Jack Archer: A Tale of the Crimea Page 10

  CHAPTER X.

  THE GREAT STORM

  Two days after the battle of Inkerman, the party of sailors who mannedthe batteries before Sebastopol were relieved by a fresh set from onboard the men-of-war. Some of those who had been away at the frontreturned on board ship, while others, among whom was Jack Archer, wereordered to join the camp at the marine heights above Balaklava, tofill the places of some men invalided on board ship.

  The change was, in some respects, an agreeable one; in others, thereverse. The position was very high and exposed to wind; but, on theother hand, the men, being able to obtain materials at Balaklava, hadconstructed warm shelters. The ravines below were well wooded, andthey were consequently enabled to keep up cheerful fires; whereas atthe front the supply of fuel barely sufficed to cook the food, and wasalmost useless for any purposes of warmth. There was far lessprivation here, for Balaklava lay within twenty minutes' walk, andstores of all kinds could be bought on board the ships. There was,too, an entire absence of the heavy and continuous work in the wettrenches. The great drawback to the position was, indeed, the absenceof excitement and change, and the quiet seemed almost preternaturalafter the almost continual boom of cannon at the front.

  Jack was pleased to find his chum Hawtry on duty at the height.

  "This is a grand view, Hawtry," he said, as he stood at the edge ofthe cliff the morning after his arrival.

  Below at his feet lay a great fleet of transports. To the left thecliffs stretched away, wild and precipitous, rising to heights fargreater than the point at which they stood, some 600 feet above thesea. On his right the hill sloped gradually down to the old Genoesecastle, and then sharply to the harbor, in which lay severalmen-of-war. In Balaklava, lines of wooden huts had been erected for ahospital, and their felt-covered roofs contrasted with the red tilesof the Tartar houses, and with the white walls and tower of thechurch. Along the valley at the foot of the harbor long lines ofarabas and pack-animals, looking like mere specks from the point wherethe lads were standing, could be seen making their way to the front;while seven miles distant, on the plateau above Sebastopol, rose, likecountless white dots, the tents of the Allied Army. Turning stillfarther round, they saw the undulating plain across which the lightcavalry had charged upon the Russian guns, while standing boldlyagainst the sky was the lofty table-land extending from above thevillage of Inkerman, right across the line of sight to the point knownas Mackenzie Heights, from a farm belonging to an Englishman situatedthere. On these heights were encamped a large body of Russian troops.

  "It's a splendid view, Dick," Jack Archer said; "but," he added,turning to look at the fleet of transports again, "I shouldn't like tobe on board one of those ships if it came on to blow. It must be arocky bottom and no holding-ground."

  "That's what every one is saying, Jack. No one can make out why theydon't let them all go inside. Of course they could not all unload atonce, but there is room for them to shelter, if laid in tiers, as theywould be in a crowded port. Yes, if we get a storm, and they say inthe Black Sea they do have terrific gales during the winter, I fear weshall have a terrible business here."

  Two days later they had a taste of what a storm in the Black Sea was.On the afternoon of Friday, the 10th, the wind got up, blowingstraight into the bay. Very rapidly the sea rose. As dusk came on thesailors on the marine heights gathered on the edge of the cliff, andlooked anxiously down upon the sea. Already great waves were tumblingin, dashing against the foot of the cliff, and sending clouds of sprayhalf-way up to the old castle, 200 feet above them. The ships werelaboring heavily, tugging and straining on their cables. From thefunnels of the steamers volumes of black smoke were pouring, showingthat they were getting up steam to keep the screws or paddles going,and relieve the strain upon their anchors.

  "I wouldn't be aboard one of them craft," an old sailor said, "not forenough money to find me in grog and 'bacca for the rest of my life. Ifthe gale gets stronger, half them ships will be ashore afore morning,and if they do, God help those on board!"

  Happily the storm did not increase in violence, and when morning brokeit was found that although many of the vessels had dragged theiranchors, and some damage had been done by collisions, none had goneashore. The knowledge, however, of how heavy a sea got up in a gale ofeven moderate force, and how frightfully dangerous was the position ofthe vessels, would, it might be thought, have served as a lesson, butunhappily it did not do so. The naval officer who was in charge of theharbor was obstinate, and again refused the request of the masters ofmany of the transports that the shipping might all be allowed to enterthe harbor. He refused, and upon him is the responsibility of theterrible loss of life which ensued. On the 14th the wind again beganto rise, and the sailors, as night came on, looked over the sea.

