CHAPTER I.

_A shipwreck, and preparations for deliverance._

. . . . . Already the tempest had continued six terrible days, and
far from subsiding on the seventh, its fury seemed to increase.
We had wandered so materially from the right track, and were
so forcibly driven toward the south-east, that not a creature
on board knew where we were. The ship’s company were exhausted
by constant labour and watching, and the courage which had hitherto
sustained them now began to fail. The masts had been shivered
to pieces and cast into the sea; several leaks appeared, and
the ship began to fill. The sailors forbore from swearing, and
were now employed in prayers, or in making the absurdest vows
as the condition of their release from danger. Each recommended
his soul to God, but at the same moment thought of contriving
the best means for preserving his life. My children, said I to
my four boys who clung to me in terrible alarm, God can save
us, for nothing is impossible to him; but if he sees fit that
we should not be saved, we must not murmur at his decree, but
rely that what he does is most for our good; that we shall be
near him in heaven, and united through eternity. Death may be
well supported when it does not separate those who love.

My excellent wife wiped the tears which were falling on her cheeks,
and from this moment became more tranquil; she encouraged the
youngest children, who were leaning on her knees; while I, who
owed them an example of firmness, was scarcely able to resist
the grief which assailed my heart at the thought of what would
most likely be the fate of beings so tenderly beloved. We all
fell on our knees, and supplicated the God of mercy to protect
us; and the emotion and the fervour of the innocent creatures
are a convincing proof, that even in childhood, devotion may
be felt and understood, and that its effects, tranquillity and
consolation, may be no less certainly experienced.

Fritz, my eldest son, implored in a loud voice that God would
deign to save his dear parents and his brothers, generously unmindful
of himself: they got up with a state of mind so improved, that
they seemed forgetful of the impending danger. I myself began
to feel my confidence in Providence increase as I beheld the
affecting group. Heaven will surely have pity on them, thought
I, and will save their parents to guard their tender years!

At this moment a cry of Land, land, was heard through the roaring
of the waves, and instantly the vessel struck against a rock
with so violent a motion as to drive every one from his place;
a tremendous cracking succeeded, as if the ship was going to
pieces; the sea rushed in, in all directions; we perceived that
the vessel had grounded and could not long hold together. The
captain in a mournful voice called out that all was lost, and
bade the men lose not a moment in putting out the boats. The
sounds fell on my heart like a blow from a dagger: We are lost!
I exclaimed; and the children broke out into piercing cries.
I then recollected myself, and endeavoured to be more composed;
and addressing them again, I exhorted them to courage, by observing
that the water had not yet reached us, that the ship was near
land, and that Providence would assist the brave. Keep where
you are, added I, while I go and examine what is best to be done.

I left my family, and went on the deck. A wave instantly threw
me down and wetted me to the skin; another followed, and then
another. I sustained myself as steadily as I could; and when
I could look around, a scene of terrific and complete disaster
met my eyes: the ship was shattered on all sides, and split in
two on one side. The ship’s company crowded into the boats till
they could contain not one man more, and the last who entered
were now cutting the ropes to move off. I called to them with
entreaties and prayers to stop and receive us also, but in vain;
for the roaring of the sea prevented my being heard, and the
waves, which rose to the height of mountains, would have made
it impossible for a boat to return. All hope therefore from this
source was extinguished, for the boats and all they contained
were driving out of sight. My best consolation now was to observe
that the sea could not enter the ship above a certain height.
The stern, under which was the cabin that inclosed all that was
dear to me on earth, had been driven to a considerable height
between two rocks, where it appeared immoveably fixed; at the
same time in the distance southward I descried through clouds
and rain, several nooks of land, which, however rude and savage
in appearance, were the object of every hope I could form in
this distressing moment.

Sunk and desolate from the loss of every chance for human aid,
it was yet my duty to make every effort to appear serene before
my family. Courage, dear ones, cried I, on entering their cabin,
all is not yet lost. I will not conceal from you that the ship
is aground: but we are at least in greater safety than we should
be if she were beating upon the rocks: our cabin is above water;
and should the sea be more calm tomorrow, we may yet find means
to reach the land in safety.

What I had just said, appeased the fears of all; for they had
the habit of confiding in my assurances. They now therefore began
to feel the advantage of the ship’s remaining still; for its
motion had cruelly annoyed them by jostling them one against
another, and sometimes against the vessel. My wife, however,
more accustomed than the children to read my inmost thoughts,
perceived the anxiety which devoured me. I made her a sign which
conveyed an idea of the hopelessness of our situation, and I
had the consolation to see that she was resolved to support the
trial with resignation. Let us take some nourishment, said she:
our courage will strengthen with our bodies; we shall perhaps
need this comfort to support a long and melancholy night.

