Notwithstanding the impatience of the crew, and their desire to be on deck, where they could see the wreck, the service on that Sunday forenoon was especially impressive. Mr. Agneau prayed earnestly for those who were suffering by the perils of the sea, and that those who should draw near unto them in the hour of their danger, might be filled with the love of G.o.d and of man, which would inspire them to be faithful to the duties of the occasion.
When the service was ended the students went on deck again. The wreck could now be distinctly seen. It was a ship of five or six hundred tons, rolling helplessly in the trough of the sea. She was apparently water-logged, if not just ready to go down. As the Young America approached her, her people were seen to be laboring at the pumps, and to be baling her out with buckets. It was evident from the appearance of the wreck, that it had been kept afloat only by the severest exertion on the part of the crew.
"Mr. Peaks, you will see that the boats are in order for use," said Mr.
Lowington. "We shall lower the barge and the gig."
"The barge and the gig, sir," replied the boatswain.
"Captain Gordon," continued the princ.i.p.al, "two of your best officers must be detailed for the boats."
"I will send Mr. Kendall in the barge, sir."
"Very well; he is entirely reliable. Whom will you send in the gig?"
"I am sorry Shuffles is not an officer now, for he was one of the best we had for such service," added the captain.
"Shuffles is out of the question," replied Mr. Lowington.
"Mr. Haven, then, in the gig."
"The sea is very heavy, and the boats must be handled with skill and prudence."
"The crews have been practised in heavy seas, though in nothing like this."
The barge and the gig--called so by courtesy--were the two largest boats belonging to the ship, and pulled eight oars each. They were light and strong, and had been built with especial reference to the use for which they were intended. They were life-boats, and before the ship sailed, they had been rigged with life-lines and floats. If they were upset in a heavy sea, the crews could save themselves by clinging to the rope, buoyed up by the floats.
The Young America stood up towards the wreck, intending to pa.s.s under her stern as near as it was prudent to lay, the head of the dismasted ship being to the north-west.
"Boatswain, pipe all hands to muster," said the captain, prompted by Mr.
Lowington, as the ship approached the wreck.
"All hands on deck, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain, piping the call.
The first lieutenant took the trumpet from the officer of the deck, and the crew, all of whom were on deck when the call was sounded, sprang to their muster stations.
"All hands, take in courses," said the executive officer; and those who were stationed at the tacks and sheets, clew-garnets and buntlines, prepared to do their duty when the boatswain piped the call.
"Man the fore and main clew-garnets and buntlines!" shouted the first lieutenant. "Stand by tacks and sheets!"
The fore and main sail, being the lowest square sails, are called the courses. There is no corresponding sail on the mizzenmast. The ropes by which the lower corners of these sails are hauled up for furling are the clew-garnets--the same that are designated clewlines on the topsails.
The tacks and sheets are the ropes by which the courses are hauled down, and kept in place, the tack being on the windward side, and the sheet on the leeward.
"All ready, sir," reported the lieutenants forward.
"Haul taut! Let go tacks and sheets! Haul up!"
These orders being promptly obeyed, the courses were hauled up, and the ship was under topsails and top-gallant sails, jib, flying-jib, and spanker.
"Ship, ahoy!" shouted the first lieutenant through his trumpet, as the Young America rolled slowly along under the stern of the wreck.
"Ship, ahoy!" replied a voice from the deck of the wreck. "We are in a sinking condition! Will you take us off?"
"Ay, ay!" cried Haven, with right good will.
"You will heave to the ship, Mr. Haven," said the captain, when she had pa.s.sed a short distance beyond the wreck.
"Man the jib and flying-jib halyards and down-hauls," said the first lieutenant.
"All ready forward, sir," replied the second lieutenant, on the forecastle.
"Stand by the maintop bowline! Cast off! Man the main braces!"
"Let go the jib and flying-jib halyards! Haul down!" And the jibs were taken in.
"Slack off the lee braces! Haul on the weather braces!"
The main-topsail and top-gallant were thus thrown aback, and the Young America was hove to, in order to enable her people to perform their humane mission.
"Stand by to lower the barge and gig!" continued Haven.
"Mr. Haven, you will board the wreck in the gig," said Captain Gordon.
"Yes, sir," replied he, touching his cap, and handing the trumpet to the second lieutenant.
"Mr. Kendall, you will take charge of the barge," added the captain.
"The barge, sir," answered Kendall, pa.s.sing the trumpet to Goodwin, the third lieutenant, who, during the absence of his superiors, was to discharge the duty of the executive officer.
The boats were cleared away, and every preparation made for lowering them into the water. This was a difficult and dangerous manoeuvre in the heavy sea which was running at the time. The professors" barge, which was secured at the davits on the weather side of the ship, was to be lowered with her crew on board, and they took their places on the thwarts, with their hands to the oars in readiness for action. The princ.i.p.al had requested Mr. Fluxion to go in the barge and Mr. Peaks in the gig, not to command the boats, but to give the officers such suggestions as the emergency of the occasion might require.
"All ready, sir," reported Ward, the c.o.xswain of the barge, when the oarsmen were in their places.
"Stand by the after tackle, Ward," said Haven. "Bowman, attend to the fore tackle."
At a favorable moment, when a great wave was sinking down by the ship"s side, the order was given to lower away, and in an instant the barge struck the water. Ward cast off the after tackle, and the bowman did the same with the forward tackle. At the moment the order to lower was given, as the wave sank down, the ship rolled to windward, and the boat struck the water some eight feet from the vessel"s side.
"Up oars!" said the c.o.xswain, with energy.
"Lively, Ward," added the first lieutenant.
"Let fall!" continued the c.o.xswain, as a billow lifted the boat, so that those on board could see the ship"s deck. "Give way together!"
The barge, tossed like a feather on the high seas, gathered headway, and moved off towards the wreck.
The lowering of the barge had been so successful that the same method was adopted with the gig; but as she was under the lee of the ship, there was less difficulty in getting her off. She pulled round the ship"s bow, and having made less stern way in starting both boats came up under the counter of the wreck at about the same time. When the barge and gig reached the ship, a line was thrown to each of them over the quarter, which the bowman caught, and made fast to the ring.
"Where is the captain of the ship?" demanded Mr. Haven.