Taking Tales. Instructive and entertaining reading. Edited by W. H. G. K, etc

Front matter

BOBBY AND KATE IN DANGER OF inE RISING TIDE. Pliqe 38. TAKING TALES. Instructive and Entertaining Reading, EDITED BY AV. H. G. KINGSTON. iS-fcucrttg Illustrations. LONDON : GRIFFITH, FARRAN, OKEDEN & WELSH, CORNER OF ST. PAUL*S CHURCHYARD ; AND SYDNEY, N.S.W. CONTENTS. 1 . Life on the Coast ; or, The Little Fihher Girl. 2. Adventures of Two Orphans in London. 3. Early Days on Board a Man-of-War. 4. Walter the Foundling : a Tale of Olden Times. 5. The Tenants of Sunntside Farm. 6. HOLMWOOD ; OR, THE NEW ZEALAND SETTLER. OK, THE LITTLE FISHER GIRL

Chapter I

" If any boat can live in yonder sea, ours can ; and I for one can't look on while our fellow-creatures are perishing, without trying to save them. Come, lads, who'll go with me ?" These words were spoken by Paul Keavin, a tall, fine-looking old fisherman, who, with several younger men and boys was standing on the top of a cliff on the east coast of England. He pointed seaward with one hand, while with the other he held his spy-glass, through which he had been looking at a large ship which lay far off fast on a sandbank. A strong gale was blowing; the ocean in every direction was covered Avith white-crested waves, but a J OR, all around the hapless ship the water appeared one mass of foam. The sea was dashing furiously against her ; now and then, as it washed over her, almost hiding her from sight.

One of the masts had gone, another followed, even before old Keavin ceased speaking. •' I'll go, father, if you think that the Sea Gidl will live; but there are not many other men I'd trust to," exclaimed a stout fresh-coloured looking man in the prime of life. He glanced round the group near him : -- What say you, lads ? " Rob Keavin, Paul's only son, had always followed his father, in foul weather as well as in fair, and had never found that he had been led astray. They had gone through many dangers and difficulties together, but Paul's judgment and courage had always led them out safe again. " Yes, of course I'll go then," cried Tom Rymer, Rob's brother-in-law. -'And I, too," said Jerry Westaway, a merry, light-hearted young man, Tom's friend and constant boat-mate. Several other men at once offered to man the boat.

"May I go, grandfather ? " chimed in, as the last had spoken, a stout little chap, about twelve years old or so. " Tony and I can pull an oar together, and he wants to go, too." The face of Tony Gull who was standing close to Bobby was full of fun and humour, but there was a look about him which showed that he could dare and do as much as any boy of his age. He was not older than Bob. THE LITTLE FISHER GIRL. " No, no," answered Rob Keavin ; "you youngsters stay on shore. You'll have plenty of chances in your time to do what we've got to do. No use risking your young lives yet ; you may help bring down the and the gear. Bear a hand, lads." Tony now looked towards his own father, who was one of the fishermen who had volunteered to go. Anthony Gull a rough weather-beaten looking man, shook his head.

" Stay at home, and look after thy mother, lad. If we were to be lost what would she do without thee?" he answered ina quiet voice, glancing affectionately at his son. The fishing village of Sandover, to Avhich the speakers belonged, was situated on the sides of a valley, or chine, which opened through the cliffs down to the sandy beach. Some of the cottages were built close down on the beach, and Avere mostly con structed of wood thrown up from the numerous wrecks .vkich had occurred on that dangerous coast. Others were perched up on the sides of the valley, wherever space could be found, up to the very top. Some were rather larger and neater than others, but they were all much of the same character, showing that no great man dwelt among them. Nets and other fishing gear were stretched out on stakes on the beach, and there were several boats of different sizes hauled up out of the reach of the sea.

There Avas one large boat nearer the Avater than the rest, round which several people were now collecting. The men mostly had on sou'westers, Flushing coats, and other foul weather garments, to assist in keeping them dry. Their boat was of a description knoAvn on that coast as a yawl, or beach-boat. She was up wards of thirty feet long, with high sides and sharp at both ends, and capable of going through a great deal of sea— as the sailors say, that is able to float among rough tossing waves. The boat was quickly got SBady. There was brief time for leave-taking, though the poor women well knew the danger those going in her were about to run. The men, with bare legs, placing their shoulders under the boat, ran her quickly doAvn the wooden way on which she rested into the water, then seizing their oars, shoved her off through the surf.

