers of their voyage +at an end, as they begin to count the hours until they shall be in dock; +night falls as they pass the South Foreland. The wind goes moaningly +back to the old direction; hour after hour it increases, a gale sweeps +along in dread force, the blinding snow bewilders the pilot, who can +now see no guiding light, and soon in the darkness of the night, the +force of the wind, and the swirl of the tide, the vessel is driven +through the raging surf on to the Sands. + +The crew make a rush for the boats; useless; they would not live a +moment in such a boil of sea. The waves fly over the vessel, now lift +her, and then let her crash with the force of all her weight down upon +the Sands; now they beat with tremendous force against her, and shake +her each moment to her keel; the captain burns a blue light, the spray +washes it out, the men hasten to get a tar-barrel on deck, knock in the +top, fill it with combustibles, and light it; it flares up, and for a +time resists the rush of spray with which the air is full; the +light-vessel sees the signal, fires a gun and a rocket; the life-boat +starts upon her mission, but the waves close in upon the doomed ship in +fierce hungry strife, lifting and crashing her down time after time; the +decks are soon swept of everything that the force of water can tear from +them, the tar-barrel is washed out; the men can no longer remain on the +deck, but have to take refuge in the rigging, where they lash themselves +to the shrouds, and they wait on in darkness and despair; a tremendous +wave comes boiling along, it lifts the vessel, and almost rolls her +over; the strong masts snap like reeds; the ship fills and sinks in the +hole she has worked by her rolling and beating in the quicksand. Another +half-hour, perhaps, and the life-boat is there; too late! only the +tangled spars and cordage and broken pieces of wreck float near--tokens +of the death and destruction that have been wrought: and a fine ship has +been thus utterly and speedily destroyed--and all living things on board +being swiftly engulfed, have found their graves in the strife of that +deadly sea. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +SAVED AT LAST. WE WILL NOT GO HOME WITHOUT THEM. + + "O, the most piteous cry of the poor souls! + Sometimes to see 'em, and not to see 'em; now + The ship boring the moon with her mainmast, + And anon swallowed with yest and froth; + How the poor souls roared, and the sea + Mocked them." + + _Winter's Tale._ + + +As soon as it is daylight the coxswain of the life-boat and others of +the boatmen feel very anxious; they fear that, when driven in by +exhaustion on the previous night, they may, after all, have left some +poor fellows clinging to a remnant of wreck; or perhaps have left a ship +on the Sands, lost in the darkness of the night, and unable to make any +signal of distress; the men cannot rest, and although the life-boat has +only been in a few hours, the coxswain of the boat and the mate of the +steamer go to the harbour-master, tell him their fears, and ask his +permission to put to sea again and to search round the Sands. + +The permission is readily given--"Go by all means," and the men are +encouraged to make their search. Ten fresh hands join the coxswain and +the bowman of the life-boat; and soon after daylight they start on their +dangerous and merciful mission. + +They are towed again by the steamer _Aid_, and make for the North Sands +Head light-vessel, keeping a good look-out for the faintest signal of +distress. The men discover nothing on the north side of the Sands, and +they determine to work their way to the back of the Sands, on the French +side, and there pursue their search. + +Soon they see in the misty distance what seems to be a large vessel on +the south-east spit of the Sands; they tow with all speed in her +direction; they are proceeding along the edge of the Sand, just outside +the broken water. + +The waves are rolling along in all their fury, and beat down upon the +Sands with tremendous force; the surf flying up in great sheets of foam, +and the roar of the breakers is like loud quivering thunder; the scene +is enough to make the stoutest heart quail; but, without one thought of +flinching from whatever lies before them, the men cling to the life-boat +as the seas break over them, and patiently bear all the cold and storm, +and wash of water, as they are towed on nearer and nearer to the wreck. + +One of the men said afterwards, in answer to questions as to what his +feelings were as he watched the tremendous seas, and knew that shortly +he would be battling for his life in the midst of them, "Well, Sir, I +think that at all such times a man must naturally have his inward +feelings; soldiers say that they have theirs, and I am very sure that +we have ours; a man can't help knowing the danger, and thinking about +it, and feeling about it too; but we are not going to be made +cold-hearted about it, or we shouldn't be out there. We can't help +seeing that we've got hard work before us, and we determine by God's +help to do it, and we won't flinch. We hope to save others, and feel +that we shall do our best to do so, but at the same time we know that we +may lose our own lives in making the attempt. We think about this +sometimes as we are sitting in the boat, holding on against the wash of +the seas, but when we get to the wreck we forget all about ourselves, +and only think about saving the others." + +The seas become still heavier and heavier as they get nearer to the +wreck and approach a more exposed part of the Sands; they now have to +encounter one great rush of water, which, urged by the hurricane of wind +and the strong tide, comes raging along in unbroken course through the +Straits of Dover. + +At last they get within a short distance of the wreck, and find her to +be a large barque. She has settled down somewhat on the Sands, has +heeled over a good deal, and huge waves are foaming over her. The men +look at the awful rage of sea, hear the tremendous roar with which the +mountainous waves break upon the Sand, and say to each other, "We have +indeed our work cut out for us." + +The boatmen can see no signs of any of the crew of the vessel being left +on board. They may have been swept from the wreck, or have been lost in +some vain effort to get to land in their own boat. The flag of distress +is still flying, and the steamer tows the boat nearer to the wreck; they +can now make out that the crew are crouching down under cover of the +deck-house; while the huge waves make a complete breach over the vessel, +and threaten every moment to wash the deck-house and the crew away. + +The steamer tows the boat up to windward. The life-boatmen feel their +turn for the battle has come, and make every preparation; they get their +sails ready to hoist, make the cable up all clear for paying out; the +coxswain sees that they are now far enough to windward, the steamer's +tow-rope is cast off; the boat lifts on a huge wave as the strain of the +rope is taken off her, they hoist the sail, round she flies in answer to +her helm, and she makes in for the wreck; they mount on the top of huge +seas, go plunging down into the trough of the waves; the spray flies +over them as the gale catches the crests of the towering breakers, and +fills the air with clouds of flying foam; a minute more and they are in +broken water; the seas rush and leap and recoil, fly high and fall in +tangled volumes over the boat; she is tossed in all directions by the +wild broken waves, and as she fills again and again with water, becomes +almost unmanageable. + +The men have to cling with all their strength to the thwarts, but still +the wind drives the boat on, and they get within about sixty yards of +the wreck; the anchor is thrown out, the cable payed out swiftly; the +sea is rushing with tremendous force over the ship; the boat sheers in +under her lee-quarter; the boatmen cheer to the poor half-dead sailors +who are crouching and clinging under shelter of the deck-house. All is +hope; "A minute or two more," they think, "and we shall have saved +them." A shout from the coxswain of the boat--"Hold on! hold on!" a +glance upwards, a huge mountain of a wave comes rolling swiftly on, its +crest curls over, breaks, falls upon the boat, the men and the boat are +carried down by the tremendous weight of water. Some of the men seem +almost crushed by the blow and pressure of the falling wave; they do not +know whether the boat is upset or not, so is she rolled about in the +whirl of the broken wave; they cling convulsively to her, she soon +floats, lifted by her air-tight compartments, and she frees herself. The +men breathe again; they find that the wave that buried them has taken +the boat in its irresistible flood, and dragging the anchor with it, has +carried it more than one hundred yards away from the ship. + +The men lift themselves up, clear their faces from the water, shake it +from their clothes, and look at the vessel; they determine that, please +God, they will yet save the crew. They give a cheer to encourage and +give hope to the poor fellows, and without further thought of the dread +danger they have but just escaped, prepare for another attempt. + +They hoist the sail quickly and get the boat's head round, and try and +sheer her into the ship; but all their efforts