CHAPTER III.
Continuation of the voyage. Porpoises. Cape Horn. The mutiny. Dr. Lewis obtains the promise of liberty for his friends. They are put out to sea in an open boat. Perilous voyage on an unknown sea. Landing on a rocky coast.

FAIR winds and calm skies accompanied them on their voyage for some time. Captain Russell seemed to forget his sorrows in the society of the cheerful young people, and in listening to the words of pious consolation from good Mr. Merton. His vessel was well manned for he had met with a party of eight English sailors, who professed a great desire to make the voyage round the Cape; and, only too grateful to find English hands suited to his purpose, the captain engaged them all, as they refused to be separated. He was perfectly content with their services ; but the young Mertons regretted the loss of the good-natured fellows who had accompanied them from England, and they pronounced the new sailors to be cross, ill-tempered men.

There was little variety to amuse them for many days; but at length they had the pleasure of seeing an immense shoal of porpoises, extrordinary creatures, which, by a series of jumps, cut their way through the deeply-furrowed water. Mary, whose character was less reflecting than that of her sister, and whose geographical studies bad not made a profound impression on her, was perfectly amazed at the great distance they had sailed, and that they were now only in the latitude of Buenos Ayres.

"Why cannot we land there at once!" said she; "it is but a little way across the continent to Valparaio, which is nearly opposite; and we could soon cross to it by land, which I have no doubt would be much pleasanter than this dull voyaging."

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"About a thousand miles, child," said Jack, laughing, "and no pleasant road either, if we may trust the travellers who have crossed the Pampas and the Andes. Mary; you had forgotten the terrific Andes, with their snow crowned heights."

"Moreover," said Charles, "Buenos Ayres is not one of our stations; and good-natured as Captain Russell is, he would not, I believe, turn his vessel from its course to land us in the river La Plata. Therefore, my dear Mary, you must be content to voyage, like a good sailor, round the formidable stormy Cape.

And time went on, and at length they caught a distant view of high, bleak mountains, which, Captain Russell told them, where the inhospitable shores of Tierra-del-Fuego. All the young people were now anxious to behold the fearful Cape they must soon reach; the Cape of Storms, the terror of the early navigators, the rocky point which had frowned on many a scene of terror, woe, and death. They watched with interest for its appearance, and, when shrouded in mists, the lofty, black, barren reek was seen stretching into the sea, in gloomy, sublimity, they felt awed by its neighborhood, and Mary whispered to her more philosophic sister her dread lest the black mountain should draw the vessel towards it, and destroy them all, like the loadstone rock of the Eastern Tales.

Then Mr. Merton related to his children the perils of the adventurous Anson, and of succeeding voyagers, who followed his course, amid dangers and sufferings that tinged their adventures with a thrilling and romantic interest; nor did this great promontory, the worthy limit of a mighty Continent, permit our voyagers to pass without some denmonstration of its power. Many days of westerly winds and driving sleet, days of hard labor to the sailors, and alarm to the passengers, were passed before they left the Atlantic and entered the Pacific, in tempestuous weather, which retarded their northern progress, and made the most patient long for a termination of the tedious voyage.

The boys especially who had enjoyed on the voyage to Rio the long stories of the good-natured sailors, and who spent many an hour in acquiring that knowledge of nautical matters, so fascinating to boys, were now rarely among the crew | | 35 for the surly manners of the new sailors prevented any intimacy with them. "Papa," said Tom, "I fear Will Hardy a very wicked man; I heard him tell some of the sailors who left England with us, to 'never heed the bullying of the captain, but to stick to him: they would let the captain see who was master, and would have their pockets full of Californian gold before long.' I could not help speaking, papa; I said the Maypo was not going so far north as California; but before I could speak another word, he gave me a box on the ear, and bid me mind my own business, and speak when I was spoken to."

"I beseech you, my dear boy," said Mrs. Merton, in great alarm; "do not go near those dark scowling men; I feel as if we were all completely in their power."

