so that from the very first they must have recourse to the productions of the country, and keep the provisions in case they had to journey some hundreds of miles to reach a port on the coast or a town in the interior.
" Suppose some of these things have been damaged ?" asked Baxter. " If the sea-water got into the hold—"
" That we shall see when we open the cases that look as though they had been knocked about," said Gordon. " If we were to cook them up again, they might do."
" I'll look after that," said Moko.
" The sooner the better," said Briant," for the first day or two we shall have to live entirely on these things."
" And why shouldn't we start to-day ? " asked Wilcox, " and see if we cannot find some more eggs among those rocks to the northward ? "
" Yes ! that's it! " said Dole.
" And why shouldn't we go fishing ? " asked Webb " Are there not any fishing-lines on board ? Who'll go fishing ? "
" I will! I will! " said the youngsters.
" All right," said Briant. " But no playing about; we only give the lines to those who mean business."
" Don't get excited," said Iverson. " We will be as steady as—"
" But look here," said Gordon; " we must first make a list of what there is on board. We have other things to think of besides what there is to eat."
" You can go and get a few oysters for lunch," said Service.
" Ah! that I'll do," said Gordon. " Off you go in twos and threes; and, Moko, you go with them."
The negro could be trusted. He was willing, clever, and plucky, and would probably be of great use. He was particularly attached to Briant, who did not conceal his liking for him.
" Come on! " said Jenkins.
" Are you not going with them, Jack? " asked Briant.
Jack replied in the negative.
Jenkins, Dole, Costar, and Iverson then went off in charge of Moko, and scrambled up on to the reef which the sea had just left dry. In the cracks and crannies they might perchance come across many mollusks, mussels, clams, and even oysters, which, either raw or cooked, would form a welcome reinforcement. Away they went running and jumping, and evidently looking on the expedition as one of pleasure rather than work; at their age they remembered little of the trials they had passed through, and thought less of the dangers to come.
As soon as they had gone the elder boys began their search on the yacht. Donagan, Cross, Wilcox, and Webb devoted themselves to the weapons, ammunition, clothes, bedding, tools, and utensils, while Briant, Garnett, Baxter, and Service took stock of the drinkables. As each article was called out Gordon entered it in his note-book.
It was found that the yacht had a complete set of spare sails and rigging of all sorts, cordage, cables, hawsers, &c, and if she could have been got afloat again could have been completely refitted. But these best quality sails and new cordage would never again be used on the sea; they would come in useful in other ways. A few fishing appliances, hand-lines, and deep-sea-lines figured in the inventory, and very valuable they would be, for fish was abundant.
The list of weapons in the note-book gave eight central-fire fowling-pieces, a long-range duck-gun, and twelve revolvers; for ammunition there were 300 cartridges for the breech-loaders, two barrels of gunpowder, each of twenty-five pounds, and a large quantity of lead, small shot and bullets. This ammunition, intended to be used on the New Zealand coast at the places the yacht put in at, would come in more useful for the general security. The store-room also contained a few rockets for night signalling, and thirty cartridges and projectiles for the two small cannons on board, which it was hoped would not have to be used in repulsing a native attack.
The cooking utensils, and such like, were enough, even if the stay was to be a lengthy one. Though a good deal of the crockery had been smashed when the yacht ran ashore on the reef, yet enough remained at the service of the table. And these things were not absolutely necessary. There were more valuable things, such as garments of flannel, cloth, cotton, and linen in sufficient quantity to give a change for each change of climate. And if the land was in the same latitude as Auckland, which was likely, as the vessel had run before a westerly wind all the time, the boys might expect a hot summer and very cold winter. Fortunately there were on board a whole heap of clothes ready for an excursion of many weeks. In the seamen's chests there were trousers, linen frocks, waterproof coats, and thick jerseys, that could be made to fit big or little, and enable them to defy the rigours of the winter. If circumstances obliged them to abandon the schooner, each could take away with him a complete set of bedding, for the bunks were well supplied with mattresses, sheets, blankets, pillows, and quilts, and with care these things would last a long time.
A long time I That might mean for ever. In Gordon's note-book there was also a list of the instruments on board; two aneroid barometers, a spirit thermometer, two chronometers, several copper speaking-trumpets, three telescopes of short and long range, a binnacle compass, and two smaller ones, a storm-glass indicating the approach of tempestuous weather, several British ensigns and jacks, and a set of signalling flags. And there was also a Halkett boat—a little India-rubber canoe which folds up like a bag, and is large enough to take a person across a river or lake.
There were plenty of tools in the carpenter's chest, bags of nails, turrels, screws, and iron nuts and bands of all sorts for repairing the yacht. Thread and needles were not wanting, for the mothers had prepared for frequent mendings. There was no risk of being deprived of fire, for without reckoning matches there were enough tinder-boxes and tinder to last for a long time.
There were some large scale charts, but only for the coast of New Zealand, and consequently useless for the part where they had been wrecked; but luckily Gordon had brought with him a general atlas, and the yacht's library included several good works of travel and manuals of science, to say nothing of " Robinson Crusoe," and the " Swiss Family Robinson," which Service had saved from the wreck as did Camoens his " Lusiad." And of course Garnett had taken good care that his famous accordion had come off safe and sound. When the reading materials had been disposed of, the writing materials were noted down. There were pens and pencils, and ink and paper, and an almanack far 1880, which was at once handed over to Baxter for him to cancel each day as it elapsed.
" It was on the 10th of March," said he, " that we came ashore. Well, out goes the 10th of March and all the days before it."
In the strong box of the yacht there was from 150l. in gold, which might come in useful if the boys reached some port from which they could get home.
Gordon took careful stock of the casks stowed in the hold. Many of them, containing spirits, ale, or wine, had been stove while the yacht was being dashed about on the reef. But there were still a hundred gallons of claret and sherry, fifty gallons of gin, brandy, and whisky, and forty hogsheads of ale, besides thirty bottles of different liqueurs in straw envelopes which had not been broken.
So that for some time at least, the fifteen survivors of the schooner were in no fear of starvation. It remained to be seen if the country would yield anything to allow of their provisions being economized. If it was an island on which the storm had thrown them, they could hardly hope to get away from it, unless a ship were to appear and make out their signals. To repair the yacht and make good the damage to the hull, would be a task beyond their power, and require tools they did not possess. To build a new boat out of the ruins of the old one did not enter their minds; and as they knew nothing of navigation, how were they to cross the Pacific to get back