are in vain, wave after +wave breaks over them, the boat is tossed in all directions by the +broken seas--sometimes the coxswain feels as if he would be thrown +bodily forward on the men, as the waves lift the boat almost end on end. + +Again and again are boat and men overrun bodily by the rush of the +waves, but the boat behaves splendidly, lifts buoyantly from under the +weight of water; her undaunted crew bear up bravely, and all are once +more ready for another struggle. They labour on, but without success; +they cannot make their way back to the ship: they get the oars out, the +waves and wind take them and send them leaping from the rowlocks, and +out of the men's hands; they must give it up for this time. + +All their thoughts are for the poor shipwrecked crew, and the +bitter--bitter disappointment they must feel. Again they cheer to them, +and shout to them, to keep their hearts up--they will soon be at them +again; and they make the best of their way back to the steamer. They +have failed in their first attempt. + +The steamer again tows them into position, and they make for the second +time boldly in for the wreck; the coxswain steers as near to the stern +as possible, avoiding the danger of being washed over it on to the deck +of the vessel, and thus crushed to pieces; they get nearer to the vessel +than they did before; the shipwrecked crew begin to stir themselves, the +boatmen are about to run the boat alongside, when again they are +overwhelmed in the rush of a fearful sea, buried in its deluge of broken +water, and the boat is again hurled away by the force of the waves, and +carried many fathoms from the vessel; the anchor holds, but the tide is +running more strongly than ever, and in the direction to carry them +right away from the wreck; and so it is hopeless for them to try to get +any nearer to her from where they are. + +The tide has risen and is nearly at its height; the vessel has fallen +still more over upon her side; the lee side of the deck is completely +under water, the top of the deck-house is just above the sea; the crew +have been driven from their old place of shelter, they have lashed a +spar across the mizen shrouds, and are all clinging to it, while the +heavy waves beat continually over the poor fellows. + +It is with terrible agony that the crew on board the wreck witness the +second failure of the life-boat: "She will never come again," the +captain says, in a voice of despair; "the men cannot do it, the very +life must have been washed and beaten out of them." Great is their +astonishment to find that no sooner does the life-boat clear herself of +the water that seems almost to drown her, no sooner do the men free +themselves from the rush of the foam, which has for a time overwhelmed +them, than they begin to cheer again, as if only rendered the more +determined by their second defeat; the more courageous by the +difficulties and dangers they had already endured; and the shipwrecked +crew, encouraged by the hoarse cheers of the exhausted half-drowned +boatmen, do not lose all hope. + +The boat is again towed into position, and for the third time makes in +for the wreck. + +This time they throw the anchor overboard farther from the vessel than +before, give longer scope to the cable, sail in well under the ship's +stern, and again steer as near as possible to the vessel's lee-quarter, +and lower the foresail. + +They are within a dozen yards of the ship; the bowman heaves a rope with +all his force; it falls short of the men in the shrouds to whom he +throws it, and the boat sweeps on; they check her with the cable, and +bring her head to the ship abreast of her, but unhappily some distance +off. + +The captain of the shipwrecked vessel had despaired of the boat being +able to come in the third time; but when he saw her coming, he felt +fully convinced that it was their last opportunity of being saved, and +determined that if the boat were again swept from the wreck, that he +would jump into the sea and try and swim to her. + +The boat comes and misses, and the crew of the boat see the captain +hastily throw off his sea-boots, seize a life-buoy, and prepare to +plunge into the sea: they shout to him not to do so, and to the crew to +hold him back. "The tide in its set off the Sands would sweep him away; +the seas would beat his life out of him: they will be back again soon, +and won't go home without them." + +The steamer has followed the boat as closely as possible, running down +close to the edge of the Sands, just clear of the broken water. The +life-boat has swung out to the full length of her cable, and is in deep +water; the men upon being beaten away from the wreck for the third +time, look round for the steamer, and to their astonishment see her +making in straight towards them. + +The men on board the steamer had watched with increasing anxiety and +dismay the defeat of the successive gallant attempts made by the +life-boat crew. They had grown more and more excited each time that the +life-boat had returned to them, and feel now prepared to run almost any +risk whatever to further help the life-boatmen in their brave but as yet +unsuccessful efforts to save the crew. + +And so the steamer makes right in across the broken water, straight for +the life-boat; a rope is thrown from the steamer, and is made fast in +the life-boat; they now hope, with the steamer's help, to be able to +sheer the boat right in upon the wreck. + +The boatmen have hold of their own cable, to which their anchor is fast; +they gradually draw in upon this cable, and the steamer tries to tow the +boat nearer and nearer to the vessel, and for the fourth time the +life-boat makes in 'mid the wild raging seas for the rescue of the crew. + +The steamer ventures into the rage of the sea, and her position becomes +one of very great peril; she rolls in the trough of the tremendous waves +till her gunwales are right under water; the foam and spray dash +completely over her, and tons and tons of water deluge her deck. They +gradually approach the vessel; the life-boat sheers in; the seas and +tide and wind catch her in their full power, and whirl her away again. + +A huge wave sweeps bodily over the steamer--she is in extreme danger; +the life-boatmen watch her in the greatest alarm, fearing each moment +that a wave will swamp her--but rolling, plunging, burying herself in +the foaming seas, the steamer bravely holds her own, until to remain +longer is certain death to all on board; and sorrowfully the crew of the +steamer abandon their most gallant attempt, and make out of the rage of +broken water. + +The life-boatmen rejoice to see the steamer get clear of the deadly +peril, but they are scarcely in less peril themselves; they cut the +steamer's tow-rope, and then find that they must cut their own cable, to +avoid being dashed over the wreck; and away they go again driven on +before the gale. They look at each other, but only read courage and +determination in each other's countenances. Beaten off for the fourth +time, not one heart fails, not one speaks of giving up the attempt, not +one of the brave fellows has any such thought for an instant; their one +consideration is what next shall be attempted to save the poor fellows +from a speedy and terrible death, which indeed threatens them every +minute. Thus the only question is, what they shall try next? and weak +and exhausted, and almost frozen with cold, but determined, and full of +courage and zeal as ever, their one anxiety is for the poor shipwrecked +crew, whose peril increases each minute, and they prepare for a fifth +effort for their rescue, strong still in their old determination--"that +they will not go home without them." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SAVED AT LAST. VICTORY OR DEATH. + + "'Tis done--despite the winds--the roll + Of that storm-maddened fearful sea; + Bravery hath snatched each shivering soul, + O greedy death! from thee. + Then the rough seamen's hands they wring, + And some, o'erpowered by bursting feeling, + Their arms around them wildly fling, + While tears down many a cheek are stealing; + They bless them for their noble deed, + True saviours sent in hour of need." + + _N. Michell._ + + +The ship's hull has now been for some time under water, and it is +evident that the wreck is breaking up fast. She has coals and iron on +board; this dead weight keeps her steady on the Sands, and prevents the +waves lifting her and crashing her down, or she would long since have +been torn and broken to fragments. As it is, the decks have burst, and +the lighter portions of her cargo are being rapidly washed out of her; +the sea in some places is black with coal-dust, and much wreckage, +pieces of her deck and forecastle are being swept away by the tide. + +Each time that the men on board the steamer and life-boat look at the +vessel, count the crew still in the rigging, and find that not any are +missing, they think it indeed a wondrous mercy that all should still be +safe, and get each moment more impressed with feelings of deep sympathy +for the poor fellows, and with the greater eagerness to dare all to save +them. + +Daniel Reading, the brave, skilful, and long-tried master of the +steamer, is ill on shore, and so she is in charge of John Simpson, the +mate; he and William Wharrier, the engineer, consult as to the +possibility of