Chapter 2 Chapter 2 The Shipwreck

The mist had disappeared long ago, and they finally had a clear view of the situation around the sailboat.The dark clouds are still surging, and the storm has not dissipated.But hopefully the storm will pass soon.As the ship pitched and rolled on the open sea, they always felt that the situation was as dangerous as it was at night.The sea beat against the hull of the boat one wave after another, and the splashed water fell on the children.They hugged each other tightly, for fear of being swept away by the wind and waves.A sailboat cannot withstand such a violent shock for a long time.Every time the waves hit, the hull shakes.It hadn't been stabilized since the sailboat ran aground.Bryant and Gordon stayed in the cabin to see if the water entered the cabin.In addition, they have to go out of their way to reassure their mates, especially the younger ones.

"Don't be afraid," said Bryant, "the boat is strong, and it's pretty close to shore. Wait a little longer, and we'll try to land in no time." "Then what are you waiting for?" Donagan asked. "Yeah, so what are you waiting for?" the 12-year-old boy named Wilcox interjected. "Donagan's right, what are you waiting for?" "Because the waves are too high right now, driving through the rocks will wreck the boat," Bryant replied. "What if the boat breaks?" asked Webb, who was Wilcox's age. Bryant comforted him and said, "You don't have to be afraid of this, at least not before high tide. When the storm passes, we will be fine."

Bryant was right.While the tides in the Pacific Ocean aren't terribly strong, there is a clear difference in strength between high tide and low tide, so waiting a few hours won't hurt.Especially when the wind dies down and the tide goes out, the reef is exposed, so that the sailboat runs with much less risk, and it is much easier to cross that quarter of a mile to land. While the idea was reasonable, Donagan and two or three others were not about to act on it; they were murmuring.During the entire voyage, they originally acted according to Bryant's orders, because Bryant had sailing experience after all, but they always thought in their hearts that they would go their own way just waiting for the sailboat to land.Especially in Donagan's view, he has always believed that his education level and ability to handle affairs are far better than Bryant and others.What's more, Bryant happened to be a descendant of the French, and of course these British guys were unwilling to listen to Bryant's instructions.

So Donagan, Wilcox, Webb, and Cross stood in the bow, watching the rolling tide, creating eddies that rose from wave to wave.Facing the turbulent waves in front of them, everyone secretly thought about the current situation, once the sailboat capsized, even the most experienced swimmer would be buried in the sea.In fact, it is wise to wait an hour or two before sailing.Therefore, Donagan and the others had no choice but to face reality, and obediently followed Bryant's instructions and returned to the group of friends at the stern. "The most important thing now is that we must be united and work together, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous."

"Are you asking us to listen to you in everything?" Donagan asked. "I have no other intentions," Bryant said, "I just want everyone's safety." "Bryant was right," Gordon said.He often speaks carefully and handles things calmly. "Yes! That's right!" Another two or three friends agreed.They instinctively sided with Bryant. Donagan didn't say a word anymore, he and his group of friends went to other places, waiting for the opportunity to escape. What is the meaning of that piece of land?Is it a small island in the Pacific Ocean or a continent?This question is difficult to answer.Because the sailboat is very close to the coast, you can't see a long coastline.The boat anchored in an open bay with headlands at each end.The northern cape is a high mountain, the southern cape is a long and narrow hill, and the place other than the cape seems to be surrounded by the sea.

In case this is an isolated island and their sailboat can no longer move, how can the partners escape from danger?Once the tide is high, will the ship be smashed into pieces when it hits the reef?Or, if the island is a desolate desert, and there are many desert-like islands in the Pacific Ocean, what do the partners rely on to maintain their lives and escape this catastrophe? If this is the continent, their chances of escape are much greater, because the continent is most likely South America.In that case, whether in Chile or Bolivia, rescue will certainly be available within a few days after landing, if not soon.Had you met the Indians of the Pampa, the stories of their past adventures would have made them shudder too.

But the thorniest question now is how to get the ship to shore.The weather is gradually clearing up, and the situation on the coast can be seen clearly.The beach, the cliff behind the beach, and the thicket of woods below the cliff, everything was clearly on display.Bryant even spotted a small river mouth to the right.All of this is not very attractive, but after all, the turquoise on the coast means that there is fertile land, and perhaps in places other than the cliffs, the land will be more fertile under the blowing of the sea wind. There is not a trace of human habitation on the land: no houses, huts, not even the estuaries.Even if there were Aboriginal people, they would live far from the coast, because it would be hit by the sea wind.

