The Three Admirals Part 45

THE BELLONA AND EMPRESS SAIL FOR ADEN--PART COMPANY--BELLONA FALLS IN WITH A MERCHANTMAN IN DISTRESS--A GLEAM OF HOPE--TOUCHES AT THE CAPE AND ADEN, AND PROCEEDS UP THE RED SEA--THE BELLONA REACHES ANNESLEY BAY-- JACK AND TOM LAND AT ZULLA--VISIT THE BRITISH CAMP--EXTENSIVE OPERATIONS GOING FORWARD--MARCH COMMENCED--INTERVIEW BETWEEN SIR ROBERT NAPIER AND THE PRINCE OF TIGRE--THE BRITISH ARMY ADVANCES TO ATTACK MAGDALA-- ENCOUNTERS THEODORE'S FORCES--DEFEAT OF THE ABYSSINIANS--THEODORE SENDS LIEUTENANT PRIDEAUX TO SIR ROBERT--ANXIOUS NEGOTIATIONS--THE CAPTIVES RELEASED--MOST OF THEODORE'S TROOPS LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS--THE KING HOLDS OUT--MAGDALA STORMED--THEODORE SHOOTS HIMSELF--THE FORTRESS DESTROYED-- RETURN MARCH--THE BELLONA SAILS FOR ADEN.

The _Bellona_ and _Empress_ had been for some time at sea on their voyage round the Cape of Good Hope. Adair had, to the last moment before leaving England, expected to hear of his nephew, Lord Saint Maur, but although he had inst.i.tuted every possible inquiry, no news had come of him.

He had hoped, should Gerald have been carried off by the s.h.i.+p which ran down the yacht, that he would have got on board some homeward-bound vessel or have landed at some port from whence he could send word of his safety, which he would certainly have done, knowing the deep anxiety which must be felt about him, not only by his uncle, but by his many other friends.

Though sailing in company, Jack and Adair were seldom able to communicate except by signal. They had, before crossing the line, met with a heavy gale, during which they lost sight of each other, though they fully expected to meet again before long, as their course was the same and both s.h.i.+ps sailed or steamed at a pretty equal rate. On board the _Bellona_, which s.h.i.+p we must accompany, a look-out was kept for the _Empress_, as Jack had no doubt that she was ahead. But day after day the sun rose and set and she did not appear. The _Bellona_ had reached almost to the lat.i.tude of Saint Helena, when it came on a dead calm, and as there appeared every prospect of its continuance, Jack unwillingly-- as he had been charged to husband his coal--got up steam, and the s.h.i.+p clove her rapid way through the calm water.

Just as morning dawned, the look-out from the mast-head announced a vessel in sight on the starboard bow. Archie Gordon, who, as first lieutenant, was paddling about with his trousers tucked up and his feet bare, superintending the process of holystoning and was.h.i.+ng decks, inquired the appearance of the stranger, hoping that she might prove to be the _Empress_.

"She looks as if she had met with bad weather, sir; her foremast and two topmasts are gone. She has just hoisted a signal of distress half mast high."

Tom at that moment came on deck, and on hearing this went aloft with his spy-gla.s.s to have a look at the stranger. Being satisfied that she was really in distress, on coming down, he sent young Alick to inform the captain, and asked leave to steer for her.

Jack, quickly coming on deck, ordered the s.h.i.+p to be headed up towards the stranger. As the _Bellona_ approached, her battered condition became more clearly visible; her boats were gone, her bulwarks stove in, and she lay a mere wreck on the water; a few people only were seen on her deck, and even through the telescopes directed at them, their countenances appeared worn and haggard as they stood leaning over the bulwarks gazing at the approaching man-of-war. The _Bellona's_ way was stopped, and a boat being lowered, Tom was soon alongside the wreck.

"What s.h.i.+p is that?" he asked, as he pulled up.

"The _Argo_, Captain Robson, from Hong-kong. In Heaven's Dame, I trust you can render us a.s.sistance," said the man, in a hollow voice. "We are short of provisions, and consumed our last drop of water yesterday. We are dying of thirst, and scarcely strong enough to keep the pumps going."

