The Settlers: A Tale of Virginia

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER FOUR.

  The shipwrecked party were now settled in safety on the island. Theyhad reason to be thankful that they had escaped the fearful perils ofthe sea; but they had no wish to remain where they were: Virginia wastheir destination, and thither they desired to proceed. They lookedanxiously for the arrival of one of the ships of the squadron, whichthey hoped might be sent to search for them. No ship, however, made herappearance, and the indefatigable admiral accordingly set to work toimprove the long-boat by raising the sides, and decking her over, andalso by fitting her with masts and sails and oars.

  In the mean time the officers turned their attention to the procuring offood for the settlement. Several seines had been brought in the ship; asandy beach, free from rocks, afforded a favourable place for drawingthem, though, as yet, they knew not what fish the sea would supply. Thetwo small boats were brought round to the spot, and the seine was cast.With no slight eagerness, the greater number of the colonists stood onthe shore, watching the success of the undertaking. The officers, aswell as the men, assisted in drawing the net; as it approached theshore, the fins and tails of innumerable fish were seen splashing abovethe surface. Shouts of satisfaction rose from the spectators: theseamen, led by the admiral himself, rushed in, regardless of a wetting,to seize the fish, which were endeavouring to escape over the net, andfifty men or more were now floundering about, each grasping one or moreof the struggling creatures. In their eagerness, several toppled overon their noses, and had to be picked up by their companions to be savedfrom drowning. Some came triumphantly to land, dragging huge fish, manypounds in weight, by the gills; several received severe bites from thesharp teeth of the fish, into whose mouths they had incautiously thrusttheir hands. Not a few scampered out, declaring that there were sharksor other monsters among the shoal, which had attacked their legs. Amongthe most eager were Gilbert, Fenton, and Oliver Dane. The three youthson all occasions bore each other company, and after each of them hadsecured a fish large enough to feed a dozen hungry men or more, Fentonand Oliver were seen coming out with an enormous one held fast by thegills, which, in consequence of its vehement struggles, they could withdifficulty land. On the net being at length hauled up, enough fish weresecured to feed the party for several days, besides those which hadfirst been taken. Among them were numerous lobsters, crabs, andcrawfish, which, it was conjectured, were the creatures the seamen haddeclared had bitten their legs. Here was an additional reason forthankfulness, for while the sea so plentifully supplied food, there needbe no fear of hunger. In the holes of the rocks, salt in abundance wasalso found, with which the fish could be preserved, so as to affordprovision at times when the tempestuous weather might prevent the seinebeing drawn. Still, fish alone would not be sufficient to feed thepeople, and parties were therefore sent out to search for such otherfood as nature might have provided. Vaughan with his brother, youngDane, and Fenton, honest Ben Tarbox, and two other men, formed one ofthe parties; the admiral, Captain Newport, and two of the lieutenants,leading others.

  They had examined, as far as their eyes could serve them, thesurrounding islands, but could see no smoke nor other signs ofinhabitants; nor did they discover the slightest trace of wild beasts.From the masses of white foam which they saw breaking over the rocks inall directions, they rightly judged that reefs and shoals abounded, andthat no ship could approach the group, except on the side on which theyhad providentially been cast.

  Vaughan and Gilbert wished their mother and sister good-bye, promisingto be back soon: they felt confident that they would be in no danger,while the governor remained to keep the rough seamen in order. As theywalked along, great numbers of small birds, of various species, were metwith. Oliver happened to be whistling while stopping to look about him,when, greatly to his surprise and that of his companions, a flock ofsmall birds came down and alighted on the branches close to their heads.

  "Stop," said Vaughan; "we must not frighten them, and see what they willdo."

  Oliver continued to whistle, holding out his hand, when half a dozen ofthe birds or more hopped off the branches and perched on his arm,looking up into his face, as if wondering whence the notes they heardproceeded. The rest of the party, imitating his example, and whistlingloudly, several other flights of birds came round them, resting, withoutthe slightest appearance of fear, on their heads and shoulders.

  "'Twere a pity to abuse the confidence of the little featheredinnocents," observed Vaughan, "though I fear much, before long, theywill find out the treachery of man, and have to rue their simplicity."