A reef of rocks ran off on one side of the bay, and forming a natural harbour assisted to break the force of the waves which came rolling in from the Northern Ocean. Had it not been for this, it would have been scarcely possible to launch the boat with the heavy gale then blowing on the shore. Off the coast of Norfolk a line of sand-banks, running in the same direction as the shore, extends for a long distance. There are openings in them through which vessels can pass, and inside them is tolerably secure anchorage except in very heavy gales. The position of the sand-banks is marked by vessels anchored securely close to them. The vessels are painted red so that they can be seen in the day-time, even in foggy weather, and at night bright lights are hoisted on board them. The passages through the sand-banks are also marked by large floating casks anchored, and painted red, or some other colours bj TnE LITTLE FISHER GIRL. which they can be distinguished, It was on the northern end of the line of sand-banks that the ship had struck.

Martha Keavin and her sister-in-law, Mary Billing, Paul's only daughter, and Mrs. Gull and several other women stood on the beach and watched the boat with anxious eyes as she proceeded seaAvard on her errand of mercy. She had to go round the extreme north end of the sands to get to where the ship lay. At first, though the sea was very rough, the boat was partly protected by the sand-bank. Having got some distance from the land, sail was set that she might stand to the northward. In a short time after this she felt the full fury of the gale. Noav her dark tanned sail was almost hid from sight; noAV it appeared on the top of a white foaming wave. The women, however, well kneAv that the dangerous part of the adventure was yet to come. At length she got so far off that they could no longer discern her with their naked eyes.

Still they remained on the beach talking to each other, though they Avell knew that it must be a long time before their anxiety could be relieved. At such a time, however, they could not help recollecting the many accidents that had occurred along the coast. Mrs. Gull's father and brother had been lost going off to a wreck ten years before. William Billing's father had been drowned the winter before that ; indeed there was not one of the women collected who had not lost a relation or acquaintance at some time or other. T hey Avaited and waited, but the boatAvas not to be seen. Some of them went up to the top of the cliff, but the wind blew so strong that they could scarcely stand there, even holding on to the stunted trees which grew near the edge with their tops all bent down towards the land, as if they were trying to escape from their exposed position.

Most of the poor women had to go back to their cottages to look after their younger children, or to attend to other domestic duties ; but they Avere continually running out to learn if the boat was in sight, but each time they had to return with their hearts sick with dread and anxiety. Evening was now coming on and the dangers to which those they loved were exposed Avould be in creased by the darkness. The gloom was increasing, the sky grew darker and darker, and the foaming tops of the tossing waves became whiter and whiter. At length some thought they saw the sail of the looked-for boat in the far distance ; but a thick pour of rain came down and hid it from their sight, and before the rain cleared off the night had closed in, and no object beyond the bay could be discerned on the stormy ocean.

Meantime the Sea Gull with her brave crew pro ceeded on their errand of mercy. She first stood to the northward along the coast ; then, when she could weather the north end of the sand-bank, she went about, and stood out to sea. The spray in showers broke over her, but she held her course bravely amid the tossing waves, rising over them as buoyantly as the sea-bird Avhose name she bore. Now keeping away, she stood to the south towards the wreck. Old Paul Keavin kept at the helm. " She is a large ship, and must have many souls on board," he observed to his crew. " It is to be hoped that they will remain by her. If they attempt to leave in their own boats they will be all lost. Heaven have mercy on them ! " The yawl was now nearing the wreck. Already the waves iu their fury had knocked away a large portion of the after-part of the vessel.

So thick was the spray which burst every moment over her, that it was difficult to make out if there was anybody still on the wreck. Paul began to fear that their efforts had been in vain, and that the sea had already swept all the people from her decks. The sail Avas lowered, and now the Sea Gull cautiously approached. It required all the strength her crew possessed to keep her from being driven against the wreck. Paul stood up in the stern of the yawl, which was towards the ship, that he might the better see if any one was on board. " I fear much that the crew have taken to the boats ; and, if so, they have all perished," he exclaimed. " We'll hail the wreck though; may be some are still on board." The fishermen shouted with all their might. No voices replied ; still Paul was not satisfied.

