Under the Waves by Robert Michael Ballantyne (mobile ebook reader txt) 📕

such a way as to demoralise the one and deteriorate the other--engaging in the pursuit of wealth hastily and with eager anxieties, which imply that you doubt God's promise to direct and prosper all works committed to Him."

"My plan, then," thought Edgar, "is to maintain a calm and trusting mind; to be diligent in fulfilling _present_ duty, whatever that may be; to look about for the direction that is promised, and take prompt advantage of any clear opportunity that offers. God helping me, I'll try."

Strong in his resolves, but, happily, stronger in his trust, he returned to the cavern in which his companions in misfortune had already laid them down to rest, and throwing himself on a bed of grass near the entrance, quickly fell into that profound slumber which is the perquisite of those who unite a healthy mind to a sound body.


CHAPTER ELEVEN.


TELLS OF BOLD PLANS, FOLLOWED BY BOLDER DEEDS.

Months passed away, and Miss Pritty, sitting in her little boudoir sipping a cup of that which cheers, received a letter.

"I know that hand, of course I do. How strange it is there should be such a variety of hands--no two alike, just like faces; though for my part I think that some faces are quite alike, so much so that there are one or two people who are always mistaken for each other, so that people don't know which is which. Dear me! What an awful thing it would be if these people were so like that each should forget which was the other! Nobody else being able to put them right, there would be irretrievable confusion. What do you want, eh?"

The first part of Miss Pritty's mutterances was a soliloquy; the query was addressed to her small and only domestic with the dishevelled head, who lingered at the door from motives of curiosity.

"Nothink, ma'am. Do you wish me to wait, ma'am?"

"No;--go."

She went, and Miss Pritty, opening the letter, exclaimed, "From my nephew, Edgar! I knew it. Dear fellow! I wonder why he writes to me."

The letter ran as follows:--

"Dear Aunt,--You will doubtless be surprised to receive a letter from
me. It must be brief; the post leaves in an hour. Since I saw you we
have had a charming voyage out, but at the last we ran on a rocky
island off the coast of China, and became a total wreck in a few
minutes."

At this point Miss Pritty gasped "oh!" and fainted--at least she went into a perfect semblance of the state of coma, but as she recovered suddenly, and appealed to the letter again with intense earnestness, it may have been something else that was the matter. She resumed her perusal:--

"We succeeded in getting a hawser on shore, by means of which, through
God's mercy, nearly all the passengers were saved, including, of
course, your friend Miss Hazlit and her father. It is mournful to
have to add, however, that before the work was finished the wreck
slipped into deep water and sank with all her crew on board. We
remained only one day on the rock, when a passing ship observed our
signals, took us off, and carried us safely into Hong-Kong.

"Mr Hazlit and his daughter immediately left for--I know not where!
I remained here to make some inquiries about the wreck, which I am
told contains a large amount of gold coin. Now, I want you to take
the enclosed letter to my father's old servant, Joe Baldwin; help him
to read it, if necessary, and to answer it by return of post. It is
important; therefore, dear aunt, don't delay. I think you know
Baldwin's address, as I've been told he lives in the district of the
town which you are wont to visit. Excuse this shabby scrawl, and the
trouble I ask you to take, and believe me to be your loving nephew,
Edgar Berrington."

Miss Pritty was a prompt little woman. Instead of finishing her tea she postponed that meal to an indefinite season, threw on her bonnet and shawl, and left her humble abode abruptly.

Joe Baldwin was enjoying a quiet pipe at his own fireside--in company with his buxom wife and his friends Mr and Mrs Rooney Machowl--when Miss Pritty tripped up to his door and knocked.

She was received warmly, for Joe sympathised with her affectionate and self-denying spirit, and Mrs Joe believed in her. Woe to the unfortunate in whom Mrs Joe--_alias_ Susan--did _not_ believe.

"Come away, Miss,--glad to see you--always so," said Joe, wiping a chair with his cap and extinguishing his pipe out of deference; "sit down, Miss."

Miss Pritty bowed all round, wished each of the party good-evening by name, and seating herself beside the little fire as easily and unceremoniously as though it had been her own, drew forth her letter.

"This is for you, Mr Baldwin," she said; "it came enclosed in one to me, and is from my nephew, Edgar Berrington, who says it is important."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Joe, taking the letter, opening it, and looking at it inquiringly.

