Stories of the Lifeboat Part 7

A voice came down the wild wind, "Ho! s.h.i.+p ahoy!" its cry: "Our stout _Three Bells_ of Glasgow Shall stand till daylight by!"

Hour after hour crept slowly, Yet on the heaving swells Tossed up and down the s.h.i.+p-lights, The lights of the _Three Bells_.

And s.h.i.+p to s.h.i.+p made signals, Man answered back to man, While oft to cheer and hearten The _Three Bells_ nearer ran.

And the captain from her taffrail Sent down his hopeful cry, "Take heart! hold on!" he shouted, "The _Three Bells_ shall stand by!"

All night across the water The tossing lights shone clear; All night from reeling taffrail The _Three Bells_ sent her cheer.

And when the dreary watches Of storm and darkness pa.s.sed, Just as the wreck lurched under, All souls were saved at last.

Sail on, _Three Bells_, for ever, In grateful memory sail!

Ring on, _Three Bells_ of rescue, Above the wave and gale!

J. G. WHITTIER.

CHAPTER XX.

ON THE CORNISH COAST.

One stormy December day, a few years ago, a horse reeking with foam galloped into Penzance, bearing a messenger with news that a s.h.i.+p which had got into the bay was unable to make her way out, and would in all probability be wrecked. The news spread through the quaint old town like wildfire, and in a few minutes hundreds of people were on the sh.o.r.e anxiously watching for the s.h.i.+p. From time to time she could be seen through the mist, and it was evident that her captain and crew were making every effort to head her out to the open sea; but there was little chance of success with such a furious gale blowing directly insh.o.r.e. Anchors were thrown out in the hope of averting the threatened disaster, but they were of no use, and soon the vessel was drifting helplessly to the sh.o.r.e. "Man the lifeboat! man the lifeboat!" was then the cry, and coastguards and fishermen rushed off to the boathouse at full speed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LIVES IN PERIL.]

There was not a moment to spare. Horses were brought out and harnessed to the carriage, the men took their places, and away went the horses at full speed. The boat was launched into the breakers with a hearty cheer, and headed straight for the wreck.

Meanwhile a terrible tragedy was being enacted between the wreck and the sh.o.r.e, some distance to the east. The captain had seen two sh.o.r.e boats put off to his a.s.sistance, and after battling bravely with the sea for some time give up the attempt. He did not see the lifeboat, and, thinking that the safety of himself and his crew depended on their own efforts, he ordered one of the s.h.i.+p's boats to be lowered. No sooner had it touched the water than it was dashed to pieces against the side of the s.h.i.+p. A second boat was got out of the davits, and the captain and nine men got into her in safety, and made for the sh.o.r.e. She had not gone far when a huge wave pounced down upon her, whirled her round, and in another moment the men were struggling in the water, about three hundred yards from the sh.o.r.e. A few sailors seized the keel of the upturned boat, but again and again they were dashed from their hold by the heavy breakers, others seized the oars, and the captain struck out for the sh.o.r.e, followed by a few of his men. On the beach the people were helpless; but, seeing the captain swimming towards them, some of the strongest men joined hands, and waded out into the sea to meet him.

One brave man, famous for miles round on account of his great strength, threw off his coat, and, followed by several others, dashed into the surf, determined to rescue at least one of the peris.h.i.+ng sailors. When he got hold of one man he handed him over to his companions to be taken ash.o.r.e, and, in defiance of the enormous breakers, he stayed out until he had rescued three men from certain death. Nine men reached the sh.o.r.e, but only four of those, who, full of health and strength, had put off from the wreck half an hour before, survived.

Now let us return to the lifeboat. "After a pull of more than an hour she reached the vessel. As she was pulling under her stern, a great sea struck the boat, and immediately capsized her. All on board were at once thrown out; the n.o.ble boat, however, at once self-righted. The c.o.xswain was jammed under the boat by some wreckage, and very nearly lost his life, having to dive three or four times before he could extricate himself. When dragged on board, he was apparently dead, and in this state was brought ash.o.r.e. Another man, pulling the stroke oar, was lost altogether from the boat, and the men were all so exhausted that they could not pull up to rescue him; but his cork jacket floated him ash.o.r.e, when a brave man, named Desreaux, swam his horse out through the surf and rescued him.

"The inspecting-commander of the coastguard, who expressed an earnest wish to go off on this occasion, was also on board, and with others suffered severely. It is due to him to say that his great coolness and judgment, as well as his exertions, greatly aided in bringing the boat and her exhausted crew to sh.o.r.e. The second c.o.xswain also behaved like a hero, and, though scarcely able to stand, managed the boat with the greatest skill when the c.o.xswain was disabled.