Since the boat came out the wind had dropped, and the sea had somewhat gone down. The ship had struck on a point of the sand, and he saAV that by good Sr LIFE ON 'IHE COAST ; OR, management the boat might be dropped in, so thaV an active man might spring on board. His son offered to make the attempt. There was great danger, for it was only now and then that he could make the leap. Paul watched for a proper moment. As the boat floated by, Rob, seizing a rope, sprang on board. Once more the boat had to pull off from the Avreck. For some time she lay tossing on the foam ing waves, all on board looking out anxiously for Rob. He did not appear. " Can he have been Avashed overboard ?" thought Paul. His brave heart felt a pang of alarm. There was a shout from the wreck. The boat Avas again dropped in, and Rob appeared, carrying in his arms what looked like a bundle of coloured calico.

Above the bundle was seen a dark face. " I have got a sort of a woman here, with a young child ; but she won't let it go. I must jump with both of them together, but she is not very big," shouted Rob. " Standby to catch us, mates." He was holding on by a rope with one hand as he spoke, while he supported the foreign woman with the other arm. The woman held a child closely clasped to her bosom. She neither spoke nor cried out. Her only thought seemed to be how best she might pre serve the child. As the boat once more dropped in towards the wreck, Rob again tried to take the child from the Avoman, but she only clasped it tighter to her bosom. ** Well, it can't be helped," he exclaimed. " Look out, mates." He sprang towards the boat, barely reaching it, though by himself, or with tbe -child alone, he might have done so with ease.

His father and Tom Rymer, hauled him and the woman and child into the boat, while the rest pulled off with all their might clear of the surf. " I am afraid the woman is dead," cried Rob, who had been supporting the poor creature, a small black woman with a shrivelled face, while his father and the rest of the crew were attending to the boat. "But here is a precious little beauty; she is as fair as the other is dark." Whether the black woman's head had been struck asshe fell into the boat, or whether alarm and anxiety had affected her, it was difficult to say. She heaved a deep sigh, and then fell back. She had done her work faithfully ; she had preserved the child committed to her charge, and had placed it in safety. Rob in vain tried to restore her to life. It was some time before he was sure she was dead.

He took the little child in his arms, wrapping it up in the dryest coat he could find ; and then placed the body of the black woman, covering her face, at the bottom of the boat. " There wasn't another soul alive aboard but this little child, and that poor woman," said Rob. "By her look the ship is a foreigner, and we may be sure the crew attempted to get off in the boats ; but why they left the woman and child it's hard to say. God ordered it that the child's life might be saved. Curious that this weak little creature should be the only thing kept alive out of all on board." The Sea Gull now pulled away from the wreck. n LIFE ON THE COAST; OR, It was remarkable that scarcely had they done so, than down again came the gale with greater fury than ever ; the tide turned, and the sea again getting up, it would have been impossible to have got on board the wreck.

A long time had passed since the Sea Gull had left the shore, and night was no av coming on. She was just about to return, when a vessel was seen standing towards the land. " She must be a stranger or she would never come near our coast in this sort of weather," observed Paul. They watched her for some time, till the quick-coming darkness hid her from sight. Presently a rocket was thrown up and a light burned. It was a signal for a pilot. Rob Keavin had a branch license. He would rather have returned home with his little charge. ** We must go to her help," said Paul, " or she too may get cast away." The crew, in spite of what they had done, pulled out bravely against the heavy sea and wind. The captain of the ship Avelcomed them as they dre av near, and asked Rob, who leaped on board, if he would pilot the ship to the Thames, promising a handsome reward.

" You'll take the little creature to Martha, father,' shouted Rob. " Mind, she's ours." Leaving the stranger, the Sea Gull once more, amid the darkness of night, stood towards the land.

Chapter II

" Here they are, mother ! here they are ! The boat has come!" shouted Bobby Keavin rushing into the cottage. " Grandfather has got something he's bringing up. He told me to run on and tell you." " Why, if it isn't as beautiful a little girl as ever I have seen," exclaimed Martha Keavin, as her father in-law placed the infant in her arms. " How did you get it ? " The old man told her. "And where is Rob? where is my husband?" she asked anxiously. " He has gone to pilot a strange vessel into the Thames, and he charged you to take care of this little foundling. It's a helpless orphan, no doubt of that, and God will bless you for watching over it." " That I will, with all my heart," said Martha, pressing the little creature to her bosom. It was a fair-haired, blue-eyed child, with good features, but now pale and sickly.