"I can't see a wisp of smoke," Bryant said, putting down his binoculars. "There wasn't even a boat on the beach," Moko added. "If this isn't a seaport, how can there be smoke and ships?" Donagan asked rhetorically. "It doesn't have to be a harbor," Gordon explained. "Maybe fishing boats are moored at the mouth of the river, but when the sea wind blows, maybe the owners of the boats steer them into the inland river." Gordon was right.There is no sign of a boat here.The whole sea:shore seems to be uninhabited. The tide receded gradually.It can be said that the sea breeze makes it low tide.Now that the wind was starting to die down and a northwesterly wind was blowing, they had to make all the preparations before the reef emerged to show the course.

It was nearly 7 o'clock, and everyone on board was busy getting the most important things on board to the deck, and the rest were picked up when the sea floated to the shore.There are still a lot of necessities left on board.They packed these into bags for the older boys to carry. If you want to go to the shore, you must wait for the reef to come out of the water.But after the tide recedes, can the reef be exposed to the water, and will the beach be dry?Bryant and Gordon looked out to sea anxiously.As the wind weakened, the sea gradually calmed down, and the tumbling eddies gradually receded.Now it's time to measure the water level around the reef.As long as the boat is stopped and tilted hard, the water level can be measured.But they feared that if the ship listed too much, it would capsize.For the sailboat, like all modern motorboats, was long and deep.If the boat capsizes and the water gets in the cabin before the kids have time to get out of the boat, it will be even worse.

it's a pity!The boats were swept away by the storm.Those boats are big enough to accommodate everyone on board.Bryant and others could have gone ashore in those boats and taken away many things on the broken sailboat, but now most of the things can only be abandoned.If the sailboat has been wrecked in the night, what is the use of the wreck after being bumped around in the rocks?How will the food problem be solved then?Do the partners have to wait until the food is grown on the island before they can eat?What a pity they lost so many boats! Suddenly there was a scream from the bow.Baxter made an important discovery.It turned out that the skiff had not drifted away, but was tangled in the bowsprit, and was not damaged at all.Although this small boat can only accommodate five or six people, once the tide recedes and the sailboat has no channel to dock, this small boat will come in handy.

