The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-07-28 00:00:00

CHAPTER V.
WRECKED. '

A WET:K of uninterrupted genial weather passed now,
and the ship was fast approaching her haven, when,
as i. fnding its victim, after losing it upon the vast
ocean, down came the storm once more on the eve of
the eighth day; and an hour afterwards the ship
Avis iiiving before it under bare poles, ally attempt
to rei‘le sail for steering purposes ending in disaster,
The sea rose as if by magic, and the ship staggered
beneath its furious assaults. Ever and again the nil
force of the hurricane would come upon it, and lay
it upoi its bcam ends; but only for the stout vessel
to risll once more and dash along.
verything was made fast, hatches battened down,
txtra lashings given to the boats; and then, with all
hands on deck, and three men at the wheel, the cap-
tain waited anxiously for the dawn; for they were
driving through the black darkness at a frightful rate,
and no one dared to think of the consequences of a
collis on, or encountering the low rocky coast of some

Early ,in the-evening, after seeing to his patients,
who had diminished during the past few days to
two, Helston had cased himself in waterproofs, and
joined the mate upon the deck; but only to be
advised to go down once more below.
he said, though; "I'll stay on deck, and
ee 0--. e worst of it."

' '• Shall we have Deborah Burrows up?" s tid
lauret, in a lull of the storm, when the wind had
ceastd to shriek like ten thousand furies, and the
friends were holding on together by the poop rail.
"1 ihin't not," said Helston ; " that drenching
vas a I,sson. But the woman looks indescribably
vicious every time we encounter."

Can't you make her ill," said Laurent, laughing,
as he wipc d the salt spray from his face—" give her
a quieting regimen."
" That sort of woman is never ill," said Holston.
Then, as Om, vessel careened over till the mainyard
dipped the waYtNs—" We shall be in danger if this
goes on, shall we

," Afraid ?" said Laurent, laconicaly.
was the reply, calmly uttered, "I don't
think I feel afraid. I believe I should be afraid to
Tmcounter such a storm if the choice lay with me;
but like any other danger, when one is right in it,
one seems to rise to the occasion; and I think I can
!rankly say that I don't feel at all afraid. I think
it horrible, though, for those pfior women, cooped
1113 below, and unable to do more than trust to
Us.,,

hero was a few minutes' pause, during which a
'weld could not have been heard, even if it had been
shouted. The darkness seemed to have grown
!kicker, and only by the lurid gleam of the froth-
waves could the figures of the sailors be dis-
tinguished, as they clung here and there about the
tieck, except by the wheel, where the captain stood
'ith those who clung to the spokes, and the binnacle
lig,ht cast a dim glare upon their wet and glistening
forms.

" Doctor," said Laurent, putting his lips close to
lielston's ear. "If this goes on long, we shall Ie in
imminent danger. I believe the ship to be tight now,
but these waves will rip off boat and bulwark soon;
and if we go down on our beam-ends again, the masts
ll have to go to right us.'
"But Fo long as the ship keeps tight we shall not
hurt ? " said Li elston.

. " I don't know," was the reply. "I don't feel as
If we should get out of this st .rm safely, for 11( aven
euly Inows where we are being driven. Listen to
tie, then, doctor. I believe you would act asa friend
me in a sore strait."
'lndeed, I would," said Uelston, earnestly.
I oo': here, then: there is a girl below there
'whom I would give my life to save, if we get into
loch a state that we have to take to the boats."

