The Voyage of the Steadfast

Voyage of the "Steadfast", by
W.H.G. Kingston

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Title: The Voyage of the "Steadfast" The Young Missionaries in the
Pacific
Author: W.H.G. Kingston
Release Date: October 17, 2007 [EBook #23072]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE
VOYAGE OF THE "STEADFAST" ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

The Voyage of the "Steadfast"--The Young Missionaries in the Pacific,
by W.H.G. Kingston.
CHAPTER ONE.

CAPTAIN GRAYBROOK'S HOME.
A heavy gale was blowing, which shook the windows of the little
drawing-room in which Mrs Graybrook and her daughter Hannah were
seated at their work.
Their cottage was situated close to the sea on the north coast of Wales,
so that from it, on a clear day, many a tall ship bound for Liverpool, or
sailing from that port, could be seen through the telescope which stood
ever ready pointed across the water.
A lamp burning on the table, for it was night, shed its light on the
comely features and matronly figure of the elder lady, as she busily
plied her needle, while it showed that those of Hannah, a fair and
interesting-looking girl just growing into womanhood, were unusually
pale. Every now and then she unconsciously let her work drop on her
lap while, with her eyes turned towards the window and lips apart, she
seemed to be listening for some sound which her mother's ear had not
noticed.
A glance into the little room might have shown why both mother and
daughter should feel anxious when tempests were raging and the sea
was tossing with angry waves.
The mantel-piece was ornamented with some beautiful branches of
coral, several large and rare shells, and two horns of the narwhal, or
sea-unicorn, fixed against the wall, and above it was the picture of a
ship under all sail, with boats hoisted up along her sides, and flags
flying at her mastheads and peak. On the top of a bookcase stood the
perfect model of a vessel; another part of the wall was adorned with
Indian bows and spears and clubs, arranged in symmetrical order; while
one side of the room was hung with pictures, in which boats in chase of
the mighty monsters of the deep formed the chief subjects, or which
represented scenes on the coasts of far-distant lands.
Hannah had more than once risen and gone to the window, across
which-- for the weather was still warm--the curtain had only partially
been drawn.

Another fierce blast shook the whole house.
"Oh, mother, what a dreadful night it is!" she exclaimed, at length. "I
fancied I heard the sound of a distant gun; it must come from some ship
in distress. What can she do if embayed off our shore in this terrific
gale?"
Mrs Graybrook looked up from her work.
"I was thinking, my child, how thankful we should be that the Steadfast
has long ago been far away from this. Your father and Harry are
enjoying, I hope, smooth seas and gentle breezes, and may such, I pray,
follow them wherever they go."
"I trust that they are, mother; but still I cannot help feeling anxious on
such a night as this, with the wind howling and raging round us, when I
think in what condition a ship must be placed, exposed on the wild sea
to its fury."
"Your father has often said that he cares little for the heaviest gale,
provided he has plenty of sea-room; and a better-found ship and
stauncher crew than his, he declares, does not sail out of the port of
Liverpool."
"I know that he has great faith in the Steadfast's good qualities; but
even the finest ship may meet with accidents; and oh, how many are the
dangers she must have to run before she returns home!" said Hannah,
with a sigh.
"Your father is a careful navigator, my dear, and he has vigilant officers.
His first mate is a tried hand, and he considers Leonard Champion, his
second mate, young as he is, an excellent seaman and fully capable of
taking charge of a ship; he hopes, indeed, to get him the command of
one when he returns, though he would be sorry to lose him."
"I know that, mother; and I am wrong to express my fears," answered
Hannah. "Still I cannot help feeling for the poor seamen who may be
battling with the tempest to-night; and that makes me more anxious,

perhaps, about those who are far