  "An it please you, sir, it is very likely, if we grow hungry," remarkedBen Tarbox; "but I for one wouldn't hurt them now, though I might bepretty sharp set."

  "Keep to your resolve, my friend, and persuade your mates to be equallyhumane," said Vaughan.

  As they moved on, the birds flew away to the surrounding trees, butfollowed them wherever they went. They had not got far, when Fenton,who was a little ahead, cried out, "A bear! a bear!" and immediatelyfired.

  "I missed him," he exclaimed, as Vaughan and Gilbert joined him.

  "I doubt much whether the animal you saw was a bear," said Vaughan, asthey got up to the spot, examining the ground where Fenton declared hehad seen the creature. "Observe these berries, and the way the soil hasbeen turned up: a bear would have climbed the tree from which they havefallen; whereas, it is evident that an animal with a long snout has beenfeeding here. That tree is the palmetto, which, I have heard from thosewho have been in the West Indies, yields a cabbage most delicious toeat; these berries are also sweet and wholesome. By taking the troubleto climb to the summit, we may procure an ample supply of vegetables;and see! there are many other trees of the same species. As we shallhave no difficulty in finding them again, we will go on in search of theanimal you saw; and, should our guns not prove faithless, we may hope tofind some meat for dinner."

  They now proceeded more cautiously, when, coming to the edge of an openglade, they saw before them a herd of thirty or more swine feeding at ashort distance. Creeping along under shelter of the bushes, they gotclose enough to fire. Vaughan selected one animal, Gilbert and Fentonaimed at two others. Firing together, three hogs fell dead on theground. Here was a prize worth obtaining; Tarbox and the other men, whounderstood cutting up a pig, were soon busily engaged in the operation,while the gentlemen continued their search farther on. Great was theirdelight to discover pear-trees bearing ripe fruit, and at a littledistance a grove of mulberry-trees, some with white, others with redfruit.

  "In what a curious way the leaves are rolled round," observed Gilbert,examining them; "why, each contains a little conical ball, I verilybelieve, of silk."

  "Yes, indeed, they are silk-worms," said Vaughan; "there are enough hereto supply the looms of France for many a day; and if we can collect, andcan manage to unwind them, we may send home a quantity certain to yielda rich return. We will carry back a supply of the fruit, which will bewelcomed by our mother and sister."

  Gilbert and his companions quickly wove a couple of baskets of some longgrass which grew near, and filled them with mulberries and a few cocoonsof the silk-worms to exhibit to their friends. They did not forget alsoto stuff their pockets full of pears. Well pleased with the result oftheir excursion, they returned to the settlement.

  The admiral, who set an example of activity to all the rest, undertookan expedition to visit the neighbouring islands, giving leave to Gilbertand Fenton to accompany him. As they pulled along, they saw a number ofbirds flying towards a small island. On landing, they discovered a vastnumber of eggs, the size of hens' eggs, which had been laid upon thesand, the heat of which apparently assisted to hatch them. The birdswere so tame that they allowed the men to come among them withoutmoving, so that they could be knocked down with sticks. In a short timea thousand birds were caught, and as many eggs, so that the boat wasloaded almost to her gunwale. Here was a further supply of welcomefood, adding to the variety of that already obtained. One night, theb
oats returning from an expedition, the crews landed on an island tocook their supper, when, greatly to their surprise, they foundthemselves surrounded by birds which perched on their heads and arms, soas to almost cover them, many flying directly into the fire.Notwithstanding the shouts and laughter of the men, the birds came instill greater numbers, apparently attracted as much by the noise as thelight, while they answered the shouts by a curious hooting; from whichreason, and from their blindness, the men called them sea-owls. Afterthis, the boats were frequently sent over, and by simply waving, afirebrand, sea-fowls invariably collected round them, so that they in ashort time could kill as many with their sticks as would fill the boats.

  Not far off from the settlement was a sandy beach. Gilbert and hisever-constant companions were one evening returning homewards, when theycaught sight of a creature crawling out of the sea. They hid themselvesto watch what it would do; another and another followed, when, makingtheir way up to a dry part of the beach, they were seen to stir up thesand, and to remain for some time at the spot. Vast numbers of othersfollowed, and continued coming, till darkness prevented their beingdistinguished. Although neither of the lads had seen turtles, theyguessed what they were, and, rushing out of their hiding-place, werequickly in their midst, endeavouring to catch some of them; but thecreatures bit at their legs, and they, not knowing the art of turningthem on their backs, were dragged along by those they caught hold oftill they were nearly carried into the water. At length they gave upthe attempt.