"Judge of the dismay of those on sh.o.r.e when they saw the boat returning without having effected a rescue. It was at once clear that some disaster had happened, and they rushed to meet her. There was the c.o.xswain, apparently dead, a stream of blood trickling from a wound in his temple, one man missing, and all the crew more or less disabled.

Volunteers were at once called for. The second c.o.xswain pluckily offered to go again, but this was not allowed, and his place was taken by the chief officer of the coastguard. In a short time another crew was formed, and the boat put off.

"No words can describe the struggle which followed. The boat had to be pulled to windward in the teeth of a tremendous gale. Sometimes she would rise almost perpendicular to the waves, and the people on sh.o.r.e looked on with bated breath, fearing she must go over. The way was disputed inch by inch, and at last the victory was won. Long and loud rang the cheers as the boat neared the sh.o.r.e, and quickly the s.h.i.+pwrecked mariners and their brave rescuers were safe.

"It was afterwards found that one of the second crew had three ribs broken, and several of the others had wounds and bruises more or less severe. Happily, none of the injuries proved fatal, and before long all the men, even the c.o.xswain, went about their work as usual. The wrecked vessel was the _North Britain_, with a cargo of timber on board from Quebec."

CHAPTER XXI.

A PLUCKY CAPTAIN.

Lizard Point in Cornwall, the most southerly headland in England, is a piece of rocky land, which "has caused more vivid and varied emotions than any other on our coasts. The emigrant leaving, as he often thinks, his native land for ever; the soldier bound for distant battlefields, and the sailor for far-distant foreign ports, have each and all strained their eyes for a last parting glimpse of an isle they loved so much, and yet might never see again. And when the lighthouses' flash could no longer be discerned, how sadly did one and all turn into their berths to think--ay, 'perchance to dream'--of the happy past and the doubtful future.

"How different are the emotions of the homeward bound--the emigrant with his gathered gold, the bronzed veteran who has come out of the fiercest conflict unscathed, and the sailor who has safely pa.s.sed the ordeal of fearful climes. The first glimpse of that strangely named rocky point is the signal for heartiest huzzas and congratulation."

There is, unfortunately, another side to this pleasant picture. Not unfrequently vessels become enveloped in the fogs, which prevail off this dangerous coast, and go cras.h.i.+ng on to the rocks, there to become total wrecks. On the 4th of March 1893 an incident of this kind occurred. While the steams.h.i.+p _Gustav Bitter_ of Newcastle-on-Tyne was proceeding from London to the Manchester s.h.i.+p Ca.n.a.l with a general cargo, she stranded during a dense fog on the Callidges Rocks, off the Lizard Point. The engines were immediately reversed in the hope of getting her off, but she stuck fast. The captain gave the order for the long-boat to be lowered, and he got into her with seven men. As he was about to secure the boat's painter the rope was suddenly cut, and the strain being thus taken off, caused the captain to tumble into the sea, and he was compelled to swim to the boat to save his life. The second mate jumped from the deck of the doomed vessel, and tried to reach the boat, but unhappily he failed in the attempt, and was drowned.

News had already reached the sh.o.r.e that a s.h.i.+p was in danger, and the Polpear lifeboat was promptly manned and launched. When she reached the vessel the fog had lifted, and it was found that her bow was under water, and four men were clinging to the rigging. Great difficulty was experienced in getting near the vessel, as the seas were breaking completely over her and over the lifeboat. The lifeboatmen, however, succeeded in getting their grapnel on board, and the boat was brought up alongside. Three of the crew, watching their opportunity, left the rigging and went hand over hand along the grappling line from the steamer to the lifeboat. The fourth man, who is said to have been disabled by rheumatism, was unable to move from the rigging. His case was indeed desperate, for it was impossible to take the boat to the side of the s.h.i.+p on which he was lashed, on account of the shallowness of the water. To add to the difficulty of the situation, one of the men who had been rescued was in a very exhausted condition, and it was feared that he would not live much longer. After a little delay the boatmen decided, as there was no immediate danger of the vessel breaking up, that they would make for the sh.o.r.e, land the three men, and then return for the sufferer. The grapnel was accordingly freed from the rigging, and they pulled for the sh.o.r.e with all speed where the poor fellows were landed and well cared for. The lifeboat then proceeded on her return journey to the steamer.

Meanwhile another lifeboat had put off from the sh.o.r.e. On her way to the scene of action she fell in with the long-boat in which the captain and seven men had left the wreck. The little vessel was nearly half full of water and in great danger of being swamped, so her occupants were taken on board the lifeboat. They then told their rescuers that they had left four of their companions on board the steamer. Though the men were greatly exhausted with the hard pull of three miles which they had already performed, they gave a hearty shout and again bent their backs to the oars, and the remaining distance of a mile to the wreck was soon covered.