'And that is—"
lielston paused, with his heart beating painfully.
lie. felt that only one answer could come to such a
question, and that was—
: " Grace Munroe!"
As he waited, the sea, the storm the shrieking in
the rigging, and the creaking and ()loaning of the
ahip's timbers seemed to pass away, and he could only
hear the words of his companion—the man whom he
,had made his friend, and who was now about to e
,nirn so acute a stab, that he Mt as if he should hardly
,oe able to bear it. For the truth had dawned upon
°lin at last, that his feelings towards the poor
friendless girl were far from those which should
exist between doctor and patient—in short that he
loved her; and now he was waiting to hear what
Might be his doom—the words so long delayed, but
'Which came at last—
" Mary Dance!"
Charles Helston's breath was drawn with a sort
of sob, as he said, huskily, his heart boating with
delight--
" What would you like me to do?"
"'Why, your best to save her her friend—that
gentle girl, Grace Monroe. Get them a place in
the boats at all hazards. You hear me ? "
"Yes," said Helston; "and if I live, I will."
"Thanks, old fellow, I knew you would," said
Laurent, gripping him by the hand. "And now
ve may as well take a hearty squeeze in ease of
accident, for we may not see the morning light."
"Not so bad as that, I hope," said Holston,
rasping the other's hand.
Crash! "
, A great wave leaped over the bows, and swept
Itiong the deck, taking with it one of the boats
and half a doten yards of the bulwarks, as if made
of rnatchwood, when it passed away.
" Crash ! " another, and another; and a faint
ahliek was heard this time.
Laurent and Helston made their way forward, to
flied that three men had been swept away, and all
itttempts at saving them in the heaving waste to
eevvard it was madness to attempt.
, The captain then went forward, to superintend the
lashing of the long boat, when the ship heeled over,
!t.nother wave leaped on board, and a minute later
-Laurent became aware of the fact that he was in
scurlmand, for the captain and one of the sailors had
`leen swept over the side.
The second mate shouted the sad news into his
ears, and then they talked together for a few
Minutes, ending by coming to the decision that
laothing could be done but let the great ship drive,
tlanv attempt at setting canvas must result in the
lags being blown out of tke bolt-ropes.
LTime seemed to he annihilated amidst the confus-
"ug roar of the elements; but it must have been
.Vithin an hour of dawn when the hurricane increased
Irle fury to such an extent that the Zenobia was laid
ever upon her beam-ends, and seemed slowly settling
,tOwn.
it There was but one thing to do, and Laurent did
l'rging the men, who clung dazed and helpless to
f.ides, by his example, for his voice could not
'4ve been heard.
e Zle darkness was not so intense now, and elcton
°Old see the brave fellow, as he tore an axe from
/tiii.'ll eit was lashed, and divided shroud after shroud,
the
mainmast snapped short off, the foremast
leYlig directly after, under the well-directed blows
it a c-atple of the other men. Then the mizen
etaPPod, as the ship began to right, and the:hamper
te.wrecir, lying partly over the side, dragged the
'-'11) round to the wind.
then, axes to clear away " rcared Laurent,
'el a 1411 cf the storm.
tilnd he began hewing at the great ropes, when
pae atnn gave a cry of horror, for as a huge spar
tossed swiftly over the side, one of its ropes seem( d
builw,rap round the mate, as if to drag him overboard;
" 11 0 was saved from that, and dashed violently
2ainst the stump of the mizenmast, where he lay
`enseless and bleeding.
t. liel-ton made for him directly, and was just in
tlittnee 10 drag him aside, before a tangle of rope at-
to the rigging over the side was drawn
kiveLdlY over the spot where the poor fellow had lain,
'a'ould inevitably have taken him overboard.
:km broken, head—"
h,,l!eeiton drew in his breath in a pained way, for
"•?•,feared the worst.
ge, Ire much hurt, mass' doctor? said a voice, which
„stoia recognised as that of the black cook.
'ld directly after, the second mate ran up.
Do" et him belov-, sir—into the captain's ;cabin.
eerl3.kr low! I can't leave the deck. Do your best
Help get him down, 'Thello."
ki..-`4le black needed no further orders; and with
ther' difficulty he and the doctor contrived to get
tha-,:ailu'ed man below, and had no sooner done so
seeceitheY heaid the cabin door dashed to, and a
Jr as of something beating against it heavily.
to ,_9.elston went to it, but found it fast, and returned
-,18 Patient
eele, •
Dre.. rent was perfectly insensible," and bleeding
•erisely from the head. To get to his little surgery
pee,!lnFossible, so with Othello's help, Holston
im-
bandages and splints, staunched the blood,
eel • B°oll after had his patient lying in his own
eat.
Aft.
4nwhile the storm raged, and the waves came
over the which now rolled and wal-
e,
-W' . ship,
The In the trough of the sea as would a heavy cask.
swi d'irkness had been relieved in the cabin by the
hee,u{ii,_ng lamp whose pendulum-like motions showed
;‘--r e ship Was being tossed about.
(-4,et'is go back on deck, 'Thello," said Holston.
Use ;;-13. no no more here, and we may be of some