  On their arrival at the settlement, they told what they had seen, whenthey were heartily laughed at for not having turned over the turtles.The next morning many of the men went out, and returned laden withturtles' eggs, which they had found in the sand. The following eveningthe turtles were not allowed much quiet, for the men, having armedthemselves with long sticks, hid in the surrounding bushes, and as soonas the turtles had crawled on to the beach they set upon them, andbefore the frightened creatures could escape, some two score or morewere turned on their backs, and in that condition were dragged to thesettlement. It was on a Saturday night, and the next Sabbath morninggood Master Hunt, the chaplain, failed not to remark on the kindness ofProvidence in thus supplying them so abundantly with wholesome food.The service being over, all the cooks, with many assistants, making upthe greater part of the inhabitants, were busy in dressing the turtle,some making soup, others stews--indeed, of every mess there was far morethan the men, albeit large eaters with voracious appetites, couldconsume.

  Thus the settlement was amply supplied by Providence with all thatpeople could desire. In truth, it might have proved a perfect paradise,had not, alas! the evil dispositions of the men broken out to render itlike other spots of this sinful earth.

  The admiral finding that no ship arrived from Virginia, despatched thelong-boat under the command of Henry Raven, the master's mate, to thatsettlement, a distance, as he calculated of a hundred and forty leagues.He promised, should he arrive safely at his destination, to returnimmediately with a large vessel, capable of carrying all the party.Many prayers were uttered for his safe arrival and return, as he sailedaway. Vaughan did not fail to write to Captain Layton, as he also didto Cicely; but, as he wrote, he stopped often and groaned in spirit.Was she for whom these lines were intended still alive to read them?"God is good; God is merciful; He orders all things for the best; Hiswill be done," he said calmly. Then he wrote on: he told of his deepanxiety, his agonising fears; but he spoke also of his hopes, of histrust in One all-powerful to save, of his eager desire ere long to reachVirginia. Lettice likewise wrote to her, giving many messages to Roger,to whom she would fain herself have written, had the so-doing beenallowable. What she said need not be repeated. It may be supposed thatthe long separation the young people were doomed to endure was trying inthe extreme. Mistress Audley also felt great disappointment at beingthus prevented from instituting the search for her husband, though sheconfided in Captain Layton that he would use all the means in his powerto discover his friend, had he, as she prayed, escaped shipwreck; and asshe, with others, looked out day by day for the arrival of the expectedship from Virginia, she could not help believing that her husband wouldbe on board. She, like the rest, was doomed to disappointment. Twomoons went by and no ship appeared. Had Master Raven arrived, he wouldsurely have returned by this time, and fears were entertained that heand his companions must have been lost.

  The keel of a pinnace had already been laid in Gates's Bay, the namebestowed on the harbour on the shore of which the settlement wassituated. Some progress had been made with her, when Sir George Summersproposed going over to the chief island, where there was an abundance oftimber, and taking with him two carpenters and a party of men in orderto build another vessel, it being evident that the first would notcontain the whole of the shipwrecked company. The governor willinglyagreed to the proposal, and Sir George and his followers set off. Thesettlement was thus deprived of many of the most trustworthy men.

  Of many events which, occurred on the island after this period we omitthe account. Evil-disposed persons among the passengers and crew,forgetful of their merciful deliverance and of the supply of provisionsafforded by their bountiful God to them, disregarding the exhortationsof the chaplain, Master Hunt, to live peaceable lives, formedconspiracies against the governor and admiral with the intent ofcompassing their deaths. Happily, from want of union, these plots werediscovered, but order was not restored until their ringleader had beenseized and shot--a warning to the rest.

  This state of things caused much alarm and anxiety to Mistress Audleyand Lettice. Months passed by, the long-boat did not return. Had shearrived at the colony, they felt sure that, should the _Rainbow_ haveescaped, Captain Layton would have forthwith sailed in quest of them.Thus, to their minds it was clear that either the _Rainbow_ or thelong-boat had been lost. Happily for Mistress Layton and her children,they trusted in One mighty to save, who orders all for the best, andthey could bow their heads in submission to His will, and say from theirhearts, "Thy will be done."

