Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 20
General
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 20
Scottish Borders (Scotland) -- Fiction
"A little before sunset we came under the north-western line of rocks,
whose long shadows concealed us from distant observation; and, entering
the passage through them, which I had so often traversed, we soon
arrived at the place where my bark was lying snug in the secluded
island. At the sight of her, the seamen were delighted. They all leaped
on board simultaneously, and began tumultuously to examine her in every
part. 'To work, lads,' cried I, 'that she may be made ready for sea as
soon as possible.' To work accordingly we fell. Fires were kindled,
pitch melted, oakum, and all things necessary, were found in my stores.
The work was continued during the night--when the ebbing tide left her
high and dry--by the light of torches of pinewood, smeared with tar,
which were stuck around, or borne in the hands of the father and
daughter; and, after seven or eight hours of unremitted labour, the
outer planking of the vessel was carefully cauked, and her hull,
thoroughly repaired in every part. Leaving the carpenter and two other
hands to keep watch and repair the water casks, the rest of us turned in
to enjoy a few hours of sleep. The light of day beheld us again at work;
and several hours behoved still to elapse before the masts could be
hoisted, the sails bent, and the running rigging rove. Meanwhile, an
anchor was carried out to sea, and the cable laid over the windlass; my
long hoarded stores of biscuit, junk, and dried fish, were put on board,
with a few culinary utensils, a sufficiency of loose timber for fuel,
and of ballast for trimming the vessel; and the water casks, filled at a
neighbouring fountain by the father and daughter, were rolled down to
the beach, one by one. The work being nearly over in every department,
we continued, some on board, and some on shore, patiently to await the
rising of the tide, now nearly at the full; and the father had very
judiciously thought of climbing a neighbouring height to reconnoitre. On
gaining the summit, he was observed to return in all haste, and
seemingly in great terror. The daughter was running off to meet him, but
arrested by me, she was given in charge to her old protector; while I
cried out--'To the water casks, one and all.' So, while they were in the
act of being swung on board, she continued to struggle and to scream in
Tom's arms. The poor girl's agitation proceeded from an interesting
cause; but it was very provoking to be unnecessarily deprived, at such a
time, of a valuable hand. However, the last water cask was safely
stowed, when the father arrived with the alarming intelligence, that a
number of boats, full of men, were on the east coast of the island; and
that a party, landed from one of them, were in the act of ascending the
opposite acclivity. The daughter was on the point of springing into his
arms; but I had her very unceremoniously swung on board, calling her an
unmanageable vixen. The father, and all the rest of us immediately
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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