making another effort with the steamer, for the tide is +setting off the Sands with such force that they do not see how it is +possible for the life-boat to get in to the wreck and save the crew, and +they find that all the men on board the steamer are perfectly prepared +to second them in any effort that they decide upon making. + +They get the mortar-apparatus ready, and again urge the steamer through +the seas in the direction of the wreck; they hope to get near enough to +the vessel to fire a line from the mortar into the rigging, to which the +shipwrecked crew will attach a rope, and then hauling this rope on board +the steamer, they will take it to the life-boat's men, who will by it be +able to haul the boat through the seas to the wreck. Cautiously the +steamer approaches; the tide has been for some time rising fast; the +steamer does not draw much water; they are almost within firing +distance; the waves come rushing along and nearly overrun the steamer; +at last a breaker larger than the rest catches her, lifts her high upon +its crest, and letting her fall down into its trough as down the side of +a wall, she strikes the Sands heavily; the engines are instantly +reversed, she lifts with the next wave, and being a very quick and handy +boat, at once moves astern before she can thump again, and they are +saved from shipwreck; and thus the fifth effort to save the shipwrecked +crew fails. + +No time is lost; at once the steamer heads for the life-boat, and makes +ready to tow her into position. Again not a word--scarcely a +thought--about past failures, only eagerness to commence without delay a +fresh attempt; the steamer is alongside the life-boat. + +"Look out, my men, here is another rope for you." "All right!" the +boatmen answer as they catch the line, and haul the hawser into the +boat. + +"All right! tow us well to windward, give us a good position, plenty of +room, we must have them this time. All fast! away you go, hurrah!" The +men watch the wreck as they are towed past her. "Oh! the poor fellows! +to think we have not got them yet. Well, we have had a hard struggle for +it, but, please God, we will save them yet--we will save them yet!" + +"Ah! look how that wave buries them all; there they are again, let us +give them a cheer, it will help them to keep their hearts up." And as +the boat rose upon a sea, they shouted and waved to the shipwrecked +crew. + +"There, another breaker has gone right over her; how she heaves and +works to it! Yes, and do you see how her masts are swinging about, and +in different directions? they are getting unstepped and loose; she is +breaking up fast, working all over--all of a quiver and tremble! Poor +fellows! poor fellows! we have not a moment to spare. It must soon be +all over, one way or the other!" Thus the men speak to each other; they +are in a glow of eagerness and excitement, and can scarcely restrain +themselves to get quietly to work. For as they watch the poor fellows, +and time after time see the waves wash over them in quick +succession--and as each wave passes, see them still clinging on--they +almost feel as if they could jump at them to try and save them, and in +their noble and gallant sympathy and determination lose all sense of +weakness, and cold, and exhaustion. + +When describing their feelings, one of the men said, "We were thoroughly +warm at our work, and felt like lions, as if nothing could stop us." + +It is in this spirit that they now consult together, as to the plan upon +which they shall make their next effort. First one scheme is suggested, +and then another, but these seem to give no better prospect of success +than those that have been already tried in vain. + +At last one of the men proposes a plan which must indeed either prove +rescue to the shipwrecked or death to all. + +"I tell you what, my men, if we are going to save those poor fellows, +there is only one way of doing it; it must be a case of save all, or +lose all, that is just it. We must go in upon the vessel straight, hit +her between the masts, and throw our anchor over right upon her decks." + +"What a mad-brained trick!" says one. + +"Why, the boat would be smashed to pieces." + +"Likely enough; but there is one thing certain, is there not? and that +is that we are never going home to leave those poor fellows to perish, +and I do not believe that there is any other way of saving them, and so +we must just try it. And God help us, and them!" + +Not a single word against it now! + +What, charge in upon the vessel in that mad rage of sea! Victory, or +death, indeed! + +Most of the men on board the life-boat are married men with +families--loved wives, and loved little ones dependent upon them. +Thoughts of this, tender heartfelt thoughts of home, come to them. + +"Well, and so we have, and have not those poor perishing fellows also +got wives and little ones, and are they not thinking of their homes, and +loved ones, as much as we are thinking of ours; and shall we go home, +having turned back from even the greatest danger, without having tried +all it is possible to try; go home to our wives and little ones, and +leave them to perish thinking of theirs? No! please God, that shall +never be said of us." + +Such thoughts as these pass through the minds of some of the boatmen. +And what think the poor nearly drowned crew of the unfortunate vessel. + +There they are clinging to the loose and shaking rigging; a few feet +above the boil of the hungry and raging sea. They have seen effort after +effort made, and effort after effort fail; they have watched the men do +more than they ever dreamt it was possible for men to do; and they have +watched the life-boat live, and battle with seas with which they never +thought it possible a boat could for one moment contend; time after time +they have thought that the boatmen were drowned, as they saw the huge +curling waves break over the boat, swamp it, bury it in the weight of +their falling volume of water, and for some seconds hide all from view; +they have been watching the men persevere in attempt after attempt, when +they thought that from sheer exhaustion it would be impossible for them +to make another effort for their rescue. + +With equal wonder and admiration they watched the noble efforts of the +steamer, marked how nearly she was wrecked, and when she failed, gave up +all as lost; deciding in their minds that in such a rush of broken sea, +strength of tide and gale of wind, that it is impossible for the boat to +reach them, or for them to be saved, and all but one give up all hope. +When the captain says in despair, "The life-boat can never make another +effort," this man answers, "I have sailed in English ships; I have often +heard about life-boat work, and I know that they never leave any one to +perish as long as they can see them, and they will not leave us." + +"And look, here she comes again. O God help them! God help them!" + +Yes, here she comes again; the steamer had hastened to tow her well +into position, well to windward of the wreck. "And here she comes +again." + +Once more the boat heads for the wreck--this time to do, or to die; each +man knows it, each man feels it. They are crossing the stern of the +vessel; "Look at that breaker--look at that breaker--hold on, hold on, +it will be all over with us if it catches us, we shall be thrown high +into the masts of the vessel, and shaken out into the sea in a moment! +Hold on all, hold on! Now it comes! No, thank God, it breaks ahead of +us, and we have escaped. Now, men, be ready, be ready!" Thus shouts the +coxswain. Every man is at his station, some with the ropes in hand ready +to lower the sails; others by the anchor prepared to throw it overboard +at the right moment; round, past the stern of the vessel the boat flies, +round in the blast of the gale and the swell of the sea; down helm, +round she comes; down foresail; the ship's lee gunwale is under water, +the boat shoots forward straight for the wreck, and hits the lee rail +with a shock that almost throws all the men from their posts, and then, +still forward, she literally leaps on board the wreck. Over! over with +the anchor; it falls on the vessel's deck; all the crew of the vessel +are in the mizen shrouds, but they cannot get to the boat, a fearful +rush of sea is chasing over the vessel, and between them and it. Again +and again the boat thumps on the wreck as on a rock, with a shock that +almost shakes the men from their hold. + +The waves soon lift the boat off the deck, and carry her away from the +vessel. "Is even this attempt to be a failure? No, thank God! the +anchor holds; veer out the cable; steadily, my men, steadily; do not +disturb the anchor more than you can help; we shall have them now! we +shall have them, all will be well; ease her a bit, ease her, see how she +plunges, a little more cable; now for the grappling-iron; quick, throw +it over that line; there you have it;" and they haul on board a line +which had been made fast to a cork-fender, and thrown overboard from the +wreck early in the day, but which the boatmen had never before been able +to reach. + +They get the boat straight, haul in slowly upon both ropes; cheer to the +crew: "Hurrah! mates, hurrah!" All is joy and excitement, but at the +same time steady attention to orders; now the boat is abreast the mizen +rigging, opposite to where the