  "We are going to have a bad night of it again," the officer in commandof the post said, as he gazed seaward. "It looks as wild a night asever I saw. Look how fast the scud is flying overhead. Last week'sgale was a stiff one, but, unless I'm mistaken, it will be nothing tothat which is upon us."

  Louder and louder roared the wind, till men could scarce keep theirfeet outside shelter. The tents shook and rocked. Men could hardlyhear each other's voices above the storm, and even in the darkness ofnight the sheets of foam could be seen dashing up to the very walls ofthe castle.

  Jack Archer and Dick Hawtry, who with two other midshipmen occupied atent, sat listening awe-struck to the fury of the gale. There was agust fiercer than usual, accompanied by a crack like the sound of apistol, followed by a stifled shout.

  "There's a tent down!" Hawtry exclaimed, "and I shouldn't wonder--"

  He did not finish, for at the moment the pole of their own tent brokeasunder like a pipe, and in an instant the four were buried beneaththe folds of the canvas. With much shouting and laughter theystruggled to the entrance and made their way out. Half the tents werealready levelled to the ground, and ten minutes later not one remainedstanding. The midshipmen crowded into the turf huts which some of theofficers had had erected. Scarcely had they entered, when there wasthe boom of a heavy gun.

  "I thought so," Dick Hawtry said. "There's the first of them. How manymore will there be before morning?"

  The door opened, and a sailor put in his head.

  "Gentlemen, the captain says you are to turn out. He's going to take aparty down to the castle with ropes."

  In a few minutes a hundred men mustered, and moved down the hill. Sofierce was the gale that, during the squalls, it was impossible tokeep themselves on their feet, and all had to lie down till the furyof the gust had passed. It was pitch dark, and they groped rather thanmade their way along. Fast now, one after another, came the sound ofthe signal guns.

  "There must be a dozen of them adrift," Dick shouted into his friend'sear during one of the lulls. "God help them all; what will become ofthem? A ship would be dashed to pieces like an eggshell against thesecliffs."

  When they reached the lowest point of the cliff, the party were haltedand told to lie down and keep themselves in readiness, in case theirservices should be required. The officers struggled forward to theedge, and tried to see what was going on down in the bay below; butlittle could be seen, save the mighty sheets of spray, as the wavesstruck the cliffs. Here and there in the wild waters they fanciedoccasionally that they could see the dark forms of the ships, but evenof this they could not have been certain, save for the twinklinglights which rose and fell, and dashed to and fro like fire-flies intheir flight. Now and then the flash of a cannon momentarily showedsome ship laboring in the trough of the mountainous sea.

  "I believe that is the 'Black Prince,'" Jack shouted to his friend."That big steamer which has been lying there the last week. If it is,she's ever so much nearer to shore than she was."

  Suddenly a blue light threw its glare on the sea. It came from almostunder their feet.

  "Good heavens, Dick, there is a vessel on the rocks already; and look,a dozen more close in!"

  The example was followed, and several other blue l
ights were burnedshowing plainly the terrible nature of the scene. The vessels werewallowing in the tremendous waves. Many had cut away their masts torelieve the strain on their anchors. The paddles and screws of thesteamers were working at full speed, for the lines of white foambehind them could be plainly seen. But even this availed them butlittle, for almost every ship lay nearer to the line of cliffs thanshe did when night fell; several were close to the foot of the rocks,and the lookers-on noticed that some which had lain near the shorewere missing. On the decks of the ships could be seen numbers ofpersons holding on to ropes and bulwarks. Sometimes from the deck of avessel a rocket soared up, the wind catching it as it rose, andcarrying it far inland.

  By the captain's orders several blue lights, which the party hadbrought down, were burned, to show those on board that their positionwas perceived, but beyond this nothing could be done. Presently evenabove the noise of the gale a tremendous crash was heard, and theyfancied that they heard a wild shout come faintly up.

  "Can nothing be done?" Jack shouted to his friend.

  "Nothing, sir," an old sailor said close by. "They are all doomed.There were over thirty ships there this morning, for I counted them,and I doubt if one will live out the night."

  By this time the sailors, unable to lie inactive, had joined theofficers, and all were scattered in groups along the cliff.

  "Is there no possible way of getting down near the water?" Jack said.

  "I don't think so, sir; but if it were daylight we might make a shiftto try."