"We will give you all the help we can," said Tom, climbing up on deck, where the spectacle which met his view convinced him of the truth of the master's statement. Five of the hands, whose countenances showed the sufferings they had endured, were working away at the pumps with all the strength they possessed, the clear stream which issued from the side showing the large amount of water the vessel must be making; while several others lay about the deck, exhausted from their previous exertions. A few only remained on foot, who looked ready to sink.

Tom, on seeing this, without further inquiries sent young Alick back in the boat with a report of the state of the s.h.i.+p, requesting that the carpenter and his crew and some hands might return, to a.s.sist in repairing as far as possible the damages, as also that a supply of water and provisions might quickly be sent.

"Water! oh, water! Let us have water first!" cried the master.

The men bent to their oars, and quickly reached the _Bellona_. Two other boats were immediately lowered, and into Alick's, which was the first ready, a cask of water was at once put, with which he and several additional hands returned to the merchantman.

The fresh hands jumped on board and hoisted up the cask of water, at the sight of which the thirsty crew rushed aft. Tom, who stood by while the contents were drawn up, was about to hand the cup to the master. He took it and hurried below.

"It's for his wife," observed one of the men; "she's very bad."

Two boys, whose looks betrayed their sufferings, came forward, heaving deep sighs as they poured the refres.h.i.+ng liquid down their throats. The other men followed in turn. By this time the master returned and eagerly drank a draught of water.

"Thank Heaven!" he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. "It has restored new strength to me, but we must not let the pumps be idle, or the water will gain upon us more rapidly than it has been doing."

"Let your men rest," said Tom, leading the way to the pumps, which he with his people manned.

Meantime Alick took his place at the cask and served out more water to the master and his men, who appeared still far from satisfied.

Jack, hearing of the condition of the merchantman's crew, sent the doctor, who now stepped on board.

"Stop, my lads!" he cried, on seeing the quant.i.ty of water the men were drinking. "You may have too much of such a simple thing as pure water."

"Will you come below and see my poor wife, sir?" said the master, in an anxious tone.

The doctor at once descended with him. Meantime the provisions were handed up; some cans of hot cocoa and biscuit. The crew stood round like school children, waiting to be supplied with their food, with difficulty restraining their eagerness until the cups of cocoa were handed to them.

The food had a magical effect, and even those stretched on the deck now managed to move about.

Some spars had been towed off from the _Bellona_, and Tom at once set about fitting up a jury-mast, while the carpenter and his crew went below to try and find the leak, and see what could be done to stop it.

The energetic pumping of the man-of-war's men soon reduced the water in the hold. After a long search the carpenter sent up to say he had discovered the worst leak and was already at work stopping it.

Expressions of thankfulness escaped from the crew as they heard this, and they turned to with a vigour they had not hitherto shown, to a.s.sist in the repairs going forward.

"Your wife will do very well," said the doctor, as he accompanied the master on deck. "Proper food is all she wants, and Captain Rogers will do his utmost to supply you."

"I shall be very grateful," said the master. "My poor wife would not take more than her share when she found how the men were suffering, nor touch any of mine, and, being delicate, she was almost succ.u.mbing."

The doctor having now examined the most suffering of the crew, returned on board to report their condition, and obtain the medicines he considered necessary.

Jack liberally supplied the s.h.i.+p with such provisions as were required to take them home. As he was anxious to lose as little time as possible, he also sent Mr Large, the boatswain, with more men on board, who, working a.s.siduously, soon got up a fore jury-mast, repaired the bowsprit, set up topmasts, with their rigging, and bent fresh sails, all of which had been carried away.

The carpenter, having stopped the leak, set to work to patch up the bulwarks, a task the diminished crew of the _Argo_ were unable to accomplish.