men are clinging. "Down helm, the boat +sheers in; haul in upon the ropes, men, handsomely, handsomely;" the +boat jumps forward, hits the ship heavily with her stern, crashes off a +large piece of her fore-foot. The men are for a moment thrown down with +the shock; two of the boatmen spring on to the raised bow gunwale, and +seize hold of the captain of the vessel, who seems nearly dead, drag him +in over the bows; two of the sailors jump on board; "Hold on all, hold +on!" + +A fearful sea rolls over them, the boat is washed away from the vessel; +the anchor still holds; they sheer the boat in again; they make the +ropes fast, and lash the boat to the shrouds of the wreck, thus verily +nailing their colours to the mast. No! they will not be washed away +again until they have all the crew on board. + +A sailor jumps from the rigging, the boat sinks in the trough of the +sea, the man falls between the boat and the wreck; a second more and the +boat will be on the top of him, crushing him against the rail of the +vessel, upon which the keel of the boat strikes and grinds cruelly; two +boatmen seize him, leaning right over the gunwale to do so, they are +almost dragged into the water; they are seized in turn by the men in the +boat, and all are with difficulty got on board. + +Up the boat flies and crashes against the spar lashed to the rigging. +"Jump in, men, jump in all of you. Now! Now!" In they spring, and +tumble, falling upon the men, and all rolling over into the bottom of +the boat. All are now on board--all on board! "Hurrah! cut the lashings, +there, she falls away from the wreck; cut the cable, quick with the +hatchet; all gone! all gone! up foresail." The seas catch the boat and +bear her away from the wreck; away she goes with a bound, flying through +the broken water; the heavy wind fills the sail; they are fairly under +weigh, and with the precious freight for which they had fought so long +and so gallantly, safely on board. Thank God! thank God! all are saved +at last--_saved at last_. + +Now the boat is through the broken seas away from the terrible Sands, +out in the deep water; the men have time to look at each other; and how +gladly, and yes, how fondly, they do so. Strangers though they be, yet +at that moment their hearts are warm to each other with more than a +brother's love--all is gladness and thankfulness; they shake hands, the +rescuers and the rescued, time after time. + +The saved crew are ten in number. They are Danes, and the wreck the +Danish barque _Aurora Borealis_. + +Some of the sailors can speak a little broken English, and in such terms +as they are able the poor fellows express the depth of their gratitude, +and their wonder at being saved. + +The boat makes for the steamer, which is coming down rapidly to meet +her; the crew of the steamer greet the life-boatmen with cheers! Who can +describe the joy they all feel at the successful ending of their long +battle with terrible danger and threatened death! and great indeed is +their sympathy with the saved from death, for whom they and the boatmen +have so willingly, and to the very utmost, risked their own lives. + +They lift the captain on board the steamer; he is thoroughly exhausted; +they carry him into the engine-room, and in the warmth there, do their +best to revive him, and he soon recovers. The Danish seamen will not +leave the boat; the life-boat crew tell the mate that his men would be +much more comfortable on board the steamer, that the seas will be +washing over the boat all the way in; but no, as so frequently happens +on such occasions, and as has been before noticed, the rescued men feel +so grateful to the life-boatmen, that they are not content to leave the +boat until they get to land. And the mate replies, "No! you saved us, +you saved us; we thought you never, never do it; you had plenty trouble; +we stop with you." And they would not desert their friends, their +brothers indeed, who had done so much to save them. + +In Ramsgate the anxiety is very great. + +The steamer and life-boat have been out many hours, nothing can be seen +of them in the mist that hangs over the Goodwin Sands. + +"Can anything have happened?" is the question that is restlessly put +from one to another. + +It might well be so, in the terrific sea that must have been raging on +the Goodwin in so fearful a storm. + +At about half-past two, hundreds of people are collected on the pier; +for the news that the life-boat is out always spreads like wildfire +through the town; and if there is any cause for anxiety on her account, +the whole town soon shares the apprehension, and throngs of anxious men +crowd the pier and harbour. Now the men who are anxiously on the watch +make out something looming in the mist; and speedily the steamer and +life-boat are seen, their flags are flying, glad sign of successful +effort, of rescue effected; and great is the joy of all the lookers-on; +steamer and life-boat speed between the massive granite heads of the two +piers, and the crowd that looks down upon them as they come pitching and +rolling along, greet them with cheer after cheer. + +The saved crew land, they are many of them very weak, and worn, and +exhausted; but all around is welcome, and sympathy, and active service. + +They are taken to the Sailors' Home, where warm clothing, and beds, and +goodly fare are ready for them, and the poor fellows soon recover; some +of them before they attempt to take any rest insist upon writing to the +loved ones at home, to tell of their safety, and of their rescue from +apparently almost certain death. + +Doubtless these letters contain simple expressions of gratitude to God, +and of deep love for the dear wife, of many many kisses for the sturdy +little boy, or the laughing girl, for the children whose bright eyes +seemed so often staring at them so wistfully out of the storm, and whom +they never thought to see again; and doubtless contain also expressions +of great admiration and thankfulness for the untiring courage of the +English life-boatmen; and their full belief in the expression of one of +their number who told them in the height of their danger, and in the +very depth of their despair, "to take courage, for the life-boatmen will +never leave us while they can see us." + +The Board of Trade, in recognition of the gallant services of the men, +presented them with one pound each. The King of Denmark forwarded two +hundred rix-dollars to be divided among them. + +The boatmen are all poor men, and these presents proved very acceptable; +but the joy with all was, and will be while life lasts, that God had in +His providence and mercy so crowned their perseverance with success, and +enabled them to save their drowning brother sailors. While all who heard +of the circumstances, declared that never by land or by sea was more +gallant service rendered than was accomplished by these brave boatmen, +who in the face of all danger, and of all hardship, determined to +persevere to the death--determined that while the shipwrecked crew still +remained alive, "They would not go home without them." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +OF SOME OF THE LIFE-BOAT MEN. + + "The rank is but the guinea-stamp; + The man's the gold for a' that." + + _Burns._ + + +It may be that some of my readers who have followed the adventures of +our Storm Warriors through their varied struggles and heroic deeds, and +have felt sympathy more or less deep for the gallant life-savers, would +like to know a little of one or two of the leading men among those who, +during the last twenty years, or more, have done such good work in the +Ramsgate life-boat on the Goodwin Sands. + +Gallant men who, time after time, have plunged their boat into the +thickest of the fray, and heedless of hardship, heedless of peril, +forgetful of self, intent only upon rescuing the distressed, have +laboured on through the dark stormy nights, 'mid the rush of the waves, +the howling winds, the fierce hurricane blasts, the spray, and sleet, +and snow--encountering all dangers, and persevering through all +difficulties, and repaid for all as they have brought home in the +morning's light the brother sailors, or the passengers, whom they have +been instrumental in saving from swift and terrible deaths. + +Quiet, broad-chested, steadfast-eyed men, who, by all the scenes they +have witnessed, and by all the hardships they have suffered, and by all +the thoughts of the shipwrecked ones that they have brought safely home, +have it deeply written in upon their hearts: that (to use their own +simple and noble expression) _they have a call to save life_. + +Well indeed would it be for the world if more of those to whom talents +are given, and to whom stewardships are intrusted, and who stand +watching the many who are in danger, overrun by the dark troubled waters +of social life--wrecked in poverty, in misery, in ignorance--wrecked for +want of true teaching, true guidance, true sympathy, true love--well +would it be if more of these stewards of God's loans might have the same +noble conviction written in upon their hearts: that they have _a call to +save life_! Then would more lives grow noble by noble work, and become +happy in the consciousness of the happy results, which God grants to the +efforts of all those who humbly seek to live and labour for the good of +others; grants to