  "Let us try, anyhow," Jack said.

  "Oh, there is another!" as another crash was heard above the gale.

  "Anything is better than standing here. I don't think the cliff goesquite sheer down everywhere. Let us try, Dick; it would be a relief tobe doing something."

  "All right, Jack. Let you and I stick together. Do you lads," he said,turning to three or four sailors who were standing by, "keep close tous, and lend a hand." At the point where they were standing, it wasclearly impossible to get down, for the rock sloped straight from,their feet. Farther to the left, however, it went down more gradually,and here the boys began to try to descend.

  "There is a sort of hollow here," Jack shouted, "a sort of ravine.This is our best place."

  Cautiously, step by step, holding on to such bushes as grew among therocks pausing sometimes flattened against the rocks by the force ofthe gust, and drenched every moment by the sheets of spray, the boysmade their way down, till they paused at a spot where the rock fellaway sheer under their feet. They could go no farther. At the momentthey heard a wild scream. A vessel appeared through the darknessbelow, and crashed with a tremendous thud against the rocks. Themasts, which were so close that the boys seemed almost able to jumpupon them, as they reached nearly to the level on which they werestanding, instantly going over the side. Peering over, they could seethe black mass in the midst of the surging white waters at their feet.The sailors had paused some way up the ascent, appalled by thedifficulties which the boys, lighter and more active, hadaccomplished.

  "Go up to the top again," Hawtry said, climbing back to them. "Bringdown one of those spars we brought down, a block, a long rope, and ashort one to serve as a guy. Get half-a-dozen more hands. You'd betterfix a rope at the top firmly, and use it to steady you as you return.There's a ship ashore just underneath us, and I think we can getdown."

  In a few minutes the sailors descended again, carrying with them aspar some twenty feet long. With immense difficulty this was loweredto the spot which the boys had reached. One of the sailors had broughtdown a lantern, and by its light a block was lashed to the end, and along rope roved through it. Then a shorter rope was fastened to theend as a guy, and the spar lowered out, till it sloped well over theedge. The lower edge was wedged in between two rocks, and others piledround it.

  "Now," Dick said, "I will go down."

  "You'll never get down alive, sir," one of the sailor said. "The windwill dash you against the cliff. I'll try, sir, if you like; I'mheavier."

  "Let me go down with you," Jack said. "The two of us are heavier thana man, and we shall have four legs to keep us off the cliff. Besides,we can help each other down below."

  "All right," Dick said. "Fasten us to the rope, Hardy. Make two loopsso that we shall hang face to face, and yet be separate, and give me ashort rope of two or three fathoms long, so that we can rope ourselvestogether, and one hold on in case the other is washed off his feetwhen we get down. Look here, Hardy, do you lie down and look over theedge, and when you hear me yell, let them hoist away. Now for it!"

  The boys were slung as Dick had ordered. "Lower away steadily," Dicksaid. "Stop lowering if we yell."

  In another minute the lads were swinging in space, some ten feet outfrom the face of the cliff. For the first few yards they descendedsteadily, and then, as the rope lengthened, the gusts of wind flungthem violently against the face of the cliff.

  "Fend her off with your legs, Jack; that's the way. By Jove, that's aducking!" he said, as a mighty rush of spray enveloped them as amountainous sea struck the rock below. "I think we shall do it.There's something black down below, I think some part of her stillholds together; slowly!" he shouted up, in one of the pauses of thegale, and Hardy's response of "Aye, aye, sir," came down to them.

  It was a desperate three minutes; but at the end of that time,bruised, bleeding, half-stunned by the blows, half-drowned by thesheets of water which flew over them, the lads' feet touched therocks. These formed a sloping shelf of some thirty feet wide at thefoot of the cliff.

  The wreck which had appeared immediately under them was forty feetaway, and appeared a vague, misshapen black mass. They had been seen,for they had waved the lantern from the edge of the cliff beforestarting, and they had several times shouted as they descended, and asthey neared the ground, they were delighted at hearing by an answeringshout that their labors had not been in vain, and that some one stillsurvived.

  "Throw us a rope," Dick shouted at the top of his voice; and in amoment they heard a rope fall close to them. Groping about in thedarkness, they found it, just as a wave burst below them, and, dashinghigh over their heads, drove them against the rock, and then floatedthem off their feet. The rope from above held them, however. "Loweraway!" Dick yelled, as he regained his feet, and then, aided by therope from the ship, they scrambled along, and were hauled on to thewreck before the next great sea came.

