The Little Savage | Page 6

the vessel, wondering what it
could be. It moved through the water, turned this way and that. "It must
be alive," thought I; "is it a fish or a bird?" As I watched the vessel, the
sun was going down and there was not more than an hour's daylight.
The wind was very light and variable, which accounted for the vessel
so often altering her course. My companion came out with his hands
full of smoking tinder, and putting it under the wood, was busy blowing
it into a flame. The wood was soon set fire to, and the smoke ascended
several feet into the air.
"They'll see that," said he.
"What then, it has eyes? it must be alive. Does it mind the wind?"
inquired I, having no answer to my first remark, "for look there, the
little clouds are coming up fast," and I pointed to the horizon, where
some small clouds were rising up and which were, as I knew from
experience and constantly watching the sky, a sign of a short but
violent gale, or tornado, of which we usually had one, if not two, at this
season of the year.
"Yes; confound it," replied my companion, grinding his teeth, "it will
blow her off! That's my luck."
In the meantime, the smoke ascended in the air and the vessel
approached nearer and nearer, until she was within, I suppose, two
miles of the island, and then it fell quite calm. My companion threw
more water on to increase the smoke, and the vessel now hauling up her
courses, I perceived that there were people on board, and while I was
arranging my ideas as to what the vessel might be, my companion cried
out--"They see us, they see us! there's hope now. Confound it, I've been
here long enough. Hurrah for old England!" and he commenced
dancing and capering about like a madman. At last he said,

"Look out and see if she sends a boat, while I go into the cabin."
"What's a boat?" said I.
"Out, you fool! tell me if you see anything,"
"Yes, I do see something," replied I. "Look at the squall coming along
the water, it will be here very soon; and see how thick the clouds are
getting up: we shall have as much wind and rain as we had the time
before last, when the birds came."
"Confound it," replied he, "I wish they'd lower a boat, at all events;"
and so saying, he went into the cabin, and I perceived that he was busy
at his bed-place.
My eyes were still fixed upon the squall, as I watched it advancing at a
furious speed on the surface of the water; at first it was a deep black
line on the horizon, but as it approached the vessel, it changed to white;
the surface of the water was still smooth. The clouds were not more
than ten degrees above the horizon, although they were thick and
opaque--but at this season of the year, these tornadoes, as I may call
them, visited us; sometimes we had one, sometimes more, and it was
only when these gusts came on that we had any rain below. On board of
the vessel--I speak now from my after knowledge--they did not appear
to be aware of the danger; the sails were all set and flapping against the
masts. At last, I perceived a small object close to the vessel; this I
presumed was the boat which my companion looked for. It was like a
young vessel close to the old one, but I said nothing; as I was watching
and wondering what effect the rising wind would have upon her, for the
observations of my companion had made me feel that it was important.
After a time, I perceived that the white sails were disappearing, and that
the forms of men were very busy, and moving on board, and the boat
went back to the side of the vessel. The fact is, they had not perceived
the squall until it was too late, for in another moment almost, I saw that
the vessel bowed down to the fury of the gale, and after that, the mist
was so great that I couldn't see her any more.
"Is she sending a boat, boy?" cried my companion.

"I can't see her," replied I; "for she is hidden by the wind."
As I said this, the tornado reached to where we stood, and threw me off
my legs to the entrance of the cabin; and with the wind came down a
torrent of rain, which drenched us, and the clouds covered the whole of
the firmament, which became dark; the lightning darted in every
direction, with peals of thunder which were deafening. I crawled into
the cabin,