those who would sooner put to sea 'mid toil and peril, +'mid self-sacrifice and opposition, rather than let the life-boats God +has given for their use rot and canker upon the banks, while the cries +of the despairing and the lost plead in vain from the dark storms and +troubled waters at their feet. + +Yes, surely; the humble boatmen of our coasts, our "Storm Warriors," +afford a lesson by which many may well profit, in the noble +self-sacrificing way in which they realize their mission--_that they +have a call to save life_. + +"Who shall be the first coxswain of our new _Northumberland_ Prize +Life-boat?" was the question asked by the Ramsgate Harbour Trustees some +two and twenty years ago; and it was an important and anxious question; +for the good boat required skilful handling to do efficient service, and +if she failed in what was required and expected of her, the life-boat +cause would receive a serious check. + +"No man better than James Hogben for the first coxswain; no man among +them all holds a higher character for cool courage, and skill, and +experience;" such was the answer. Hogben had been to sea since he was a +lad; for some years he was sailing in a small vessel that traded between +London and Ostend; then he sailed a little bit of a boat, of about +fifteen tons, between Ramsgate and Dunkirk and Boulogne, winter and +summer. Ask him about it now, and the dangers he used to run; and he +shakes his head, and with a quiet smile tells you that, "He met with a +good many very _whole_ breezes, very!" in that little craft of his. + +After that, he had nearly twenty years of hovelling; cruising about the +Goodwin Sands in open luggers in the stormiest winter weather, till he +almost knew the Sands by heart; and so James Hogben was appointed first +coxswain of the Ramsgate life-boat. + +Each time that he and his crew went out in her they gained fresh +confidence in her powers; and noble work the good boat did under his +command; indeed from the time the _Northumberland_ life-boat began her +career at Ramsgate to the time she was broken up, from December 1851 to +July 1865, no fewer than two hundred and sixty-one lives were saved by +her and the gallant Storm Warriors who sailed her, from vessels that +were utterly lost; and nineteen vessels, with their crews, were +extricated from the Goodwin Sands and brought safely into harbour. + +For nine years Hogben was coxswain of the life-boat, and then came that +dread New Year's Eve, when doubts were thrown upon the telegram that +came from Deal; and there was delay; and the life-boat got out to the +south of the Goodwin Sands only in time for her crew to see the +_Gottenburg_ overwhelmed by the waves, and to hear the last cries of the +drowning men. + +Hogben had been out in the life-boat once before that day, and was +exhausted and unwell; and he had a nasty fall in the boat, and hurt his +knee badly, and soon fell seriously ill; his nerves were, for a time, +utterly shattered, and he who had been remarkable for his dauntless +courage became too nervous to walk even down the pier for fear of +falling over. + +And although, after a while, he so far recovered as to be able to be +employed as a boatman in the harbour, and as a watchman on the pier, yet +he was never able to go to sea again; his iron constitution broken down +by some thirty years of Storm Warrior life, during the last nine years +of which he had been coxswain of the famous Ramsgate life-boat. + +Isaac Jarman was appointed coxswain in Hogben's room. + +Who among Ramsgate boatmen has been better known in his time than Isaac +Jarman--or Mr. Jarman, as I suppose I ought to call him now? for is he +not master of a thriving public-house, which he will take good care to +keep respectable? and it will not be his fault if any of his customers +wreck themselves by taking too much drink. + +But a yarn on Ramsgate pier with the life-boat coxswain, Jarman, was for +some years quite an institution with many a visitor to Ramsgate, as well +as with many an inhabitant. + +When I have known Jarman (it does not seem quite natural _Mistering_ my +old boatman friend) to be out in the life-boat, enduring all the rage of +the storm, and I have imagined the wild scenes 'mid the strife of waters +through which he has been passing, another picture, one in very vivid +contrast, has often presented itself to my mind. + +I have remembered the scene I saw one evening when I called upon him, +and found him with his family at tea. + +"Come in, sir, come in; you won't disturb us: glad to see you." + +His wife and, I think, five little daughters were there, and the baby +boy, the only son, was taken out of the cradle to be shown to me. + +And as Jarman dandled the little fellow in his strong arms he said, +"Bless the boy! Bless the boy! he will make a life-boat coxswain some +day, that he will;" and I felt that all the thoughts of the danger of +the work was lost in the joy of saving life; I glanced at the mother, +half expecting some expression of dissent; no, her smile showed that she +was proud of her husband, and that all her sympathies were with him in +his noble work, and that she was quite content that her only boy should +in his day follow in his father's steps and be, like him, one of the +gallant band of life-savers who guard our coasts. + +And I have often felt, that however much such pictures of happy +home-circles dwelt in the heart of Jarman, and of his comrades, as they +have struggled out through the dark storms, and rushed into conflict +with the wild seas, yet that they have never caused them to turn back +from any danger, or to lessen one single effort in their warfare to save +life. + +Isaac Jarman was turned out into the North Sea almost from his cradle. + +His father, a boatman, got severely hurt on board a hovelling-lugger, so +much so, that he was never fit for work again; as a matter of course, +the family became very poor. + +Many hungry children to feed, and the arms once so strong now powerless +to labour for them, no wonder that the cupboard was often empty, and the +growing lads forced to do something for themselves as soon as they were +able. + +And so Isaac Jarman, when a boy of twelve years old, was sent away to +sea on board a small fishing-smack called the _Pledge_; she was only +twenty-five tons, but used to sail long distances away to fish in the +North Sea, in all weathers, summer and winter. + +The poor lad had all the clothing his parents could supply him with, but +that was little more than he stood up in; no waterproof overalls, no +sea-boots, the almost child had to rough it hardly enough; in bad +weather wet through day and night, with no bed to lie upon, and no +change of dry clothes; he used to throw himself down on the floor of the +small cabin, and lie coiled up before the little fire that glimmered in +the stove; the spray oftentimes washing down the hatchway and surging up +against his back, so that he had to be content with being dry one side +at a time; but strangely enough it agreed with him; as that rough life, +with all its strong sea-breezes, and its abundance of good fish diet, +does agree with many a little urchin, who, for sturdiness, is not to be +surpassed by any luxury-lapped little fellow in the land. + +After Jarman had finished his apprenticeship in the fishing-smack, he +was for some years in a collier, during which time he was twice wrecked. +And after that for seven or eight years he worked as a Ramsgate boatman, +always on the look-out in rough weather, day and night, with but short +intervals for sleep, for a signal of distress from the Goodwin Sands, +and a call for the life-boat; and so all his training well fitted him +for the post of life-boat coxswain; and when the vacancy was made by +Hogben's illness, Jarman was well chosen to fill the post. For ten +years he continued coxswain of the life-boat, going out in her no fewer +than one hundred and thirty-two times, and helping to save between three +and four hundred lives. + +You may see many a medal that has been well won--and that is worthily +worn--by veteran soldier or sailor, but you will find few that have been +better won, or that are more worthily worn, than are the four medals and +a clasp that our Storm Warrior Jarman has to show as records of his +brave and self-sacrificing services; or the three medals that Hogben can +display on high days and holidays; or those given to Reading, the brave +master of the steam-tug _Aid_, and those worn by many another gallant +boatman or sailor, who, at Ramsgate, or at other stations round the +coast, have done true warrior service in saving life from shipwreck. + +After holding his post of coxswain for ten years, Jarman found the +exposure too much for him: he was out nine times in one fortnight, five +times in one week; he was seized with a very severe attack of +bronchitis, from which he never thoroughly recovered, and had shortly to +give up going to sea, and resign his position of coxswain. + +He had three brothers and a nephew brought up as sailors, all of whom +have been drowned; well do I remember the night when his last brother +was drowned. + +It had been blowing a heavy gale for three days and nights, with +continual snowstorms; the vessels at sea were in terrible peril: they +had no help for it but to drive blindly before the gale, unable to see +any of the lights or buoys which