The Lion of the North | Page 9

Germans, but we did not expect to
run the hazard of being drowned. I doubt if the vessel can live till
morning. It is only eleven o'clock yet, and in spite of the pumps she is
getting lower and lower in the water."
Before Malcolm had time to answer him there was a tremendous crash
which threw them off their feet. All below struggled on deck, but
nothing could be seen in the darkness save masses of foam as the waves
broke on the rock on which they had struck. There were two more
crashes, and then another, even louder and more terrible, and the vessel
broke in two parts.
"Come aft all," Colonel Munro shouted; "this part of the wreck is
fixed."
With great efforts all on board managed to reach the after portion of the
vessel, which was wedged among the rocks, and soon afterwards the
forepart broke up and disappeared. For two hours the sea broke wildly
over the ship, and all had to hold on for life.
Malcolm, even in this time of danger, could not but admire the
calmness and coolness of his young colonel. He at once set men to
work with ropes to drag towards the vessel the floating pieces of wreck
which were tossing about in the boiling surf. The masts and yards were
hauled alongside, and the colonel instructed the men to make
themselves fast to these in case the vessel should go to pieces.
Hour after hour passed, and at last, to the joy of all, daylight appeared.
The boats had all been broken to pieces, and Munro now set the men to
work to bind the spars and timbers together into a raft. One of the
soldiers and a sailor volunteered to try to swim to shore with lines, but
both were dashed to pieces.
At one o'clock in the day some natives were seen collecting on the
shore, and these presently dragged down a boat and launched it, and

with great difficulty rowed out to the ship. A line was thrown to them,
and with this they returned to shore, where they made the line fast. The
storm was now abating somewhat, and Munro ordered the debarkation
to commence.
As many of the troops as could find a place on the raft, or could cling
to the ropes fastened on its sides, started first, and by means of the line
hauled the raft ashore. A small party then brought it back to the ship,
while others manned the boat; and so after a number of trips the whole
of the troops and crew were landed, together with all the weapons and
armour that could be saved.
From the peasantry Munro now learned that they had been wrecked
upon the coast of Rugenwalde, a low lying tract of country in the north
of Pomerania. The forts upon it were all in the possession of the
Imperialists, while the nearest post of the Swedes was eighty miles
away.
The position was not a pleasant one. Many of the arms had been lost,
and the gunpowder was of course destroyed. The men were exhausted
and worn out with their long struggle with the tempest. They were
without food, and might at any moment be attacked by their enemies.
"Something must be done, and that quickly," Munro said, "or our fate
will be well nigh as bad as that of the Sinclairs; but before night we can
do nothing, and we must hope that the Germans will not discover us till
then."
Thereupon he ordered all the men to lie down under shelter of the
bushes on the slopes facing the shore, and on no account to show
themselves on the higher ground. Then he sent a Walloon officer of the
regiment to the Pomeranian seneschal of the old castle of Rugenwalde
which belonged to Bogislaus IV, Duke of Pomerania, to inform him
that a body of Scotch troops in the service of the Swedish king had
been cast on the coast, and begging him to supply them with a few
muskets, some dry powder, and bullets, promising if he would do so
that the Scotch would clear the town of its Imperial garrison.
The castle itself, which was a very old feudal building, was held only
by the retainers of the duke, and the seneschal at once complied with
Munro's request, for the Duke of Pomerania, his master, although
nominally an ally of the Imperialists, had been deprived of all authority
by them, and the feelings of his subjects were entirely with the Swedes.

Fifty old muskets, some ammunition, and some food were sent out by a
secret passage to the Scots. There was great satisfaction among the men
when these supplies arrived. The muskets which had been brought
ashore were cleaned up