  While the admiral and his party were working away on the main island atthe vessel he had undertaken to build, the governor and the carpenterswho remained at Gates's Bay laboured on at the pinnace. Already greatprogress had been made with her; oakum sufficient to caulk her wasformed from old cables and ropes. One barrel of tar and another ofpitch had also been saved. This however was not sufficient, andVaughan, who had much scientific knowledge, invented a mixture composedof lime made of whelk shells and a hard white stone burned in a kiln,slaked with fresh water and tempered with tortoise-oil, with which shewas payed over. She was built chiefly of cedar cut in the island, herbeams and timbers being of oak saved from the wreck, and the planks ofher bow of the same timber. She measured forty feet in the keel, andwas nineteen feet broad; thus being of about eighty tons burden. Shewas named the _Deliverance_, as it was hoped that she would deliver theparty from their present situation and carry them to the country towhich they were bound.

  The _Deliverance_ was now launched, and found to sit well on the water.Shortly afterwards the pinnace built by Sir George Summers was seencoming round into the bay. She was smaller than the _Deliverance_,measuring nine-and-twenty feet in the keel, fifteen and a half in thebeam, and drawing six feet water. Her name was the _Patience_, andtruly with patience had she been built, the admiral having used suchtimber alone as he could cut in the forest, the only iron about herbeing a single bolt in the keelson. As no pitch or tar could beprocured, she was payed over with a mixture of lime and oil, as was the_Deliverance_. All hands were now employed in fitting out the vesselsand getting the stores on board. At dawn on the 10th of May the admiraland captain put off in their long-boats to set buoys in the channelthrough which the vessels would have to pass, for the distance from therocks to the shoals on the other side was often not more than threetimes the length of the ship.

  A cross had been made by order of the governor of the wood of the wreck,having within it a coin with the king's
head. This cross was fixed to agreat cedar tree in memory of their deliverance. To the tree was alsonailed a copper plate with a fitting inscription.

  About nine in the morning, the wind being fair, the whole of the companywent on board. The _Patience_ led the way, with the admiral and thosewho had built her on board. The _Deliverance_, in which Mistress Audleyand her family were passengers, followed.

  While all were in high spirits at finding themselves once more at sea, asevere blow was felt; the ship quivered from stem to stern, and a crywas raised, "We are on shore! we are on shore!" But the captainordering the helm to be put up to larboard, and the starboardhead-braces hauled aft and the after-sails clewed up, she glided on,carrying away a portion of the soft rock on which she had struck. Thewell was sounded, but no leak was discovered, though for some time itwas feared that, after the many months' labour bestowed on the ship,they might have to return. For two days the vessels were threading thenarrow channels amid those dangerous rocks, feeling, as it were, everyinch of their way, with the dread each instant of striking.

  Happily the weather remained calm, but even thus the time was one ofgreat anxiety to all on board. At length, to their infinite joy, thecaptain announced that they were clear of all danger. The ship andpinnace shaped a course west and north to Virginia. Seven days afterleaving the islands the colour of the water was seen to have changed,and branches of trees and other objects from the shore floated by.Sounding the next day, the ship was found to be in nineteen and a halffathoms of water. Lettice and Vaughan had remained late on deck, theirhearts filled with anxiety, for on the morrow they might know whetherthose they loved were among the living or dead. Each tried to encouragethe other, and as they stood watching the bright stars overhead and thecalm ocean suffused with the silvery light of the moon, or gazingtowards the land which they hoped ere long to see, they became sensibleof a delicious odour of fruit and flowers wafted by the night breezefrom the shore. The sails flapped against the masts, the vessel wastaken aback, but the yards being braced round she stood on once more.

  "To your cabin, Mistress Lettice, to your cabin," said Captain Newport,"we will, in God's good providence, take you in safely to-morrow; andnow go to rest and dream of those you hope to meet, and the beautifulland to be your future home. Come, Master Audley, urge your sister totake my good advice."

  Vaughan, knowing that the captain was right, led Lettice to the cabin.