mark the sands and shoals. I had heard +that a Ramsgate collier was known to have sailed from the North some +days since, and could not be far off; and it was with a sad heart and +deep anxiety that I lingered on the pier that afternoon watching the +storm. I saw the boatmen all ready on the look-out for any signal, but I +felt, as they felt, that there could be but little hope of any vessels +being able to run the gauntlet of the many sandbanks in that dark storm, +or of being able to make any signals heard, or seen, if they got into +danger. + +It was with a deep feeling of dread and apprehension that I left Jarman +and his fellow-boatmen to their dreary and almost hopeless watch; and +they watched on through the long dark hours of the night, ready at any +moment to man the life-boat; but they could discover no signal--the roar +of the storm was too great, the fall of snow too continuous. And yet +during those sad hours while the boatmen crouched, sheltering themselves +as well as they could--watching, and listening, and waiting, but in +vain--the terrible tragedy was worked out; at daylight they saw a wreck +in Pegwell Bay. Man the life-boat! No, too late, she is bottom up, her +masts are gone; she must have been wrecked on the Brake Sand, and been +rolled over and over by the tremendous sweep of the sea, and the tide. +Yes, it is the Ramsgate collier that was expected, and that Jarman's +brother commanded; and he and all his crew have miserably +perished--perished within sight of home, and within half a mile or so of +the life-boat men who were so eagerly watching and waiting for a call to +their rescue, and to whom they could not make their danger known. + +And to this day you may see the sad record of the disaster in the +remains of the hull of the wreck, washed high up on the shore in Pegwell +Bay, and there half buried in the sand. + +A great grief to Jarman this sad loss of his brother; and the poor man +left a widow and a large family of children; and when fine weather came, +in the early summer, many a friend who had had pleasant chats with the +life-boat coxswain on Ramsgate pier, was surprised to find him +diligently cruising in and out of offices in London; he was canvassing +for votes for the Merchant Seamen's Orphan Asylum, and he laboured on +until he succeeded in getting two of his late brother's children into +that famous institution. + +Charles Fish was appointed to succeed Jarman as coxswain, and the +life-boat under his guidance continues to do good service; many times +has he been out in her, and many times has he, through much hardship and +danger, brought saved lives home. And may God in His mercy continue to +shield and bless him and the brave men who sail with him, and aid them +in their gallant efforts to pluck the shipwrecked and the drowning from +all the mighty strife of waters, that battles with such deadly fury when +the storms rage round the fatal Goodwin Sands. + +I cannot refrain from bearing my tribute of admiration to worthy Daniel +Reading, a brave, skilful, modest sailor, the master of the steam-tug +_Aid_; many and many a time has he rendered service, which for daring +and skill could not be well surpassed, threading in and out of the +Goodwin Sands 'mid terrible storms while seeking for the position of +wrecked vessels, or making short cuts to tow the life-boat into +position, that no time should be lost in her efforts to save the +drowning crews. + +Yes! Reading, and James Simpson, the mate of the _Aid_, and William +Wharrier, the engineer, who have been together more than twenty years, +and have been out on almost every occasion that the life-boat has been +called for, have all three of them done noble and gallant service time +after time, and are indeed well worthy to be ranked among the Storm +Warriors who have nobly fought in the great and good cause of saving +life. + +And many another gallant fellow might I mention, whose name stands +worthily on the Ramsgate life-boat roll-call; famous specimens of what a +British sailor should be--full of daring and determination, and skill, +and hardihood; men who are ready to encounter all danger, and to endure +any amount of hardship, in answer to the holy call: to go forth and seek +to save the shipwrecked and the perishing. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. + + "The quality of mercy is not strain'd; + It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven + Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd; + It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes: + 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes + The throned monarch better than his crown;..." + + +Whatever interest my readers may have felt in the narrative of gallant +deeds wrought at one life-boat station on the coast, must be intensified +at the thought of the noble work that is going on all round our sea-girt +land--that, at almost all dangerous places where vessels are likely to +be in distress, or lives in peril, there are life-boats ready to be +manned, and brave fellows ever anxious promptly to launch forth 'mid the +wind and sea, and battle their way to the rescue of the perishing. Yes, +thank God, the gallant old Anglo-Saxon blood is still to the fore; the +spirit of our ancestors has not died out, and we may well believe, from +abundant evidence continually arising from very diversified fields, that +it has not even in the least degenerated; for at all times can men be +found ready to go forth either by sea or land, to dare all that men +should dare, and to do all that men can do, when duty calls them to +labours of self-sacrifice, endurance, and courage. + +And to the old bravery is now added modern science and organization, and +the British coasts are guarded by a volunteer navy, equipped and +marshalled by the Royal National Life-boat Institution. + +Two hundred and thirty-three life-boats form, at present, the great +storm fleet of the Institution; the boats are stationed at the most +dangerous places on the coast, and are kept always ready for service. + +Those who are living inland may often notice how fast the high clouds +are flying overhead, and may listen to the soughing of the rising wind +among the branches of the trees; but no dread conflict is pictured by +the swift onsweep of the clouds, and the murmur of the wind, fitful and +angry though it at times is, scarcely seems to suggest scenes of +terrible peril, and of warfare unto life or death; but watch the +direction in which the clouds are flying; consider on what part of our +coast it is that this fierce gale strikes; imagine the heavy sea that +rolls in there, the foaming breakers, the air thick with spray, the +sound of the deep-voiced waves as they thunder down upon the rocks over +which they break; yes! and fancy that you can make out through the low +flying mist that several vessels are in the distance trying to beat +their way against the growing gale, and off the dangerous lee-shore, and +then rejoice as you feel fully assured, if any of those struggling +vessels are overwhelmed by the storm, that it shall not be without a +gallant effort for their safety that the poor fellows who form their +crews shall be left to perish, for you are convinced that there are, if +a life-boat station is near, storm warriors keenly watching the scene, +and that they are ready at any moment to launch the life-boat and do +battle with the storm and seas for the lives of their brother-sailors. +Yes! and it is one of old England's many glories that it should be so. + +"It is the soul that makes us rich or poor;" the old philosopher tells +us, and we feel that it is as true of a nation as of an individual. And +we count a nation rich with a true glory, that can point to many good +works organized and carried out for great and good ends by the loving +heartedness, generosity, unselfishness, and courage of its people. And +among such works is life-boat work; there are the rich in soul who have +the means and the open hand, and there are the many who are rich in soul +and have the courageous and strong hand; and the hand generous with its +wealth, clasps the hand generous with its labour and readiness for +peril, and together they work out those noble results in which we all +rejoice, and which the records of the Life-boat Institution so fully +declare. + +And we should be less proud of our country if it were not so; indeed we +are almost inclined to think it a matter of necessity that in our island +home, where the history of our country is so interwoven with the +triumphs of our sailors, either in contests with our enemies, in pursuit +of discovery, or in the development of commerce, that our sympathies +with our sailors should indeed be deep and practical, and that while we +rejoice in the safety and the comfort afforded by their labours, that we +shall ever be prepared to help them in the hour of their distress; and +that there can be therefore little room for wonder that those who +realize the enormous traffic that is carried on around our shores, the +dangerous nature of our coasts, and the constant casualties that are +occurring, should earnestly desire the welfare of the life-boat cause, +and be ready to labour for its development. + +The history of the life-boat movement, and of the foundation and gradual +development of the Life-boat Institution, are given in the earlier pages +of this book. The present condition of the Society tells abundantly of +the success it has enjoyed, and of the sympathy it has gained, until now +it is able almost to girdle our land with life-boat stations. + +Every year there is published by the Board of Trade, a register of the +number of wrecks that have taken place in the British Isles during the +previous year; the Life-boat Institution publishes a wreck-chart +compiled from these returns; each wreck is denoted by a black dot which +marks on the map the place at which the wreck occurred; and a truly +dismal appearance the map has. See how plentifully these black dots are +sprinkled round the coast-line, here one, and there two, at other places +half-a-dozen side by side, or growing in number to ten or twelve, and +then increasing still more rapidly at the more exposed parts of the +coast, or where dangerous sands are more directly in the highway of +vessels, so that in such places there may be found twenty, thirty, or +forty such marks, and at some localities even more than these, as at the +Sands off Yarmouth, the Goodwin Sands, the Bristol Channel, and others, +where line after line is required to find room for the number of wrecks +to be thus recorded. For the past year no fewer than 1958 such marks are +necessary to complete the dismal list, for such was the number of the +wrecks that took place, within that time, in the seas that surround the +British Isles. The months of November and December were especially +fatal, heavy gales, thick weather, shifting winds, worked terrible havoc +among the shipping; the coasts were strewn with wrecks; and the +wreck-chart grew proportionally darker in its outline; and is it not a +terrible picture that it presents, as we recognise that almost every +mark speaks of a dismal scene of destruction and of peril, of ships with +wild seas breaking ruthlessly over them, and of men clinging on, being, +perhaps, beaten slowly to death by the constant rush of the heavy waves, +until, unless rescued, the shattered wreck breaks up beneath their feet, +and they are at once launched into eternity? + +But let us look again at the chart, and we find red marks on the coast +lines opposite to the black dots which stud the sea; and wherever the +sea is more dark with the signs of wrecks, there do we find the coast +line opposite to such places pencilled the more abundantly with the thin +red lines which mark the life-boat stations; and thank God that the red +marks on this wreck-chart do now so often confront the black! for if the +black colour speaks of death, the red colour speaks of life; if the one +tells of terrible danger the other tells of gallant rescue; if the one +pictures sailors clinging to a few spars, expecting death at every +moment; the other pictures the Storm Warriors ready at their various +stations to man the life-boat, and launch forth to wrestle nobly with +the cruel seas, to snatch from them their intended prey. + +And moreover, if the one set of signs tells us of the dangers incurred +by the tens of thousands of sailors who are helping to minister to the +necessities, and comfort, and luxury of the population of England, the +other tells of men and women with warm hearts and generous hands, who +let their sympathies go out towards their sailor brethren, and plant our +storm-ridden shores with life-boats that shall be for the rescue of +those in peril; and who are glad also to encourage and reward the brave +men who so often risk their own lives in their efforts to save the lives +of others. + +And so famously has its work gone on, that the Life-boat Society can now +report that the number of lives saved, either by the life-boats of the +Institution, or by especial exertions for which the Society has granted +rewards, presents the grand total of more than 22,000; and we are told +that for these services the Society has granted 91 gold medals, 842 +silver medals, and more than £40,000 in money, so that now we may well +say, that the Institution has truly become one of national importance, +as it has ever been one of national necessity. + +Well indeed was it that Lionel Luken nearly a century ago, "In the +morning sowed the seed, and in the evening withheld not his hand;" for +although it was not given him to see the results of his labours, yet he +commenced a work which has grown into its present noble proportions; +while in contrast to all the apathy he met with, we can now point to a +wide-spread and positive affection that the people of England feel for +the life-boat cause; and in evidence of the hold that the work of the +Society has now obtained upon the public mind we can point to its +meetings, when its friends assembled have been found to rank among all +classes of society, when those who are among the chief of the Royal +personages of the land have been present, and have been surrounded by +some of the first representatives of our aristocracy, of our army, of +our navy, and of our commerce. Among the most memorable of such meetings +was one held in the Mansion House in the year 1867, when the Prince of +Wales occupied the chair--and the testimony he gave in favour of the +Society found an echo, I am sure, in the hearts of all present. It was +to the following effect: "My Lord Mayor, my lords, ladies and gentlemen. +It affords me great pleasure to occupy the chair upon so interesting an +occasion as the present. Among the many benevolent and charitable +institutions of this country there are, I think, few which more demand +our sympathy and support, and in which we can feel more interest, than +the National Life-boat Institution. An institution of this kind is an +absolute necessity in a great maritime country like ours. It is wholly +different in one respect to many other institutions, because, although +lives are to be saved, they can in those cases, in which this society +operates, only be saved at the risk of the loss of other lives. I am +happy to be able to congratulate the Institution upon its high state of +efficiency at the present moment, and on the fact that by its means +nearly 1000 lives have been saved during the past year. + +"I am happy also to be able to say, that life-boats exist not only upon +our coasts, but that our example in this matter has been emulated by +many foreign maritime countries, some of which have chosen to model +their Institutions upon our own.... Half a century ago this Institution +originated in this city. In 1852, the late Duke of Northumberland became +its president. My lamented father was also the vice-president, and took +the warmest interest in its prosperity. I am happy to say that the +respected secretary, Mr. Lewis, occupied that position in 1850. He has +held it ever since, and much of the success of the Institution is owing +to his long experience; and the energetic manner in which he has +directed its working has raised the Institution to its present high +state of efficiency. + +"Before concluding my brief remarks, I call upon you once more to offer +your support to so excellent an Institution. I congratulate you that it +has arrived at so excellent a state, and I feel sure that you would be +the last to wish it to decay for the want of support to its funds." + +Thus spake His Royal Highness, in 1867, and since then the Institution +has developed more and mere, completing its organization, perfecting its +system, and yearly in its noble results increasing its hold upon the +affections of the country. + +And now, as I write the concluding lines of my book, the reality of the +work related is deeply impressed upon my mind, for this morning my two +little boys came running downstairs making the house ring with their +cries of "The life-boat! the life-boat!" they had seen it from their +nursery window. Yes, there she was, being towed by the steamer, the +rough seas lashing over her; her flag was flying in triumph. I could see +through my glass that there were about a dozen saved men on board the +steamer; and as I have since learned, seldom have men more narrowly +escaped than did those poor fellows, and seldom have men been saved by a +greater exhibition of courage and perseverance than was displayed by our +life-boat men while effecting their rescue. + +The _Scot_, a barque of 345 tons, bound from Sunderland to Algiers with +a cargo of coals, after experiencing much stormy and thick weather, ran +on the Kentish Knock Sand at five o'clock in the morning; the seas +immediately began to break over her; the carpenter sounded the well and +found two feet and a half of water in her hold, but as the waves lifted +her, and plunged her down upon the Sands, she filled at once with water. +The captain sent the steward into the cabin for the ship's papers; he +found the water up to the cabin floor; he seized the box in which the +papers were, and ran up on deck; a wave rushed over the vessel and swept +him along the deck; he caught hold of a rope with one hand, but one of +the sailors, overwhelmed by the same wave, threw his legs around his +neck and nearly tore him from his hold; the wave passed and the two men +were enabled to spring into the rigging: all hands had to take refuge +there, for within five minutes of the vessel's striking she began to +break up; the boats were washed away, the deck-house was torn to +fragments and carried away piecemeal; the deck began to twist, and +buckle, and