Dr. Lewis laughed at the lady's timidity. "Pray have no fears, my dear madam," said he; "rely on it, that in a well-regulated vessel the captain is a petty despot, and however numerous his crew or his passengers may be, all must obey his nod. But for your satisfaction, I will always accompany the boys when they visit the main-deck, and take care they have no disagreement with the men. I believe Will Hardy to be an audicious [sic] , violent fellow, but I do not think him dangerous."

"And yet, Dr. Lewis," observed Mr. Merton, "we have historical evidence that men, led astray by the love of gold, or the insane thirst for blood, have risen in mutiny, despising authority, and swept away from their path the innocent and the helpless."

"Take courage, papa," exclaimed Jack; "I will fight like a true born Englishman, if we have a mutiny. Will Hardy is a saucy, revengeful rascal, and hates Captain Russell, because he was put into confinement for two days when he broached the rum-cask. I say Charlie, where is the gunnery?"

"Really I cannot say, Jack," replied Charles languidly. "My duelling pistols I have of course, in my dressing-case but the fowling-pieces, rifles, and ammunition, I left to Wilson to pack. I believe I have a sword or something of the sort in the cabin."

"And I shall certainly not trouble your fine gentleman valet to seek for the rifles," said Jack; "but if you will give me | | 36 leave, cousin Charles, I will turn over the baggage till I meet with them, and we will fit up an armory here. What you say to it Dr. Lewis?"

"I have no objection to your plan, most valiant hero," said the doctor, "though I feel satisfied that it is quite unnecessary; we are under a secure government, Master Jack."

"I wish you may find it so," cried Nanny, who had been listening to their discourse. "I like none of that Will Hardy, he's just a born good-to-nought; and all them saucy chaps that came along wi' him, are no better than they should be. Didn't I hear him incense them about gold in lumps like a man's head that was to be had for picking up, if they were at the right place; and then he spat out his quid, and trampled it under his foot, and said, 'that, for the captain and his surly mate; this bonny ship is ours, my brave lads,' and then he swore such awful oaths, that he never would set his foot among them proud Spanish folks at Valparaiso, that I trembled again; and sure enough, I would have gone right to the captain to tell him all; but poor body, he always seems so mopish and down-hearted, I pitied to make him worse."

"Truly, Nanny," said Dr. Lewis, "you are a keen observer; Captain Russell and I must have some conversation about these reports of yours; but many mutinous words do not amount to an act of mutiny. Nevertheless, we will take care that Will Hardy shall go no further in his plans."

"Well it will be, if you can stop him now, sir," exclaimed Nanny. "He has some good backers, depend on it; and I wish in my heart we all had our feet set cannily on dry land!"

Though Dr. Lewis to spare the feelings of the timid, had laughed at these tales, he did not feel altogether comfortable: and proceeding at once to the captain's cabin he communicated to him the suspicious words uttered by Will Hardy and his associates. The captain, absorbed in the remembranee of his domestic afflictions, spent much time in his cabin, and had never himself noticed any signs of insubordination among his crew; but startled by the report of Dr. Lewis he immediately summoned his mate, repeated the facts, and demanded his opinion on the matter. The mate, a trustworthy and excellent seaman, was, nevertheless, a stern and severe man, | | 37 disliked by the sailors. He frowned at the recital, declared that he believed Will Hardy to be a desperate villain, ripe for any crime and proposed that the captain should immediately order him into irons.

"That I will certainly not advise," said the cool-headed Dr. Lewis. "The expressions used by him, might only be idle words to terrify the children and Nanny; in which case the punishment would be severe, if not unjust; and if the men should really mean mischief, such a proceeding might be dangerous, and likely to hurry matters to a conclusion. But we must all be watchful and prepared, till the suspected men can be got rid of."

"The knaves know well enough what they are about," said the mate; "nothing of this was heard till we had passed the Cape, where we might have landed them; and they defy us to do it now, three hundred miles off any port."