They of course were surprised to see only one man in the rigging instead of the four they had expected to find. The reason of his being where he was having been explained by the captain, several lifeboatmen volunteered for the dangerous task of rescuing the unfortunate man. The c.o.xswain, however, thought it best to accept the offer of the captain, who was well acquainted with the s.h.i.+p, and had already proved himself a good swimmer. Two grapnels were thrown into the rigging of the steamer, and the captain swung himself on board by means of one of the lines. He reached the rigging, took the man out, and fastened a running line to his waist. Then he made a signal, and the poor fellow was hauled on board the lifeboat.

[Ill.u.s.tration: COMING ASh.o.r.e--"ALL SAVED!"]

The captain was now compelled to take to the rigging again to avoid being washed overboard by the heavy seas, which were breaking over the s.h.i.+p. Twice he attempted to get off, but he was driven back each time.

Watching his opportunity he tried again, and without either lifebelt or line plunged into the sea and swam to the boat. The work of rescue being then accomplished, the boat returned to the sh.o.r.e.

The silver medal of the Inst.i.tution, accompanied by a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum, was awarded to Captain David Graham Ball, the master of the vessel, in recognition of his gallant conduct.

CHAPTER XXII.

BY SHEER STRENGTH.

During the terrific storm which spread such destruction over a large area of the United Kingdom in October 1889, a vessel was seen to be labouring heavily, and showing signals of distress, some two or three miles off the coast of Merioneths.h.i.+re. As she was rapidly drifting towards a very dangerous reef of rocks, the Aberystwyth lifeboatmen were speedily summoned. The tide was low at the time, and great difficulty was experienced in getting the boat to the water's edge. Several times she stuck in the soft sand, and the united exertions of the lifeboatmen could not move her forward a single inch. Plenty of willing helpers, however, were at hand, and after much labour and loss of valuable time, the boat was at length pushed into the sea on her carriage, and the crew took their places.

To avoid being blown on the rocks the men found it was necessary to row out for a considerable distance. The oars were manned, and the helpers eagerly waited for the word of command from the c.o.xswain to let her go.

The order was given; but here a fresh obstacle presented itself. The waves were rolling insh.o.r.e with such fury that the greatest exertions of the boatmen failed to get her off, and notwithstanding the fact that scores of men went into the water till the waves broke over their heads, a considerable time pa.s.sed before the boat could be got clear of her carriage and set afloat. Then the crew began a struggle against wind and waves, the like of which had not been seen for nine years, when one of the boatmen lost his life through exposure.

The men tugged at the oars with all their might, and seemed to be gaining slowly; but after they had been rowing for an hour they found themselves just where they started. Great white seas broke over the boat, drenching the men to the skin, and carrying her back towards the sh.o.r.e. Again and again the struggle was renewed, and again and again the boat was carried back on the crests of the waves. Sometimes the boat would be thrown on end, in an almost perpendicular position, and then fall into the trough of the sea and disappear.

For two hours the struggle against the angry sea and the fierce wind was kept up. During that time six oars were broken, and several times the boat narrowly escaped being upset. Then three huge rollers came in quick succession and carried the boat into the comparatively smooth water near the pier. She was brought alongside the landing-stage, and more oars and five additional men were taken on board.

As soon as the extra men were put in their places, another attempt was made to get the boat out to sea. The wind still blew with unabated force, and sea after sea broke over the little vessel. Slowly but steadily she made headway, and though she was often lost to sight in the trough of the sea, or buried in spray, she at length gained a point where the c.o.xswain thought it was safe to hoist the sail. This was done, and away sped the lifeboat after the retreating vessel.

On getting alongside it was found that she was an American s.h.i.+p, and though terribly battered she was still holding on to her anchors. Two of the lifeboatmen were put on board to a.s.sist in navigating her, and, at the request of the captain, the boat remained alongside for some time, in order to be in readiness to save the crew in the event of the cables parting. While she was in this position an immense wave dashed right into the lifeboat, and three of the crew were swept overboard.

They were afterwards picked up in a very exhausted condition.

Seeing that their services were not now required, the lifeboatmen cast off from the wreck and made for home, which was reached shortly before midnight. Their undaunted spirit won for them the admiration of the thousands of spectators who had watched their battle with the storm, and the owners of the vessel, wis.h.i.+ng to show their appreciation of the crew's services, sent the sum of 30 "to be divided among the men as some slight recognition of their gallant conduct."

CHAPTER XXIII.