The Voyages of the "Ranger" and "Crusader": And what befell their Passengers and Crews.Kingston, William Henry Giles
General
The Voyages of the "Ranger" and "Crusader": And what befell their Passengers and Crews.
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Seafaring life -- Juvenile fiction
The Diceys, however, and Mr Paget, as well as Tom Loftus and Jack
Ivyleaf, resolved to sail in the "Young Crusader." Though Captain
Westerway warned them that the voyage might prove boisterous, and not
without danger, still Charles was anxious to reach the colony, that he
might begin the life of a settler, and write home to relieve the anxiety
of his family. The greater number of the emigrants, however, begged to
remain, unwilling again to encounter the dangers of the sea, especially
when they compared the size of the "Young Crusader" with that of the
large ship which had brought them to the island. She had come up to the
settlement in order to land such stores as could be spared, and to take
others, as well as her intended passengers, on board. As Harry surveyed
her, he was well pleased with her appearance. She was a stout little
schooner of about 30 tons, and he felt satisfied to entrust his friends
on board her, especially under the guidance of such experienced seamen
as Captain Westerway and Bill Windy.
CHAPTER TWENTY.
CONCLUSION.
THE "YOUNG CRUSADER" SAILS--VOYAGE ALONG THE COAST--A STORM--SCHOONER
PUTS INTO HARBOUR--FATE OF THE MUTINEERS--THE "YOUNG CRUSADER" PROCEEDS
ON HER VOYAGE--STORMY PASSAGE--NEW ZEALAND SIGHTED--ENTERS A BEAUTIFUL
HARBOUR--HOSTILE APPEARANCE OF NATIVES--MR PAGET ADVISES FLIGHT--THE
SCHOONER MAKES SAIL--ESCAPING FROM THE HARBOUR--PURSUED BY CANOES--
MAN-OF-WAR APPEARS--THE CANOES GIVE UP CHASE--ON BOARD THE "RANGER"--
GOOD NEWS FOR THE SETTLEMENT--HOW THE "RANGER" WAS SAVED--RETURN TO THE
AUCKLANDS--ALL SAFE ON BOARD "RANGER"--HARRY OBTAINS HIS REWARD--OUR
FRIENDS SETTLE IN NEW ZEALAND--CONCLUSION.
The whole of the little community, men, women, and children, collected
on the shore of the bay to witness the "Young Crusader" take her
departure. Loud cheers burst from their throats as the anchor was
tripped, the sails set, and with a fine westerly breeze she glided down
the harbour.
Emily and May, with Mrs Clagget, stood at the stern, waving their
handkerchiefs, the Miss Morleys returning the salute with tears in their
eyes, for they could not help thinking of the dangers to which their
friends would be exposed on board the little vessel.
"Good-bye, kind friends, good-bye," cried Mrs Clagget. "We will send
you relief; don't be afraid. It won't be our fault if your condition is
not made known." She continued, at the top of her voice, uttering these
and similar expressions long after it could possibly have been heard by
those on shore.
Flagstaff-hill was rounded, and they could look into the small harbour
where the schooner had been built. On its shores stood the huts they
had occupied, with the reef before them, on which a small remnant of the
wreck was still visible. They soon reached the mouth of the sound, the
wind enabling them to haul up and stand to the northward, parallel with
the coast. They had, however, to keep some distance from it, to avoid
the reef which ran out from the shore.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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