Captain Russell, now thoroughly roused, went on deck immediately with the mate, and Dr. Lewis returned to his friends. He found Jack already arranging his armoury, and after admiring his promptitude, he ventured, without alarming them unnecessarily, to suggest the prudence of arranging all their most valuable possessions in such a manner as to make their removal convenient, in case they should be driven to the necessity of launching the long boat, to escape from the disorderly crew.

A loud noise of voices, and trampling of feet on the deck, announced a crisis at hand, and the young men armed themselves, to defend their parents and sisters. Nanny, quite in her element, when active measures were needed, scolded the whole party for leaving England, abused the captain and his crew, kicked about the boxes, declared she ought to have been told about the shifting days befere; but worked actively, and made every one else work, all the time. Once more she corded the boxes that had been opened, collected the knives, forks, and spoons from the table, and put them into her capacious pockets, tied a tea-kettle to the top of one box, and a large iron kettle to another. Finally, she drew the blankets from the beds, and made each person wrap one round him, and was just attempting to roll up a mattress, when the door flew open, and two men entered, bearing the ghastly | | 38 figure of Will Hardy, covered with blood, with one arm hanging useless, broken by a ball.

"Here's a job for you, Mr. Doctor," said one of the men; "look after Will and set him right. We can't spare him."

"Rash and wicked men!" cried Mr. Merton; "what are you about? Know you not that you are violating the laws of God and man?"

One of the ruffians replied by pointing a pistol at the speaker. Dr. Lewis dashed it from his hand, and said in a commanding tone, "We are all armed, and if you injure a person in this cabin, you shall die, and your leader must perish for want of assistance. Spare my friends, and, by God's help, I will save his life."

"Give me some of your drugs," groaned the sufferer, "to stop this pain, and let me have the use of my limbs again; and I swear to you, you shall all go free."

The doctor made a sign to his friends to leave all to him; then, with the assistance of the young men and of Nanny, who could not however, forbear groaning out her disapprobation of the deed, he extracted the ball, set the arm, placed the exhausted sufferer on a sofa, and dressed his wounds. He then prepared an opiate to administer to him.

"What's that stuff you are going to give me?" asked Will.

The doctor explained to him the nature and the effects of the draught. The man was silent for a few minutes, and then said,--

"Do you mean to stay, and be one of us Doctor?"

"I do not understand you, Will," answered the doctor; I know there has been some altercation; but where are the captain and the mate?"

"Never you mind," said the wretched man; "they'll never put irons on another poor fellow: they've got their due."

Dr. Lewis was inexpressibly shocked; he saw murder had been committed. On further inquiries, the man did not deny the fact: and when the good doctor reminded him of his perilous state of soul and body, he found him hardened in guilt and scoffing at repentance.

"You may as well speak out, and say whether you will join or not," said the reckless villain. "Think of yourself, man; for if you send me to sleep, ten to one but my chaps | | 39 cut all your throats, that you mayn't have a chance of turning informers."

"Then, certainly, Will" said Dr. Lewis, calmly, "I not only refuse to become an accessary to mutiny and murder, but, if I should be spared to reach any shore where the laws of civilized nations are recognised, I should consider it my first duty to report your lawless proceedings to the proper authorities."

Will swore dreadfully when he heard the resolution of his doctor, who only noticed it by reminding him that the excitement of anger would endanger his life. He was silent for a few minutes, and then said:--

"You have done your best for me; and I swore you should escape with your lives; so I will give you and these whitefaced loons a chance. Call Jack Allen."

Jack Allan was summoned, and received orders from his commander to put out a boat, to let the passengers have such of their property as they choose to take, as well as a cask of water, and one of biscuits, with a bag of rice; to see that they embarked immediately, and then to send them off to their fate. These orders were mingled with execrations and fiendish laughs.

It was with fainting hearts that the half-distracted party collected their moveables and went on deck, the ladies trembling and not daring to look round, lest they should see some bloody record of crime. Their boxes were lowered into the boat. Jack and Tom, taking care to bring the rifles and ammunition, descended to arrange all in some order. Dr. Lewis once more visited his patient, gave proper directions for his treatment, administered the anodyne, and then went with all speed on deck, anxious that no delay should prevent their escape from that blood-stained vessel, though the alternative was to plunge into unknown dangers.

