The men came, one after the other, and the captain spoke affectionately and earnestly to each, urging them to seek the Saviour while He might be found, and recommending them to listen to the first-mate, who would explain the truth to them.
"Gray," he said, when they had left him, "I must ask you to visit my wife and daughter when you get home, and bear my last message of love to them. Take this letter and deliver it, if you can, with your own hands.
Send them the property I leave on board; I know that I can trust you; with things of this world I have nothing more to do. And now read some of G.o.d"s word and pray with me."
Peter remained with the captain till the last, and with sincere sorrow closed his eyes.
Next day the ship entered the harbour of Valparaiso, where the captain was attended to his grave by most of his own crew and those of several other English merchantmen in harbour.
Peter had much felt the want of Christian sympathy in his sorrow. Among those who had attended the funeral of his late captain, he observed a tall fine-looking man with grey hair. A second glance convinced him that he was his old captain, Mr Hauslar.
"What, Gray?" exclaimed the latter, when Peter spoke to him. "I remember you now. Come on board with me; my ship lies close to yours."
Peter had the satisfaction of finding that his former friend continued a faithful believer. Delightful to both was the conversation they had together.
The next day Captain Hauslar accompanied Peter to the agents, and from his recommendation they directed him to take command of the _Edgar_. A young Christian man, whose ship had been lost, but the crew rescued by Captain Hauslar, was appointed to serve as second-mate, and came accompanied by four South Sea Islanders, who were considered good seamen.
While the _Edgar_ was getting in her stores Peter enjoyed the company of his friend, and with renewed spirits and hopes he sailed on his voyage.
The beautiful island of Otaheite and several others were visited. He then, according to his order, sailed northward, to call at the Sandwich Islands, thence to proceed to j.a.pan and through the Indian Seas round the Cape of Good Hope homewards.
Calm as the Pacific is at times, fearful gales sweep across it. To one of these the _Edgar_ was exposed for several days, and Peter had to exert all his skill and seamanship to preserve his ship. He did his best, and putting his trust in G.o.d, sought His protection. The gale had driven the ship considerably out of her course. For some days no observation could be taken; an anxious look-out was kept, for coral reefs and islands were near at hand, and with little warning the ship might be driven on one of them.
The night was unusually dark. Peter and his mates had never left the deck. Just as morning was about to break a cry was heard of "Land! on the lee bow!" The ship was put about, and scarcely had she come round when breakers were seen rising in a foaming wall astern.
CHAPTER NINE.
A STRANGE DISCOVERY.
As the day dawned an island, covered with the richest vegetation, appeared rising to a considerable height, with a calm lagoon between it and the circling reef. A tempting pa.s.sage was also seen leading from the stormy ocean into the lagoon.
One of the natives coming aft said that he knew it well. It was his native island, and he offered to pilot in the ship. Should the gale increase, the danger of attempting to beat off that lee sh.o.r.e would be great. Peter therefore at once accepted the offer. The _Edgar_ was headed in for the lagoon. The foaming breakers roared upon either side as she shot between them, and in another minute she was gliding calmly over the smooth water of the lagoon. Piloted by the native in a short time she brought up in a beautiful bay, where she might ride securely.
Scarcely had she dropped her anchor when several canoes paddled alongside. The native hailed one of them, and the people in her came on board. They were soon affectionately greeting him, while the rest of the crew were engaged in buying fruits and vegetables and various articles which the others had brought.
In a short time he came aft to Captain Gray. The information he gave was satisfactory. When he had left the island the people had been heathens, and he had expected to find them in the same condition. Two native catechists had, however, been for some time among them, and an English missionary had a few months before arrived, whose house was situated on the sh.o.r.es of another bay at a little distance; he had been sent for, and would probably, ere long, be on board. Peter, knowing the treacherous character borne by many of the South Sea Islanders, had resolved not to allow his crew to go on sh.o.r.e, or permit more than a few natives at a time on board; he had now, however, no fears for the safety of his ship.
Peter was in his cabin, when a message was brought him that a canoe was coming off, with a white man in her.
"He must be the missionary," he said, and hurried on deck to welcome him. The canoe came alongside, and an old man in a seaman"s dress, with white hair streaming from under his hat, stepped on board. Peter, shaking him by the hand, inquired whether he was the missionary he was led to expect would pay him a visit.
"Oh, no, sir! he is a very different sort of man to me; I only wish I was him," was the answer. "He will be here soon, I doubt not. I came aboard to ask whether the ship was homeward bound, and you would let me work my pa.s.sage in her; I have got some strength left in my old arms yet."
"I"ll gladly give you a pa.s.sage, my man," said Peter, "if you desire to return to England. Have you been long out in these parts?"
"Ay, sir, many a year--I forget how many, for I lost all count of time when I lived among the savages, but I reckon it carefully now since I have been brought to my right mind by Mr Wilson, the missionary you have heard tell of."
"I should have thought that at your age you would have been content to remain with him and lend him a helping hand," answered Peter, trying to restrain hopes and feelings rising in his breast which he feared might be disappointed. "The a.s.sistance of a Christian white man would be of great value to him."