Soon after the evening set in: the tempest and the waves continued
their fury; the planks and beams of the vessel separated in many
parts with a horrible crash. It seemed impossible for the boats,
or any one of the persons they contained, to escape the raging
of the storm.

Papa, cried my youngest boy, six years old, will not God assist
us soon?

Hold your tongue, replied his eldest brother. Do you not know
that it is our duty not to prescribe to God, but to wait for
his assistance with patience and humility?

Well spoken, my boy, said I; but you should not have reproved
your brother so sharply. The eldest instantly ran and kissed
the innocent little creature.

In the mean while, their mother had prepared our meal, and the
four boys partook of it with an appetite to which their parents
were strangers. They afterwards went to bed, and in a short time,
in spite of the tempest, they were snoring soundly. Fritz, the
eldest, sat up with us. I have been examining, said he after
a long silence, how it may be possible to save ourselves. If
we had only some instruments for swimming, some bladders or cork
jackets for my mother and my brothers, you and I, father, would
soon contrive to swim to land.

That is a good thought, said I: we will see if we can bring it
to bear this very night, for fear of the worst.

Fritz and I immediately looked about for some small empty tubs
or casks, or tin canisters, heavy enough to keep one of our children
in a state of equilibrium on the surface of the water; these
we fastened two and two together with handkerchiefs or towels,
leaving about a foot distance between them; attaching this sort
of swimming-jacket under the arms of each child; my wife, at
the same time, preparing one for herself. We all provided ourselves
with knives, some string, some turfs, and other necessaries which
could be put into the pocket, proceeding upon the hope, that
if the ship should go to pieces in the night, we should either
be able to swim to land or be driven thither by the waves.

Fritz, who had been up the whole of the preceding night, and
was fatigued with his new and laborious occupation, now lay down
near his brothers, and was soon asleep; but their mother and
I, too full of anxiety to close our eyes, kept watch, listening
to every sound that seemed to threaten a further change in our
situation. We passed this terrible night in prayer, in agonizing
apprehensions, and in forming various resolutions as to what
we should next attempt. We hailed with joy the first gleam of
light which shot through a small opening of the window. The raging
of the winds had begun to abate, the sky was become serene, and
with hope swelling in my bosom, I beheld the sun already tinging
the horizon: thus revived, I hastily summoned my wife and the
boys to the deck, that they might partake of the scene. The children
asked with much surprise why we were there alone and what had
become of the ship’s company. I answered that they were gone
away in the boats. Next followed, Why did they not take us with
them? How are we to do without their assistance? How shall we
know where we are?

Dearest children, said I, a Being more powerful than man has
helped us to the present moment, and will, no doubt, continue
to help us, if we do not abandon ourselves to a fruitless complaining
and despair. Observe our companions, in whom we had so much
confidence, have deserted us without mercy, and that Divine
Providence has given us protection! But, my dear ones, we must
now trust to our own exertions. Let us be willing to help ourselves,
and we shall obtain support from Heaven. Let us never forget
this useful maxim, and let each labour according to his strength.
Now let us see what in our situation it is best to set about next.

Fritz advised that we should all throw ourselves into the sea,
while it was calm, and swim to land. Ah! that may be well enough
for you, said Ernest, for you can swim; but we others should
soon be drowned. Would it not be better to make a float of rafts,
and get to land all together upon it?

Vastly well, answered I, if we had the means for contriving such a
float, and if, after all, it were not a dangerous sort of conveyance.
Come along, my boys, let each go a different way about the ship,
and see what he can do to be useful, and what he can find to
enable us to get away.

They now all sprang from me with eager looks to do what I had
desired. I, on my part, lost no time in examining what we had to
depend upon in regard to provisions and fresh water, the principles
of life; my wife and the youngest boy visited all the animals,
whom they found in a pitiable condition, and nearly perishing
with hunger and thirst. Fritz repaired to the ammunition chamber,
Ernest to the carpenter’s cabin, and Jack to the apartment of
the captain; but scarcely had he opened the door, when two large
dogs sprung joyfully upon him, and saluted him with such rude
affection, that, finding himself nearly thrown down, he roared
for assistance as if they had been killing him. Hunger, however,
had rendered the animals so gentle, that they licked his hands
and face, uttering all the time a low sort of groan, and continued
their caresses till he was almost suffocated. Poor Jack exerted
all his strength in aiming blows at them to drive them away:
at last he began to sympathize in their joyful movements, and
put himself upon another footing; got upon his legs; and gently
taking the largest dog by the ears, he sprang upon his back,
and with great gravity presented himself thus mounted before
me as I came out of the ship’s hold. I could not refrain from
laughing, and I praised his courage: but I added a little exhortation
to be cautious, and not go too far with animals of this species,
who in a state of hunger might be dangerous.

