The Castaways of the Flag by Jules Verne Read Free Book Online Page B

if this
land were no more than a rocky island, if the boat were obliged to resume her
painful course for more long days, looking for a continent or an island where
existence might be possible— what then?
     
                But all felt
hope reviving again. Instead of the boat that was threatened by squalls and
tossed about by the waves and half filled by the sea, they would at least feel
firm ground under their feet. They would install themselves in some cave to
shelter there from bad weather. Perhaps they would find a fertile soil, with
edible roots and fruits. And there they would be able to await the passing of a
ship, without need to fear hunger or thirst The ship would see their signals,
would come to the rescue of the castaways—all that and more they saw through
the mirage of hope!
     
                Did the coast
thus seen belong to some group of islands situated beyond the Tropic of
Capricorn? That was what the boatswain and Fritz discussed in undertones. Jenny
and Dolly had resumed their seats in the bottom of the boat, and the little boy
was sleeping in Mrs. Wolston's arms. Captain Gould, eaten up with fever, had
been carried back under the poop, and Jenny was soaking compresses in cold
water to lay upon his head.
     
                Fritz
propounded many theories, none of them very encouraging. He was pretty sure
that the Flag had sailed a long way to the east during the week after
the mutiny. In that case the boat would have been cast adrift in that part of
the Indian Ocean where the charts show only a few islands, Amsterdam and Saint
Paul, or, farther south, the archipelago of Kerguelen. Yet even in these
islands, the former deserted, the latter inhabited, life would be assured,
salvation certain, and—who could say?—some day or other they might be able to
get home from there.
     
                Besides, if
since the 27th of September, the ship's boat had been carried northwards by the
breeze from the south, it was just possible that this land was part of the Australian
continent. If they got to Hobart Town, Melbourne, or Adelaide, they would be
safe. But if the boat landed in the south-west portion, in King George's Bay or
by Cape Leeuwin, a country inhabited by hordes of savages, the position would
be more serious. Here at sea there was at least a chance of falling in with a
ship bound for Australia or some of the Pacific Islands.
     
                "Anyhow,
Jenny," said Fritz to his wife, who had taken his place by her side again,
"we must be a long way—hundreds of miles— from New Switzerland."
     
                "No
doubt," Jenny answered, "but it is something that land is there! What
your family did in your island, and what I did on the Burning Rock, we can do
again, can't we?
     
                After being
tried as we have been, we have a right to have confidence in our own energy. Two
of Jean Zermatt's sons can't lose heart.''
     
                "My dear wife,"
Fritz replied, "if ever I were to falter I should only have to listen to you!
No; we will not fail, and we shall be splendidly backed up. The boatswain is a
man on whom to rely utterly. As for the poor captain –"
     
                "He will
get over it, he will get well, Fritz, dear," Jenny said confidently.
"The fever will drop. When we get him to land he will be better attended
to, and will pick up his strength, and we shall find our leader in him once
more."
     
                "Ah,
Jenny, dear," exclaimed Fritz, pressing her to his heart, "may God
grant that this land can offer us the resources that we need! I don't ask for
as much as we found in New Switzerland; we cannot expect that. The worst of all
would be to encounter savages, against whom we have no defence, and to be
obliged to put to sea again without getting fresh provisions. It would be
better to land upon a desert shore even only an island. There will be fish in
its waters and shells