6.gct;i° get back, sah," said Othello. "I try de door
him all jam."
Azatry together," said Helston.
,*(18 7 rattled and pushed at the door, but it
„uoat__T"uent that some heavy object—probably a
'Deco ad been hurled by the sea against it, and had
Ttr.ne wedged in the narrow opening.
tollanswer. shouted, but the roar of the storm was the
feit',Thar2swer. Once they heard voices, and Helston
he made out the word "boa ; " but he could
door:3 allre, and he stood listening still by the cabin
stti‘cP,;3ll' You tink, Bah, we better 0 where we
„ ,paid Othello.
'Mar off orino. Othello. It seems we are to 'stay

here," said Hebtton, after another ineffectual trial to
force the door.

Then they listened, 'to hear always the 'same
deafening roar. The ship rose and fell, seeming as
if about to plunge down beneath the waves, never to
rise again; but it rose after every dip, while the
water rushed in floods beneath their feet to and fro,
according to the motion of the vessel.
Hours must have passed in the midst of this
deafening confusion of rushing waters and howling
winds. The two imprisoned men had been again
and again to the insensible mate, who lay helpless
in ,his cot; and Helston's heart had ached as he
waited, and thought of the sufferings of the women
in the cabin.

Suddenly it dawned upon him that the wind was
not quite so violent, and he returred and shouted his
opinion to the black.
"No, sah—him blow softer now; and, oh, lor !
9/hat the debble am dat ?"
For at that moment there was a tremendous shock,
which made the ship shiver beneath their feet, and
they were thrown prostrate on the cabin floor.
The ship has struck !" exclaimed Rolston,
gathering himself up, and running to the door:
but it was fast as ever, and escape was impossible
until the sea went down when, if unhurt, they
could climb out of.the stern windows, and so reach
the deck.

"She on de rocks, sah, and we shall bofe be
drown," whimpered the cook.
"No, she has struck on the sand, evidently," said
Helston. "But are yo hurt ?"
"No, sah ; I fall on my head, sah—l not hurt,"
said Othello, rubbing one arm. "I no like die—.
shut up like a rat in wire trap, dough."
" Listen!" exclaimed Ilebton.
And he held up his hand; for, at that moment, he
thought he heard a wild shriek; but it was not re-
peated, and he stood trying to make out how they
were situated.

The darkness was still intense, not a gleam of
light coming through the cabin skylights. The
ship was evidently lying upon her beam-ends upon
some sand-bank, and at stated short intervals a
huge wave came rushing in, struck it on the side,
and burst over it, falling upon the deck with a noise
like thunder, to pour off in cascades
.where it had
not ripped away the bulwarks.
At each stroke, though, the ship 'seemed to lift,
coming down' heavily again upon the sands, and
threatening to fall to pieces at each 'concussion.
Then came a huge billow, and smote it on the side,
rushing at it, and apparently plunging beneath its
keel, for the hull seemed to be raised and borne on
for some distance, before settling down, this time
more gently; and to the surprise of the prisoners
she came down upon an even keel.
"Lifted right over a bar ! " shouted Helston.
"Yes, sah, into deep water; and now we go down
to de bottom!" groaned Othello. " Oh !" he howled,
"why aint I in de galley P"
"We are in shelter, at all events," said Holston.'
__ _ _

For though wave after wave strtick the ship, their
force had evidently been exhausted first upon the
shoals; and each _minute the shock grew less violent.
"She must be floating away from the sand-bank,"
said Helston, thoughtfully.
"Yes, sah ; and she deeper and deeper in de water,
and going down—eh ? "
As the black spoke, there was a slight shock, as if
the hull, which had been rolling gently on a heaving
sea, now touched bottom; there was a harsh, grating
noise, and the vessel slowly swung round, tilt her
keel scraped again, and she fell over a little to port,
to lie there, with the sea coming agal, t her star-
board side with a dull thud, the roar of the surf
sounding fainter, and the fact being evident that the
hurricane was nearly over.
(To b s andisesod.)