By and by my little company were again assembled round me, and
each boasted of what he had to contribute. Fritz had two fowling
pieces, some powder and some small shot contained in horn flasks,
and balls in bags.

Ernest produced his hat filled with nails, and held in his hands
a hatchet and a hammer; in addition, a pair of pincers, a pair
of large scissars, and an auger, peeped out at his pocket-hole.

Even the little Francis carried under his arm a box of no very
small size, from which he eagerly produced what he called some
little sharp-pointed hooks. His brothers smiled scornfully. Vastly
well, gentlemen, said I; but let me tell you that the youngest
has brought the most valuable prize: and this is often the case
in the world; the person who least courts the smiles of Fortune,
and in the innocence of his heart is scarcely conscious of her
existence, is often he to whom she most readily presents herself.
These little sharp-pointed hooks, as Francis calls them, are
fishing-hooks, and will probably be of more use in preserving
our lives than all we may find besides in the ship. In justice,
however, I must confess that what Fritz and Ernest have contributed,
will also afford us essential service.

I for my part, said my wife, have brought nothing; but I have
some tidings to communicate which I hope will secure my welcome:
what I have to tell, is, that I have found on board the ship,
a cow and an ass, two goats, six sheep, and a sow big with young,
all of whom I have just supplied with food and water, and that
I reckon on being able to preserve their lives.

All this is admirable, said I to my little labourers, and there
is only master Jack, who, instead of thinking of something that
might be useful, has done us the favour to present us two personages
who no doubt will be principally distinguished by being willing
to eat more than we shall have to give them.

Ah! replied Jack; but I know that if we can once get to land,
you will see that they will assist us in hunting and shooting.

True enough, said I; but be so good as to tell us how we are
to get to land, and whether you have contrived the means.

I am sure it cannot be very difficult, said Jack with an arch
motion of his head. Look here at these large tubs. Why cannot
each of us get into one of them, and float to the land? I remember
I succeeded very well in this manner on the water when I was
visiting my godfather at S***.

Every hint is good for something, cried I, and I begin to think
that what Jack has suggested is worth a trial; the counsels of
even a child may be worth consideration, and should be accepted
with gratitude. Quick then. Jack, give me the saw, the auger,
and some nails; we will see what is to be done. I recollected
having seen some empty casks in the ship’s hold; we went down,
and found them floating with the water which had got into the
vessel; it cost us but little trouble to hoist them up and place
them on the lower deck, which was at this time scarcely above
water. We saw with delight that they were all made of excellent
wood, well guarded by iron hoops, and in every respect in sound
condition; they were exactly suited for my object; and with the
assistance of my sons I instantly began to saw them in two. In
a certain time I had produced eight tubs of equal size and of
the proper height. We now allowed ourselves some refreshment
from the wine and biscuit with which some of these very casks
were still filled.

I contemplated with perfect satisfaction my eight little tubs
ranged in a line. I was surprised to see that my wife was still
dejected; she sighed deeply as she looked at them: Never, never,
cried she, can I venture to get into one of these.

Do not decide so hastily, my dear, said I: my plan is not yet
complete, and you will see presently that it is more worthy of
our confidence than this shattered vessel, which cannot move
from its place.

I then sought for a long plank capable of being a little curved,
and contrived to fasten my eight tubs to it, leaving a space
at each end of the plank, reaching beyond the tubs, and presenting
an outline like the keel of a vessel; we next nailed all the
tubs to the plank, and then the tubs to each other as they stood
side by side, to make them the firmer, and afterwards two other
planks of the same length as the first, on each side of the tubs.
When all this was finished, we found we had produced a kind of
narrow boat divided into eight compartments, which I had no doubt
would be able to perform a short course in calm water.

But, unfortunately, our marvellous machine proved so heavy, that
with the strength of all united, we were not able to move it
an inch from its place. I bade Fritz fetch me a crow, who soon
returned with it: in the meanwhile I sawed a thick round pole
into several pieces, to make some rollers. I now with the crow
easily raised the foremost part of my machine, while Fritz placed
one of the rollers under it.

How astonishing, said Ernest, that this engine, which is smaller
than any of us, can do more than our united strength was able
to effect! I wish I could know how it is constructed.