open, and then was speedily ripped up by the force of the +seas, and torn away plank after plank. The vessel broke her back and +heeled over on the starboard side, and settled down upon the Sands; the +men could not make any signal of distress, and if they could have done +so, they were miles away from any life-boat, and at any moment the masts +might give and they be plunged into the boiling sea. If the weather +moderated some passing vessel might see them and be able to send a boat +in to their rescue, but not while the gale lasted. The day grew on; many +vessels passed the Sands, but not near enough to be able to make out the +men in the rigging of the masts, which were only just above water; the +weather grew worse and worse, the day was wearing away, and the night +coming on; it was all very, very hopeless. + +At last a brig passed nearer to them than any other vessels had come; +the mate said, "If they are looking at the wreck with a good glass, they +may, perhaps, see us," and he stood up and waved to them. At that +moment, most providentially, the pilot on board the vessel looked at the +wreck through a glass, and saw the mate waving his south-wester cap. +The brig soon after spoke a smack that was making in for the land, and +the smack proceeded to Broadstairs and reported a wreck on the Kentish +Knock, with the crew in the rigging, and that a life-boat was wanted for +their rescue, for that no ordinary boat could live through the sea that +was running over the Sands. At Broadstairs they felt that their own boat +could never get there in time without the assistance of a steamer, and +they telegraphed to Ramsgate. It was about six o'clock in the evening, +the steamer _Aid_, with Reading in command, and the life-boat +_Bradford_, with Fish as coxswain, and R. Goldsmith as second coxswain, +at once made their way out into the gale and tremendous sea to the +rescue of the shipwrecked crew. + +In the meantime the poor fellows on board the wreck waited on almost in +despair, the ship each moment yielding to the force of the storm till +the whole deck was washed away, and the masts were working more and more +loose; happily she had wire rigging, which stood the heavy swaying and +lurching of the masts better than the ordinary rope rigging would have +done. + +It was piteous in talking to the men to hear them describe the condition +of utter despair that they were in, and how little ground they could +find for any hope whatever; piteous to hear the captain say, "There were +just two planks of the deck left floating entangled in a rope, and I +kept watching them, thinking that if the mast went I would try and swim +to them, and float on them for the chance of being picked up by some +vessel;" to hear the mate answer, "But I was just watching them too, +with the same idea;" and the carpenter adds, "That was just the plan I +had in my mind." + +And thus the ten men clung to the rigging and to each other, standing on +the small crosstrees of one tottering mast, hour after hour. The day +passed, still no signs of rescue; it became quite dark; it seemed +impossible that they could ever see another day's dawn. + +They might perish at any moment! at any moment! and all ten of them. +This was the conviction of each one. They told me how endless the dark +hours of that terrible night seemed; and one man said, "That the thought +that seemed ever present with him, was the bitter way that his little +boy sobbed and cried when he bid him good-bye, and how he would cry +again when he heard that 'Dadda was gone.'" At last there was a streak +of dawn, but the mast had fallen over almost to a level with the water +and seemed still yielding rapidly; they might see the sunrise again, but +that was all; when one of the sailors cried out, "A steamer!" "What good +can that be to us?" and they watch her without interest, for there seems +little chance of her coming in their direction. "Ah! she is running down +the edge of the Sands, and comes nearer, and nearer!"--"Well she can't +help us if she does; no boat can come across the Sands to us in this +surf--No! no." Shortly, a man cries, "She has a large boat in +tow;"--"What! perhaps a life-boat! it may be that some passing vessel +made us out yesterday and has sent a life-boat;" Oh, what a thought of +hope, of joy, of life! "Can it be so? it is--it is! thank God it is--it +is! Look, she has left the steamer and is coming in through the breakers +straight towards us!" + +It is something to remember, the way in which one man said to me, as if +almost unnerved by the remembrance, "Oh, what a beauty she looked! what +a beauty she looked coming over those seas!" + +The steamer and life-boat had got out to the Sands after battling with +the storm for a distance of twenty-six miles. At about 11 o'clock the +night before, they spoke the Lightship on the Kentish Knock, and learnt +the bearings of the wreck; but they found that it was impossible to +discover her in the darkness of the night and storm, so after several +vain efforts they lay to until the morning. As soon as it was light they +went in search of the wreck, and the life-boat made in across the Sands, +and it was then truly a great matter of heartfelt congratulation to the +life-boat men that all their labour and perseverance had not been in +vain; for to their great joy they could see the crew in the rigging. +They anchored the boat as near to the wreck as they could venture, and +then let the cable veer out until the boat was under the vessel's +jib-boom. It was low-tide--the seas were not breaking over the wreck so +violently as they had been; and the men were able to work their way out +on to the bowsprit, and drop into the boat, and thus the ten men were +saved, after being twenty-six hours holding on in the maintop of the +wreck. + +The flood-tide was just making; all felt, that as soon as it rose and +the wreck began to heave and work again, the mast would speedily go, and +they realized to the full that they had only been saved just in time. + +The life-boat returned to the steamer as speedily as possible, and put +the rescued men on board her. The shipwrecked men had not tasted +anything for nearly thirty-six hours, as it was before breakfast time +that they had run ashore, and they had been in the rigging for +twenty-six hours. The life-boat got back to the harbour at 11 o'clock in +the morning; the life-boat men had been in the open boat exposed to all +the fury of the storm for nearly seventeen hours, and their exhaustion +was very great. The kindness of some friends provided the weary and +famished men with a good dinner at the house of their old comrade and +friend, Jarman, and soon after a telegram came from Mr. Lewis, of the +Life-boat Institution, to whom tidings of the rescue had been +telegraphed, that the life-boatmen were to have a sovereign each, and a +good dinner; but by that time they were all resting at home after their +long hours of fatigue. Other friends made recognition by subscription of +their noble services; and comfort was thus carried into the homes of our +Storm Warriors after their gallant and triumphant efforts in saving +life. + +The shipwrecked men were cared for in our Sailors' Home, and speedily +recovered their fatigues. The captain told me he did not think they +would have been alive one hour longer, if the life-boat had not come +just when she did; and speaking of the life-boat, said with deep +feeling, "Oh! she is a noble boat, and nobly manned; there could not be +a kinder set of men!" And with these words of the brave and grateful +sailor so recently and unexpectedly saved with all his crew, from that +which seemed most certain death, I feel inclined to finish my book. But +I will add one wish, namely, that we had a better Sailors' Home in which +to receive the poor fellows who are brought ashore; 156 wrecked men were +received into the Home at Ramsgate last year, 40 in one day; and a +little house of £25, or so, rent, and its one sitting-room for the use +of the men, only about sixteen feet by fourteen, and eighteen beds +crowded together in small rooms is, of course, quite inadequate to +afford the accommodation that we would wish to provide for the poor +fellows brought in half dead with cold, with exhaustion, and with +hunger, plucked by the Storm Warriors from the very jaws of death 'mid +the rage of waters on the Goodwin Sands. + +God speed the life-boat! God guard the Storm Warriors! + + +THE END. + + +LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING +CROSS. + + + + +ADVERTISEMENTS + +_Second Edition, Crown 8vo., price 5s._ + +THE HISTORY + +OF + +THE LIFE-BOAT AND ITS WORK. + +BY RICHARD LEWIS, + +BARRISTER-AT-LAW, SECRETARY TO THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. + +With Illustrations, and Wreck Chart. + +"To tell the story of a noble work--the work of the Life-boat,--was +almost the privilege of Mr. Lewis, and he has told it +admirably."--_Standard._ + +"Though the book perforce contains many matters of sheer science, and a +multitude of statistics, it is not by any means dry reading, and even +the frivolously inclined will read with deep interest some of the +chapters, more especially that of the Ramsgate Life-boat above alluded +to."--_Land and Water._ + + +MACMILLAN AND CO., LONDON. + + +BOOKS OF TRAVEL. + + _SIR SAMUEL W. 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