"Now Miss," said he, "it's of no manner o' use my tryin' to make it out. You mustn't suppose, Miss, that divers can't read. There's many of 'em who have got a good education in the three R's, an' some who have gone further. For the matter of that I can read print easy enough, as you know, but I never was good at pot-hooks and hangers, d'ee see; therefore I'll be obliged, Miss, if you'll read it to me."

Miss Pritty graciously acceded to the request, and read:--

"Dear Baldwin,--My aunt, Miss Pritty, who will hand this letter to
you, will tell you about our being wrecked. Now, in regard to that I
have a proposal to make. First, let me explain. The wreck of the
_Warrior_, after slipping off the ledge on which she struck, sank in
twenty fathoms water. On our arrival at Hong-Kong, the agent of the
owners sent off to see what could be done in the way of recovering the
treasure on board--there being no less than fifty thousand pounds
sterling in gold in her treasure-room, besides valuables belonging to
passengers. A Lloyds' agent also visited the place, and both came to
the conclusion that it was utterly impossible to recover anything from
such a depth by means of divers. This being so, and I happening to be
on the spot, offered to purchase the right to recover and appropriate
all the gold I could fish up. They laughed at me as a wild
enthusiast, but, regarding the thing as hopeless themselves, were
quite willing to let me have the wreck, etcetera, for what you would
call `an old song.' Now, although nominally a `penniless man,' I do
happen to possess a small property, in the form of a block of old
houses in Newcastle, which were left to me by an uncle, and which I
have never seen. On these I have raised sufficient money for my
purpose, and I intend to make the venture, being convinced that with
the new and almost perfect apparatus now turned out in London by our
submarine engineers, bold divers may reach even a greater depth than
twenty fathoms. My proposal then is, that you should come to my aid.
I will divide all we bring up into three equal portions. One of these
you shall have, one I'll keep to myself, and the third shall be shared
equally by such divers as you think it advisable to employ. What say
you? Do the prospects and terms suit, and will you come without
delay? If so, reply at once, and send all the requisite material to
this place. Be particular to bring dresses made by the first makers
in London. I wish this to be a sort of semi-scientific experiment--to
recover property from a great depth, to test the powers and properties
of the various apparatus now in use and recently invented, and, while
so doing, to make my fortune as well as yours, and that of all
concerned! Perhaps you think the idea a wild one. Well, it may be
so, but wilder ideas than this have been realised. Remember the noble
house of Mulgrave!--Yours truly,--

"Edgar Berrington."

The last sentence in the letter referred to a fact in the history of diving which is worthy of mention. In or about the year 1683 a man named Phipps, the son of an American blacksmith, was smitten with a mania, then prevalent, for recovering treasure from sunken wrecks by means of diving. He succeeded in fishing up a small amount from the wreck of a Spanish galleon off the coast of Hispaniola, which, however, did not pay expenses. Being a man of indomitable perseverance as well as enthusiasm, Phipps continued his experiments with varying success, and on one occasion--if not more--succeeded in reducing himself to poverty. But the blacksmith's son was made of tough material--as though he had been carefully fashioned on his father's anvil. He was a man of strong faith, and this, in material as well as spiritual affairs, can remove mountains. He was invincibly convinced of the practicability of his schemes. As is usual in such men, he had the power to impart his faith to others. He had moved Charles the Second to assist him in his first efforts, which had failed, but was unable to similarly influence the cautious--not to say close-fisted--James the Second. The Duke of Albemarle, however, proved more tractable. Through his aid and influence, and with funds obtained from the public, Phipps was enabled in 1687 once more to try his fortune. He set sail in a 200-ton vessel, and after many fruitless efforts succeeded in raising from a depth of between six and seven fathoms, (considered but a small depth now-a-days) property to the value of about 300,000 pounds. Of this sum the usurious Earl obtained as his share 90,000 pounds while Phipps received 20,000 pounds. Although James the Second had refused to aid in the expedition, he had the wisdom to recognise the good service done to mankind in the saving of so much valuable property at so great personal risk. He knighted Phipps, who thus became the founder of the house of Mulgrave-- now represented by the Marquis of Normanby.

When Miss Pritty had concluded the letter, Joe Baldwin turned to Rooney Machowl:--

"What think you, lad," he said, "would you venture down to twenty fathom?"

"To twenty thousand fathom, if you'll consint to watch the pumps and howld the life-line," replied the daring son of Erin.

"Will you let me go, Susan?" said Baldwin, turning