I explained to him as well as I could, the power of Archimedes’s
lever, with which he said he could move the world if you would
give him a point from which his mechanism might act, and promised
to explain the nature of the operation of the crow when we should
be safe on land.

One of the points of my system of education was to awaken the
curiosity of my sons by interesting observations, to leave time
for the activity of their imagination, and then to correct any
error they might fall into. I contented myself now, however,
with this general remark, That God sufficiently compensated the
natural weakness of man by the gifts of reason, invention, and
the adroitness of the hands; and that human meditation and reflection
had composed a science called mechanics, the object of which
was, to teach us how to make our own natural strength act to
an incredible distance and with extraordinary force, by the
intervention of instruments.

Jack here remarked that the action of the crow was very slow.

Better slow than never, Jack, replied I. Experience has ever
taught, and mechanical observations have established as a principle,
that what is gained in speed is lost in strength; the purpose
of the crow is not to enable us to raise any thing rapidly, but
to raise what is exceedingly heavy; and the heavier the thing
we would move, the slower is the mechanical operation. But are
you aware, what we have at our command to compensate this slowness?

Yes, it is turning the handle quicker.

Your guess is wrong; that would be no compensation: the true
remedy, my boy, is to call in the assistance of patience and
reason; with the aid of these two fairies I am in hopes to set
my machine afloat. As I said this, I tied a long cord to its
stern, and the other end of it to one of the timbers of the ship
which appeared to be still firm, so that the cord being left
loose would serve to guide and restrain it when launched. We
now put a second and a third roller under, and applying the crow,
to our great joy our construction descended into the water with
such a velocity, that if the rope had not been well fastened
it would have gone far out to sea. But now a new misfortune presented
itself: the machine leaned so much on one side that my boys all
exclaimed they could not venture to get into it. I was for some
moments in the most painful perplexity; but it suddenly occurred
to me that ballast only was wanting to set it straight. I threw
every thing I could find that was weighty and of small size into
the tubs: by degrees the machine recovered, and was at length
quite straight and firm in the water, and seeming to invite us to
take refuge in its protection. All now would have thrown themselves
at once into it, and the boys began to push each other, and dispute
which should get in first.

I however drew them back, plainly perceiving that at best the
voyage would be hazardous, and that the least motion of even
one of these boisterous children might upset it and cause us
to be all drowned. In seeking for a remedy for this inconvenience,
I recollected that savage nations make use of a paddle for preventing
their canoes from upsetting. With this thought I once more set
to work to make one of these, that the completion of a contrivance
which promised safety to so many cherished beings might not be
wanting.

I took two of the poles of equal length, upon which the sails
of the vessel had been stretched, and fixed one of them at the
head and the other at the stern of my floating machine, in such
a manner as to enable us to turn them at pleasure to right or
left, as should best answer the purpose of guiding our machine,
and putting it out to sea. I stuck the end of each pole, or paddle,
into the bung-hole of an empty brandy keg, which served to keep
the paddles steady, and to prevent any interruption in the management
of the machine.

There remained nothing more for me to do, but to find out in
what way I could clear out from the incumbrance of the wreck
and get completely to sea. I got into the first tub, and steered
the head of the machine, so as to make it enter the cleft in
the ship’s side where it could remain quiet. I then remounted
the vessel, and sometimes with the saw and sometimes with the
hatchet, I cleared away to right and left every thing that could
obstruct our passage: and that being effected, we next secured
some oars for our voyage the next morning.

We had spent the day in laborious exertions; it was already late;
and as it would not have been possible to reach the land that
evening, we were obliged, though much against our inclination,
to pass a second night in the wrecked vessel, which at every
instant threatened to fall to pieces. We now refreshed ourselves
by a regular meal, for during the day’s work, we had scarcely
allowed ourselves to take a bit of bread or a glass of wine.
Being in a more tranquil and unapprehensive state of mind than
the preceding day, we all abandoned ourselves to sleep; not however
till I had used the precaution of tying the swimming apparatus
round my three youngest boys and my wife, as a means of safety,
if the storm should again come on and should put the finishing
stroke to the destruction of the vessel. I also advised my wife
to dress herself in the clothes of one of the sailors, which
was so much more convenient for swimming, or any other exertions
she might be compelled to engage in. She consented, but not without
reluctance, and left us, to look for one that might best suit
her size. In a quarter of an hour she returned, dressed in the
clothes of a young man who had served as volunteer on board the
ship, and which she had found in his chest. She approached us
with a natural timidity: but I soon found means to reconcile
her to the change, by representing the many advantages it gave
her. At length she joined in the merriment her dress occasioned,
and one and all crept into our separate hammocks, where a delicious
repose prepared us for the renewal of our labours.