It looked up with an anxious, inquiring glance into Martha's face; then satisfied with the kind and gentle expression of her features, again closed its eyes. "It's half starved — it wants food," she said hurrying into the cottage, where she quickly supplied its wants. The body of the poor black nurse was brought on Bhore, and after the usual inquest was buried. Those who saw hei said that she was an African black, but LIFE ON THE CO..ST ; OR, whether she had come from the West Indies, or South America, or from Africa itself, it was not knoAvn. In vain every endeavour was made to discover the name of the ship which had been wrecked. No bodies were washed on shore at Sandover Bay, though some miles down the coast the corpse of a foreign seaman was found, supposed to have belonged to the Avrecked ship.

A few articles such as come from hot countries were here and there washed on shore, so that it was generally supposed that the ship was a foreigner, and that no other human being but the little girl had escaped from the wreck. Rob was absent for some time ; he had received a handsome reward for piloting the ship into the Thames, and he was in good spirits. By the time he came back the little sea-maiden, as they called her, was running about with the bright roses in her cheeks, and her eyes sparkling with life and spirits. She could not speak any language her new Mends under stood, though she talked away fast enough by herself, and seemed surprised that they could not answer her. When they asked her what her name was, she always replied Katy. This made them think that she un derstood English, though she could not speak it.

She very quickly, however, learnt to do so. Rob and Martha then thought that she might be able to tell them who she was, but by that time she had forgotten all about the matter, and did not knoAv how she came to be on board the ship, or where she had come from. All agreed, as she grew up, that she Avas one of the brightest, merriest, most cheerful little icreatures in existence ; so good and gentle too, so obedient to Rob and Martha, and to Paul es pecially. It was beautiful to see the affection the child bore to the old man, and he loved her as much as if she had been his own granddaughter. Bobby, too, perfectly doated on her, and he Avould have gone through fire and Avater to serve her, yet he looked upon her as something far above himself ; he could not tell why, but he felt it to be so.

His little Katy, the maid of the sea, became one of the inhabitants of SandoA*er Bay, and, contented with her lot, learned to look on herself as the child of Rob and Martha Keavin. The fishing population of the east coast of Eng land are generally industrious, though they are called by some a rough lot ; that is by those who only look at their outsides. They follow three styles of fishing, with traAvls, drift-nets, and lines. Paul Keavin and Rob and Anthony Gull were part-owners of a lugger employed in the herring and mackerel fishery. She had three masts, but one was a very short one right aft, on which to set the mizen when she lay-to near the nets. When these fish Avere out of season, they shipped on board a Yarmouth trawler or smack, a mueh larger, one-masted vessel of about fifty tons.

These trawling smacks fish in large fleets, often a hundred together, a long way off the coast, a hundred and two hundred miles. They are out in all weather right through the winter, and it must be a very heavy gale which drives them into harbour before they have been out their usual six weeks or two months. io ; OR, It was now, however, the herring season, and Paul Keavin's lugger, the Nancy, lay in the bay ready for sea. Anthony Gull, Tom Rymer, Jerry Westa way, Bobby Keavin, Tony Gull and others, were busily employed in carrying the nets on board their vessel ; there were no less than 130. Each net was about 17 yards long, and 8 deep ; and when used all are joined together. The nets are fastened along their upper edge by short pieces of line a few inches apart to the backropes, to which corks are secured, in order that that part of the net may be kept uppermost.

When the nets are united they form what is called a train, fleet, or drift of nets, extending upwards of 2000 yards, or a mile and a quarter. The depth to which the nets are sunk is regulated by ropes seven or eight yards long, called "seizings," two of which from each net are made fast to a stout warp, running the Avhole length of the train ; the warp itself being supported near the surface by small buoys called bowls. The warp takes the strain off the nets, and prevents their loss in case they should be fouled and cut by a vessel passing over them. The size of the meshes of these nets is about an inch square or rather larger. Mackerel nets have larger meshes, and are not so deep but very much longer, extending for a distance of two miles and a half. These nets Avhen cast are alloAved to drift Avith the tide, when the fish swim ming against them run their heads through the meshes, and as their gills are open they cannot draw them back, while their bodies are too large to pass through.

When they are drawn out of the water, as then* gills then close, they are easily shaken into the boat. It was about four hours after mid-day that the nets and a supply of salt for preserving the fish, and the provisions being on board, the Nancy's anchor was tripped, and with the wind off the land, she stood out to sea. Bobby and Tony formed part of her crew, they being apprenticed to old Paul. The sea was calm, and there was just enough wind to send the luggei through the water at the rate of five or six miles an hour. It Avas Monday. Paul proposed to fish all the week, by which time it was hoped the vessel Avould be full. She would then return to the shore, though not to Sandover, but to Yarmouth, Harwich, or the Thames, or some port Avhere a market could be found for his produce, which would be either sold on the beach or to a master fish-curer.