"That maybe, sir," answered the old man, "but there are those at home I long to see again. I left them years ago, and was shipwrecked upon these islands. For some time I had no chance of escaping. Living among the savages here, I grew to live as they lived, and forgot my home and friends. Since I have learned to love G.o.d I have been longing to see my family again, but I have not been able to get back, for I have been away on the other side of the island each time a ship has touched here. If you had left a wife and a little boy at home as I have, you would wish to get back to set your eyes again on them, and hold them in your arms."
"A wife and a little boy!" exclaimed Peter, unable longer to restrain his eagerness to learn who the old man was. "Tell me their names, and where they lived."
"It was at a place, maybe, you have not been to nor heard of either, seeing it"s of no great size," answered the old man; "it"s called Springvale, and is not far from the little town of Oldport; and my name is Gray, sir, at your service."
"Gray!" exclaimed Peter, taking the old man"s hand, and scarcely able to speak. "Come into my cabin, I wish to tell you more about your wife and son."
Peter had no longer any doubt that his long-lost father stood before him, but he was unwilling to make himself known in sight of his crew, fearing also the effect the announcement would have on the old man.
Conducting the old sailor, whose countenance wore an expression of astonishment, down into the cabin, he closed the door, and placing him respectfully on a sofa, still holding his hand, sat himself down by his side.
"You were telling me," he said, "that you have learned the truth, and you know, therefore, G.o.d"s love and mercy, and that He orders all things for the best. You have been very many years from home, and must be aware that though your son when you saw him last was a little boy, he must now be a grown man; your wife, too, would be an old woman. Have you ever thought of the hardships and trials to which she would probably have been exposed, left all alone to struggle with the hard world, and still having to go through them? But suppose G.o.d in His mercy had taken her to Himself, and you knew that she had been spending all these years in happiness unspeakable, would you not have cause to rejoice?"
The old sailor gazed at the young captain, scarcely able to comprehend him clearly.
"G.o.d is very merciful; He loves me, though I am a sinner, and orders all for the best. I know that is what Mr Wilson says, and he speaks the truth, for he turned me from little better than a savage into a Christian man," answered the old sailor.
As he spoke his eyes fell on Peter"s Bible, which lay on the table with the leathern case beside it.
"What are you driving at, sir?" he exclaimed in an agitated tone. "I remember that book, as if I had seen it but yesterday; it was my wife"s.
Do you know her? tell me, tell me."
Peter placed his arm so that the old man"s head might rest on it. "My name is Gray, sir," he said. "That book was indeed your wife"s, my mother"s, and I am very sure that I am your son."
"You Peter, my little boy?" exclaimed the old man, gazing in his countenance. "You captain of this ship, and I have found you after these long years! G.o.d be praised! And your mother, tell me about her."
"I tried to prepare you, sir, for what I have to say," said Peter. "She has been among the blessed for many years, and her last prayer on earth was that I might find you that you might be brought to know the Saviour in whom she trusted."
"G.o.d"s will be done! G.o.d"s will be done!" murmured the old man, letting his head fall on his son"s shoulder. "He knows what is best. In His mercy He took her; and I all the time living like a savage, but He found me--He found me; and He has sent you, and all through His love, to tell me about her. I began to fear that she might be poor and suffering, and you living a hard life, or sent maybe to the workhouse, but He orders all things for the best. Praise His name!"
The old man could say no more. His feelings overcoming him, he bent his head and wept like a child.
No one would have recognised the once "roaring Jack Gray," and for some time the wild, half-clad savage, in the now venerable-looking old Christian man, who sat at supper with the young captain and the missionary who had now arrived.
"I fear that I shall lose your a.s.sistance, friend Gray," said Mr Wilson, "though I rejoice that you have found your son."
"I have been casting the matter in my mind, sir," answered the old sailor, "and asking G.o.d to direct me, and, now she has gone whom I longed to see, and my son in His mercy has been sent to me, I am very sure that He does not want me to go away from this place. I should be a stranger in England, of no use to any one, and a burden to my son, and here you tell me that I am of help to you among the natives, and I think I am, as I can speak their language, and tell them about the love and mercy of G.o.d, who found them out as He found me out, and has sent His blessed Gospel of peace to them."
"I am very sure Captain Gray will agree with me that, although he may wish to have you with him to look after you in your old age, you are more certain to enjoy happiness here, knowing that you are of use to your fellow-creatures, than you would be in returning to the land you have so long left."
"I do not wish to bias my father," said Peter, "and I am very sure that, seeking direction from G.o.d, he will be directed aright."
"It is settled then, my son," said the old sailor, looking up, "I"ll remain with Mr Wilson, and help him. I can say with old Israel, about whom he was reading to me the other day, when he saw Joseph, "Now let me die since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.""
Peter agreed that his father was right in the resolution he had come to.
The first-mate, and several of the crew who had visited old Mr Gray in his hut, begged that they might be allowed to put up a more comfortable dwelling for him. Peter thankfully accepted their offer, and several of the natives, finding what they proposed doing, gave their a.s.sistance.