Mr. Merton, with his wife and daughters weeping and terrified, first embarked, and were followed by Nanny. Dr. Lewis looked round for Charles, who was calling out loudly for his valet, lie was answered by a laugh of derision from a group of the sailors, who were watching the departure of the passengers. At length the elegant Mr. Wilson turned round, and, with a supercilious air, inquired who was calling on him.

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"Come, Wilson, be quick," cried his master, impatiently; "look after my portmanteau and dressing-case, and follow me immediately."

"Thank you, Mr. Villars," said the man sarcastically, but I have had quite enough of servitude. I am your master now; and I would recommend you, for old acquaintance' sake, to jump into the boat and make off before the wind changes. If Will goes this bout, you will all have to follow your friend the captain, depend on it, and he was sent to sea without a boat. A good voyage to you all. I'm off with the jolly rovers, to lead an easier life than I did with you and all your tantrums."

Dr. Lewis seized the arm of Charles, and forced him away, for he saw the men were regarding him with an evil eye. In another minute they were all in the boat, and before the rope was loosed, Wilson threw the portmanteau down, exclaiming, "There, that's more than you deserve ; but I know you like a bit of dress and after all, you're not a bad fellow, if you wouldn't give yourself such grand airs."

The crew gave three cheers as the little boat parted from the vessel, and Mrs. Merton covering her face, cried out, "Heaven preserve us! What will become of us! We will all all be lost on this dark ocean which spreads before us, without a landmark of hope!"

"Papa, do you and Nanny just look to mamma," cried Jack; "she is very pale; but she need not fear. Depend on it, Tom and I will row away as hard as we can from those desperate follows. See, here are our oars and sails. We want nothing, papa, but stout hearts and a fair wind."

"Brave boy!" said Dr. Lewis; "I have little nautical skill, but I will try to help you. And here is Mr. Villars."

"Oh Charley is a first-rate hand," said Jack. "Why, at Cambridge he was always A 1 in boating-matches. We may rely on him as a sure help."

"Really, boys," said Charles, in a languid voice, "I fear you rely on a broken reed. Consider how many years have passed since I addicted myself to such violent plebian exercises. I will try an oar; but I apprehend that, as my gloves are of peculiarly delicate kid, they will soon be worn out by the friction, and I shall thus be wholly incapacitated."

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"How exceedingly absurd you can be when you choose, cousin Charles," said Matilda. "But no one cares for your affectations here. Go on rowing, and when Charles's gloves are worn out, Mary and I will work at the oars without gloves."

Charles laughed at this spirited rebuke, and, somewhat ashamed, took up an oar, and began to work vigorously, without any thought of his gloves. The four young men continued for an hour to row, without further aim than to lose sight of the fatal vessel. When this was really done, Mr. Merton, speaking for the first time, laid his hand on Tom's arm, and said,

"My dear children, pause a moment, and let us consider, first, where we really are, and next, what port or shore we ought to endeavor to reach. You are all exhausting your strength without any definite aim. It may be that we are rushing into greater dangers than those from which we have escaped."

Dr. Lewis fortunately possessed a small pocket compass, and, on duly discussing the business, he recommended that they should immediately make to the east; for, as they could not be far south of Chili, if they did not land in some hospitable port, they might at all events, find shelter and aid to reach a civilized country.

But night came on, and, exhausted with their labors they hoisted a sail: the wind blowing strong from the south, drove their little bark for many hours northward. They watched alternately during the night, and morning light revealed to them, high above a heavy mist, that shut out all below them, the snow-crowned heights of the lofty Andes, gleaming at a great distance to the east.