Some of the vessels were under engagements to sell the whole of tlieir fish to certain curers, who prepared them for the market. The Nancy stood on till she was nearly twenty miles away from the coast. "Now, lads, we'll shoot the nets," said Paul ; and just before the sun went down, the Nancy was kept before the wind with just enough sail set to keep her clear of the nets as they were thrown over her side, fastened together as has been described. When all the nets were overboard, or shot, about IT B ', OR, fifteen fathoms more of warp were paid out, and by this the lugger was swung round, and rode head to wind, a small mizea being set to keep her in that position. The strain from the vessel served to keep the net extended, and the whole, vessel and nets together, drifted along with the tide.

During the day, the herrings keep very much at the bottom, or in a considerable depth of water, but as night closes in, if the weather be favourable, they become more active, and swimming near the surface strike against the net set to catch them. The lugger was provided with a capstern, and after the nets had been clown about two hours, the warps to Avhich the nets were fastened were hauled in. The first nets had a good many fish in them, so the whole train was hauled on board, and the fish shaken out into the hold. The Nancy then stood back some way, and the nets Avere once more shot as before. Directly they were down, several of the crew went down into the hold, and began to salt and pack the herrings in the lockers prepared for the purpose on each side of the vessel. For the two hours after the nets were first shot, .he crew had an idle time, and were able to read, or talk, or sing.

After that, the greater part of the people were busy the whole night through, if the fishing was successful, either hauling in the nets, or salting and packing the fish. Sometimes there was an interruption by their getting near some other nets, (vhen there was much danger of their becominc fouled. The only way to avoid this was for one boatis to haul up her nets. Often Paul Keavin to avoid a quarrel would do this, even though his net being tho first down he had the right to remain where he was. " My lads," he used to say, when his son and Gull and others complained to him, "there was One who came down on earth that He might show us how to live. He consorted a great deal with fishermen, and I am sure this is the way He would have told them to act. Do everything you can to avoid a quarrel ; in so doing, you will be obeying your Lord and Master, and pleasing Him, and you will also be the gainer in the end, even in this world."

Paul Keavin practised Avhat he preached, and he was never known to have a quarrel with any oi' his brother fishermen about fouling nets. " Even if we had not a higher law, there is every reason why we should keep at peace Avith our fellow* men. Life, in the first place, is far too short for quarreling; and then it always comes in quarrels that there are no gainers, and all are losers. You have heard tell what happened down in the west country ? " "No." " Then I'll tell you. There are two places ; one is called Gossan Haven, and the other Mevagissey. The people of these t avo places were ahvays having quarrels. One year, there was a vast quantity of pilchards on the coast, Avhich as you know, they catch with seines. The men of the two places each enclosed a large shoal of fish in their nets one evening, and as they could not land them that night. b ; OR, they anchored their nets, and left them, intending to haul them the next morning.

The men of Gossan, who had 2onghad a wicked spite against their neighbours, thought that they would be revenged on them. Getting up before dawn, they went down, thinking to cut the Mevagissey nets so as to let the fish es cape. They cut as they intended, and away went the whole shoal of pilchards. When they had done the wicked deed, and were just going to haul in their own net, as they supposed, — " ' Hillo ! ' cried one, - what mark is this ? ' " * Whew ! ' cried another. * It's curious hke ours.' "When they came to examine a little nearer, as the light increased, they found that the tide had made the nets to change places, and that they had cut their own nets instead of their neighbours'." " Serve them right," cried Gull and the other men on board the Nancy. " Very true, my sons," observed Paul.

" It is easy enough to see that the Gossan men were wrong ; but we must take care that we don't go and do anything of the same sort ; you've heard of trying to pull the mote out of your brother's eye, and not seeing how to pull the beam out of your own eye." It was a trying life for seven or eight men to be shut up from one end of the week to the other on board a little craft like the Nancy. A fisherman's walk is spoken of as two steps and overboard. The crew of the Nancy had no more than that, nor had the creAvs of a hundred other similar craft belonging to the coast. .0 The Nancy had been out about four days, when, aa she was lying-to waiting for the evening to shoot her nets, a French-looking lugger was seen standing towards her. "Hand the glass here, Bobby," said Rob to his son ; " What can she be ? she wants to speak us it seems."