Captain Robson gave a sad account of their sufferings. Two men had died of fever, while three had been washed overboard during a previous gale, which had well-nigh sent her to the bottom. "By-the-by, sir," he said to Tom, "we spoke a s.h.i.+p just as it was commencing, but there was too much sea on to allow us to board her. She was under Dutch colours, bound out to Batavia. She began to signalise us, but all I could make out was what seemed to be 'British officer, take him on board, say'; but before I could distinguish the other flags, the gale came down on us, and we had too much to do to look after his signals, which probably did not concern us."

"Could you make out anybody on the stranger's deck?" asked Tom, eagerly.

"No, sir, for evening was coming on, and we were too far off for that.

She was a big s.h.i.+p, high out of the water for one outward bound.

However, I did not further note her, and she was soon out of sight.

That very night we lost a man overboard, but it was not until some weeks later, after we had been becalmed for ten days or more, that we fell in with the gale which reduced us to the wrecked state in which you found us."

"I wish you could have made out the signal," said Tom. "Are you certain that the first part was 'British officer'?"

"No doubt about that," answered Captain Robson, "and I am certain as to the other words."

"That's strange," thought Tom. "I wonder whether Desmond could have been on board. If so, we may hear of him from Batavia, or one of the Spice Islands, to which the stranger was bound."

Tom, as he surveyed the still haggard-looking crew and their commander, felt how unfit they were to continue the voyage to England, and proposed that he should request the captain of the _Bellona_ to strengthen her crew, and a.s.sist in navigating her to Saint Helena, or back to the Cape.

"No, thank you, sir," replied the stout-hearted master, "you have set me to rights, and given me food and water, and I will touch at Saint Helena or Ascension for more, if necessary, and hope, with G.o.d's providence, to find my way safe up the Mersey. I have been in a worse plight than this, and provided the leak doesn't break out again, or my men fall sick, and we don't run short of provisions and water, we shall get home in time. You will come below, sir, before you leave, and let my wife thank you. She is grateful for all you have done for us. It is the only return we can make, under present circ.u.mstances."

Tom accepted the invitation, and found the master's wife seated on sofa, and a very ladylike person she seemed to be, though she looked dreadfully ill.

"I shall be better soon, I trust, now that I have some wholesome food; but we are in G.o.d's hands. He knows best what is good for us, and we must not repine. You and your men, sir, have saved our lives, for we could not have held out many hours longer; and accept our grat.i.tude.

Our prayers will be offered for your safety wherever you go."

Tom could remain but a couple of minutes. His men having performed their tasks, had returned to the s.h.i.+p, and his boat was the only one alongside. He jumped into her, feeling very doubtful whether the _Argo_ would ever reach home in safety.

"Go ahead!" cried the captain, as Tom's boat was hoisted up, and the _Bellona_ soon left the unfortunate _Argo_ astern. In a few hours, however, they met a strong breeze, which they hoped would fill her sails and waft her on her way.

In consequence of the expenditure of so much coal, the _Bellona_ had to touch at the Cape. Jack and Tom made every possible inquiry for Lord Saint Maur, but they could gain no tidings of the Dutch s.h.i.+p.

"He must, then, have gone on to Batavia. I was in hopes that he might have put in here," observed Tom.

Jack was surprised that the _Empress_ had not got in, as he thought that she could have done so before him, in consequence of his delay in a.s.sisting the _Argo_. Some time was occupied in taking in coal and fresh water and provisions, to make up for the stores supplied to the merchant vessel. He waited until the last moment he felt justified in doing, but still the _Empress_ did not appear, and he then had to continue his course up the Mozambique Channel, with which he and Green were so well acquainted, and onwards to Aden.

Here he found numerous s.h.i.+ps of war, and several transports and store s.h.i.+ps. The troops were to proceed up the Red Sea to Ma.s.sowah, a port belonging to the Egyptians, at which the Foreign Office had obtained permission for the disembarkation of the forces destined to march to the rescue of the British prisoners held captive by Theodore, the tyrant King of Abyssinia. Colliers also were arriving with coal to supply motive power, both for the transit of troops and also for the purpose of condensing from the sea fresh water for the use of men and animals.