But, remote as this was, it was still a landmark; and their delight was great at the prospect of leaving that deep, dark ocean, which, though it had yet been tranquil, might in a moment rise and overwhelm them. They made a breakfast on biscuit and water, a very necessary refreshment, though, it did not accord with Charles Villar's notions of "a good breakfast," and then once more resumed the oars, using every effort to approach the coast. But the wind did not favor them, and their exertions seemed all in vain; they passed | | 42 rapidly over the water towards the north, but did not appear to get nearer to the shore.

Charles forgot his affectation, and worked so hard, that he not only wore out his gloves, but the skin came off his hands, still they saw no land, but the dark and mist-enveloped mountains looming through the clouds. Nanny relieved Charles at the oar, and her hard hand bore the labor well.--Even Mr. Merton and the girls tried a few strokes while the boys rested, and by their unskilfulness created a laugh, which was beneficial to all.

"Do you think, papa," asked Mary, "that we are near Robinson Crusoe's island? I should very much like to land on it, if we could be quite certain that the savages were not there."

"Alas, my child!" replied Mr. Merton, "though we have no means of ascertaining our position with certainty. I fear we may reckon on being at least eight degrees south of that charming region; and, should we succeed in landing on any island in this inhospitable climate, it can only be a chill and barren swamp."

"We will try, if possible, to reach the mainland," said Dr. Lewis; "for if we are even compelled to land on a desolate shore, we may go on to the north till we arrive at civilized spots. Take courage, Mrs. Merton,--you are surrounded by brave protectors; we have freedom, a good boat, provision, and, a calm sea. Rely on our arms to bring you to port."

Mrs. Merton did not certainly complain, but her look of suffering and misery gave great pain to her husband and children. Nanny, at length, out of patience, added her sharp remonstrances to Dr. Lewis's soothing assurances.

"I cannot bide this, mistress," said she. "See how they are all toiling like so many slaves, and not a bit of skin left on their poor hands ; and I wonder what you, por helpless body, could do without them. Sit up a bit, I say, and look cheery at the lads it's enough to break their hearts to see your down-heartedness.

Nanny's words were not without effect on the dependent Mrs. Merton; she roused herself to take some interest in their arduous work, and their unwearied look-out to the east. At length they were encouraged by the discovery of a dim hazy line of coast, towards which the continued south wind | | 43 prevented their direct approach. Many rocky islands were scattered round, but they seemed barren and desolate, and, surrounded by breakers, were inaccessible to the little boat.

After many hours' struggling and laboring at the oars, they got near enough to observe, that gloomy dark rocks, perpendicular and lofty, guarded the coast, and were half-shrouded with a heavy mist. Here it seemed impossible to land, and the most courageous felt a sinking of the heart.--Their spirits and strength alike failed, but still they rowed on, to survey the coast as near as they durst venture to approach it. The lofty heights were covered half-way down with dense clouds, which defied the fierce wind which now began to blow, and remained immovable.

"Here we cannot land," observed Lewis; "let us push on, as long as we can hold the oars, along the coast. Surely we must reach a mere promising spot than this."

They were not evidently in a large gulf, and passed more islands, all barren and desolate. Darkness was coming on, the wind suddenly changed, and blew furiously from the east, forcing them toward the rocky and dangerous coast. They abandonded themselves to despair; they believed their destruction inevitable, and expected every moment to be swallowed up in some eddying whirlpool, or dashed on the sharp rocks, that guarded that inhospitable coast.

"My children," said Mr. Merton, "our death is certain; let us lift up our souls to God."

They abandonded their oars and knelt down to pray; even the thoughtless Charles joined them devoutly. They prayed earnestly and fervently; and God heard them. They rose from their prayers with calmness and resignation; they had been driven nearer to the coast, and the keen eye of Dr. Lewis detected a narrow inlet. He called on them to resume their oars, and they rowed with hope and cheerfulness, and at length brought their frail boat safely into the inlet, which seemed to be the mouth of a river. They labored with pain and difficulty to ascend the stream, which rushed between high cliffs overhung with trees. At length they reached a patch of sandy beach, on the north side of the river, which permitted them to land; and a large beech-tree which grew on the spot enabled them to secure the boat, by mooring it to the trunk.