Adrift in Pacific and Other Great Adventures – 17 Titles in One Volume (Illustrated Edition). Jules Verne
leak and make her thoroughly water-tight.
The boat, or sloop as we might as well call her, had a half-deck forward, which secured a shelter against the weather that was likely, however, to give little trouble in this second half of the summer. The passengers could stay on this deck or below it as they pleased. The top-mast of the schooner did for the main-mast, and Kate, under Evans's directions, managed to cut a lug main-sail out of the spare fore-sail, besides a lug mizzen and a good-sized fore-sail. Under this lug rig the boat would be well balanced and very weatherly. The work took thirty days, and was not over before the 8th of January. In the meantime, Christmas had been kept with a certain ceremony, as also had New Year's Day of 1862, the last the colonists hoped to see on Charman Island.
Donagan had now sufficiently recovered for him to be taken out of doors, although he was still very weak. The fresh air and more substantial food visibly improved him; and his comrades had no intention of going away before he was able to endure a voyage of some weeks without fear of a relapse.
The usual daily round had been resumed at French Den, although the lessons were rather neglected, for did not the youngsters consider they were entitled to a holiday ? And so Wilcox and Cross and Webb went out again on their sporting excursions over South Moors and through the thickets of Trap Woods. Now they scorned traps and snares, and in spite of the advice of Gordon, who was always careful of ammunition, they blazed away to their hearts' content, and Moko's larder became stocked with fresh venison, which came in handy for preserving for the voyage.
If Donagan had been able to resume his functions as hunter-in-chief to the colony, with what ardour would he have gone at all this furred and feather game, now that he no longer had to be sparing of his powder and shot. A bitter disappointment it was to him not to be able to join his comrades. But he had to be resigned to it, and commit no imprudence.
During the last days of January, Evans began to stow his cargo. Briant and the others would have liked to take with them all that remained of the schooner; but that was impossible, and they had to make a choice.
In the first place, Gordon brought on board the money that was on the yacht, and which they might find useful in getting them back home. Moko required enough provisions for seventeen people, not only for a short passage of three weeks, but in case they were compelled by some accident to land on one of the islands of the archipelago before reaching Punta Arena, Port Gallant, or Port Tamar. Then what was left of the ammunition was stowed away in the lockers, as were the guns and revolvers. And even Donagan asked that the two little cannon should not be left behind.
Briant took care that there was taken a good assortment of clothes, most of the books in the library, the principal cooking-utensils—among them one of the stoves from the store-room—and the instruments needful for navigation, the chronometers, glasses, compasses, log, lanterns, and of course the Halkett boat. Wilcox chose among his nets and lines those that would be of most use for fishing on the voyage.
The fresh water, taken from Zealand River, was put into a dozen small barrels Gordon arranged along the carline in the boat's hold. And the spirits and liqueurs were not forgotten, nor were those made from the trulcas and the algarrobes.
On the 3rd of February all the cargo was in its place, and it only remained to fix the date of sailing, if Donagan was strong enough to stand the voyage. The brave fellow answered for himself that he was. His wound had closed, and his appetite had returned, and all he had to do was not to eat too much. Assisted by Briant and Kate, he now took a walk on the terrace every day, " Let us be off," he said, " let us be off. I long to be on the way home. The sea will soon set me up." The departure was fixed for the 5th of February. The evening before, Gordon set at liberty all the domestic animals. The guanacos, vicugnas, ostriches, and all cleared off at full speed of their legs and wings, without even a " Thank you!" for the kindness that had been showered upon them.
" The ungrateful beggars ! " said Garnett, " after all that we have done for them ! "
"It's the way of the world! " said Service, so solemnly that there was a general shout of laughter.
In the morning the boys embarked in the sloop with the yawl in tow. Donagan was laid aft near Evans, who took charge of the tiller. In the bow Briant and Moko looked after the sails, although they trusted to the current to take them down the river. The others, including Fan, were where fancy led them. The moorings were cast off, and the sweeps struck the water.
Three cheers saluted the hospitable cave which for so many months had afforded the boys a shelter, and it was not without emotion that they saw Auckland Hill disappear behind the trees.
In descending the river, the sloop went no faster than the current, which was very rapid. At noon, when close to the swamp in Bog Woods, Evans anchored, for in that part of the course the river was shallow, and it was better to wait for the tide than run the risk of grounding.
During the halt the passengers indulged in a hearty meal, after which Cross and Wilcox went off snipe-shooting on the skirt of South Moors. From the stem of the sloop Donagan managed to bring down a brace of tinamous. Needless to say that after that he was quite well.
It was very late when the boat reached the river mouth ; and as the darkness made the steering difficult through the reefs, Evans, cautious seaman as he was, thought he had better wait till daybreak.
The night was quiet enough. The wind dropped, and when the sea-birds had got back to their holes in the rocks, absolute silence reigned on Schooner Bay.
In the morning the land-breeze blew, and the sea was calm to the very extreme point of South Moors. At day-break Evans made sail, and the sloop headed out of Zealand River. Every look was turned on Auckland Hill and the rocks of Schooner Bay, which disappeared as American Cape was rounded; and a cannon-shot was fired as the red ensign was run up to the mizen.
Eight hours later the sloop entered the channel bordered by the shore of Cambridge Island, doubled South Cape, and followed the coast of Queen Adelaide Island, as the last point of Charman Island disappeared on the horizon.
CHAPTER XIX.
Home
We need not give the log of the sloop's passage through the waterways of the Magellanic Archipelago. It was marked by no adventure of importance. The weather remained fine throughout, and in these channels of six or seven miles across the sea is never very rough.
The course was deserted, and this was rather a matter for congratulation, as the natives of the islands are not always in a hospitable humour. Once or twice dining the night fires were noticed well inland, but nobody appeared on the beach.
On the nth of February the sloop, which had been favoured with a fair wind all the time, entered the Straits of Magellan down Smyth Channel, between the west coast of Queen Adelaide Island and the heights of King William Land. To the right rose the peak of St. Anne. To the left, at the bottom of Beaufort Bay, were the ends of some of the glaciers that Briant had seen from Hanover Island.
All went well on board. The sea air just suited Donagan, who now felt quite equal to landing again if necessary, and resuming the Crusoe life.
During the 12th of February the sloop arrived in sight of Tamar Island, where the haven or creek held at the time no occupant. Without stopping, Evans doubled Tamar Cape and headed south-east into the Straits.
On one side the long Land of Desolation developed its fiat and arid shores, showing no trace of the rich vegetation of Charman Island. On the other was the indented Crocker Peninsula along which Evans intended to coast so as to get round Cape Froward, and run up the coast of the Brunswick Peninsula to Punta Arena.
It was not necessary for him to go so far.
In the morning of the 13th, Service, who was on the look-out in the bow, reported—
" Smoke on the starboard bow !"
" The smoke of a fisherman's fire ? " asked Gordon.
"