  "I've broken my arm, Dick," Jack said; "but never mind me now. Howmany are there alive?"

  There were sixteen men huddled together under the remains of thebulwark. The greater portion of the ship was gone altogether, and onlysome forty feet of her stern remained high on the rocky ledge on whichshe had been cast. The survivors were for the most part too exhaustedto move, but those who still retained some strength and vigor at onceset to work. In pairs they were fastened in the slings, and hauled updirect from the deck of the vessel, another rope being fastened tothem and held by those on the wreck, by which means they were guidedand saved somewhat from being dashed against the cliff in the ascent.

  When those below felt, by the rope no longer passing between theirhands, that the slings had reached the top, they waited for a minuteto allow those in them to be taken out, and then hauling upon therope, pulled the slings down again for a fresh party. So, slowly andpainfully, the whole party were, two by two, taken up from the wreck.

  Several times while the operation was being performed great crasheswere heard, followed by loud shouts and screams, as vessel aftervessel drove ashore to the right or left of them. But Jack and hisfriend, who consulted together, agreed that by no possibility couldthese be aided, as it was only just at the point where the wreck laythat the rocks at the foot of the cliff were high enough to be aboveall but exceptionally high waves, and any one adventuring many yardseither to the right or left would have been dashed to pieces againstthe cliff by the first wave.

  The midshipmen were the last to leave the ship. Dick had in vainbegged his messmate to go up in one of
the preceding batches, as thelast pair would necessarily be deprived of the assistance from thelower rope, which had so materially aided the rest. Jack, however,refused to hear of it. When the slings came down to them for the lasttime, they put them on, and stood on the wreck watching till a greatwave came. When it had passed, they slipped down the side of the shipby a rope, and hurried over the rocks till immediately under the spar,whose position was indicated by a lantern held there. Then, in answerto their shout, the rope tightened, and they again swung in the air.

  The wind blew no more fiercely than before; indeed, it was scarcepossible it could do so; but they were now both utterly exhausted.During the hour and a half which they had stood upon the remains ofthe wreck, they had been, every minute or two, deluged with water.Sometimes, indeed, the sea had swept clean over them, and had it notbeen that they had lashed themselves with ropes, they must have beenswept away.

  Every great wave had swept away some plank or beam of the wreck, andwhen they left it, scarce a fragment of the deck remained attached tothe rudder-post. Terrible was the buffeting they received as theyascended, and time after time they were dashed with immense forceagainst the face of the cliff.

  To Jack the noise and confusion seemed to increase. A strange singingsounded in his ears, and as the slings reached the top, and a burst ofcheering broke from the seamen there, all consciousness left him.

  The officer in command of the party was himself at the spot; he andmany others having made their way down, when the news spread that arescue was being attempted. Dick, too, was unable to stand, and bothwere carried by the sailors to the top of the slope. Here a cup ofstrong rum-and-water was given to Dick, while some pure spirits poureddown his throat soon recalled Jack to consciousness. The latter, uponopening his eyes, would have got up, but this his officer would notallow; and he was placed on a stretcher and carried by four tars up tothe heights, where he was laid in one of the sod huts, and his arm,which was badly fractured, set by the surgeon.

  The sixteen rescued men had, as they gained the top, been at oncetaken down into Balaklava, the sole survivors of the crews of overtwenty ships which had gone to pieces in that terrible hurricane.

  Of the fleet of transports and merchantmen which, trim and in goodorder, had lain in the bay the afternoon before, some half-dozen onlyhad weathered the hurricane. The "City of London" alone had succeededin steaming out to sea when the gale began. The "Jason" and a fewothers had ridden to their anchors through the night. The rest of thefleet had been destroyed, victims to the incompetence andpig-headedness of the naval officer in charge of the harbor. Thatthere was ample room for all within it, was proved by the fact that,later on, a far larger number of ships than that which was present onthe day of the gale lay comfortably within it.

  The largest ship lost was the "Prince," with whom nearly 300 men wentdown. Even inside the harbor vessels dragged their anchors and driftedashore, so terrible was the gale, which, indeed, was declared by oldsailors and by the inhabitants of the town to be the most violent thatthey ever experienced. Enormous quantities of stores of all kinds,which would have been of immense service to the troops in the winter,were lost in the gale, and even in the camps on shore the destructionwas very great.