“Oh, why was I separated from him?” she exclaimed, her feelings overcoming for the moment her better judgment.
“For the sake of your daughters, marm, do cheer up,” said Mrs Rumbelow, who at once came to Harry’s assistance. “Though you yourself, marm, would go through any fresh dangers to join the colonel, just think how ill able these young ladies are to bear them,” she said, in a gentle, soothing tone.
At first Mrs Morley seemed scarcely to understand what was said, but in a short time she recovered herself, her daughters doing their utmost to console her; and Mrs Rumbelow at length persuaded her to return to the shelter of the awning.
Before lying down to take the rest he so much needed, Harry ordered the provisions to be served out. On searching for the water-casks, only three were found. The carpenter’s mate giving a knock with his hammer on one of them, it was empty. It had been carelessly put together, and all the contents had leaked out. The other two small casks would last so large a party but for a short time. Many days might pass before they could hope to reach the Auckland Islands, the nearest land Harry expected to make, and even with the smallest possible allowance of water sufficient to sustain life, the supply in the casks would not last half the time. This discovery was indeed a sore trial to the young commander; still he knew too well the importance of keeping up the spirits of the party to express his fears aloud. As the sea had now gone sufficiently down to allow the crew to move about without difficulty, he directed Dr Davis and Willy to overhaul the provisions, and ascertain the quantity they had got; and weary as he was, he would not lie down till this was done. Their report was far less satisfactory than he had hoped for. A good supply of biscuits and flour had been put on board; but, unhappily, both had been so completely wetted by the salt water that the greater part of the flour was a mere mass of dough, and the biscuits, though at present eatable, would evidently not last many days. A small hen-coop full of fowls had been placed in the bows; but, with the exception of two, the poor creatures had been drowned. There were two casks of salt pork; but, as the doctor whispered to Willy, without plenty of water and pease pudding to eat it with, salt pork would prove dangerous food. Four hams were also found, and six Dutch cheeses, with two kegs of butter.
“Here is a case!” exclaimed Willy. “I wonder what it contains.”
It was opened, and within were found a dozen pots of jam.
“Ah, this is more to the purpose,” cried the doctor.
“We must keep them, though, for the poor women and children,” observed Willy.
“You are right, Dicey,” was the answer. “But we have not yet finished our search.”
There was another case. It only contained pickles. “I am afraid they will help us but little to keep body and soul together,” observed Willy.