But disagreements arose again on this issue, with Bryant and Donagan at odds.Donagan, Wilcox, and Cross had kept the boat for themselves from the moment they found it. "What are you trying to do?" Bryant asked. "Whatever we want," Wilcox told him. "Do you want to leave in that boat?" "Yes," Donagan said, "you can't stop this." "I'm going to stop Hugh," Bryant said loudly. "Me and everyone else on the sailboat will stop you." "Stay on the boat!" Donagan said dismissively. "Is that what you think?" "You'll see, I won't leave anybody alone. We'll go ashore first, and then I'll send another to bring the boat back." "What if we can't go back?" Bryant said with all his might, "What if the boat crashes into the rocks?" "Get out of the way!" Webb said, pushing Bryant aside. "Let's get the dinghy down first!" When they tried to start the boat, Bryant held on tight. "You can't go," he said loudly again. "We'll play it by ear," Donagan replied. "You can't go," Bryant said. "This boat is only for children. If the water doesn't recede, they won't be able to go ashore." "It's none of your business," Donagan said angrily. "I'm telling you, Bryant, you can't stop this." "I tell you too, Donagan, I must stop you." This sparked a dispute.Wilcox, Webb, and Cross sided with Donagan, while Baxter, Sauvis, and Garnett supported Bryant.At this time Gordon came forward to mediate.He was the oldest, and the most calm and calm when things happened.Although he supported Bryant, he was very impartial during the mediation. "Hey, Donagan, don't be so hasty in doing things! You see, the sea is so rough now, if you don't do it well, the boat will be crashed, can't you see it?" "I just can't understand how Bryant usually dictates to us." Donagan protested. "That's it! That's it!" Cross and Webb interjected. "I don't tell anyone what to do," Bryant countered, "but I don't allow anyone to think of themselves at the expense of others." "We don't think as much as you do!" said Donagan. "Bring the boat back when we land!" "The problem is we haven't landed yet!" Gordon said. "Come here, Donagan, don't be so stubborn; don't take the risk of sailing just yet, we'll see later!" It was not the first time that Gordon's mediation and persuasion came to an end.These boys did not go sailing for the time being. The tide receded several feet.Are there waterways between the reefs?Bryant stepped forward to have a look, climbed up the staystay and sat on the crossbar.According to the tips of the reefs on both sides of the sailing ship exposed to the sea, a channel passing through the reefs can be found.But because there are too many waves and swirls, it may be risky to go there by boat now.Better to wait a little longer until the tide is all out. Bryant sat on the crossbar and carefully inspected the coast in front of him.There is not a single sign of human habitation around the eight-mile-long bay. After half an hour watching from the crossbar, he came down to report what he had seen.Donagan and his supporters just listened in silence.Gordon, on the contrary, asked: "Did the boat stop at six o'clock?" "Yes," Bryant said. "How long does it usually take for the sea to ebb?" "I think about five or six hours, right, Moko?" Brian replied. "Yes, it will take about five or six hours." Moko said. Gordon pondered for a while and said, "Then the best time to sail is until 11 o'clock." "I think so too," Bryant agreed. "Well, we have to make all the preparations before then." Gordon said decisively, "Let's eat something now. If we really fall into the sea, we won't have the strength to escape until we've eaten and drank enough." This suggestion was approved by everyone, and immediate action was taken.With cakes and jams, the lads put their troubles aside, because they hadn't eaten for 24 hours, and they kept eating, as if they couldn't get enough. After a while, Bryant stepped forward to look at the reefs on the sea. The tide seems to be receding very slowly!But the water still dropped quite a bit, because the boat was heeling more and more.Moko fetched the sounding line, and measured the depth of the seabed to be 8 feet.Can the sailboat move under these conditions?He dare not imagine.In order not to alarm others, he took the opportunity to quietly tell Bryant about the situation. Bryant went over to confer with Gordon for a while.Apparently the tide had not receded as it had done on a calm day due to the influence of the northerly wind. "What?" Gordon said. "I don't know!" Bryant replied. "How useless we little children are when things have to be done by big men!" "Of course!" Gordon agreed. "But you know, there must be a way for the car to reach the mountain. Don't be discouraged! We'll be fine. We have to find a way." "Yes, we've got to figure something out. If we don't get off the sailboat before the tide comes up again, we're screwed." "It is true, and the sailboat will be wrecked. We must abandon ship anyway." "Yes, that's the case anyway!" "Can't we build a little raft?" "I thought so too, but almost all the sails and masts were swept into the sea by the storm. We couldn't remove the crossbars on the deck to build rafts, and we didn't have enough time. Now there is only this small boat. The waves are so rough. In my opinion, the best way is to wrap a rope around the reef, and then fasten the rope to the rocks on the opposite bank. Then we can all go ashore." "Who wants to wind the rope?" "I would," Bryant replied. "I'll help you!" Gordon stood up and said. "No, I can go alone." "Did you go by boat?" "You'll lose the boat that way, and save the boat for last." Before implementing this risky plan, Bryant took another precaution.There were several life buoys on board, and he put the younger ones on them.These buoys will help them stay afloat in case they do abandon the boat and the water is too deep to get ashore; and for the older companions, as long as they hold on to the ropes, they will surely will be pulled ashore. It's already 10:15.Another 45 minutes is the time when the water level is at its lowest.The water was now four or five feet deep in the bow, but it looked like it was only two or three feet deep.Because the water is crystal clear and the tops of numerous reefs stick out of the water, the waters around 60 yards away seem quite shallow. Swimming across the 60-yard sea is a very difficult task. If Bryant could really tie the rope firmly to a sharp rock on the opposite bank and use the windlass to straighten the rope, all difficulties would be solved.They can use ropes to slide packages, food and other things on the sailboat.This is a very dangerous event, and Bryant would rather take the risk himself than let others do it. He picked out a medium-sized rope, took off his clothes, and tied the rope around his waist. "Hey, everybody come this way!" Gordon shouted. "Everyone stand up and loosen the ropes." Donagan and his mates and the others stepped forward and stood ready to lower the rope slowly, easing the fall as much as possible. Seeing that Bryant was about to enter the sea, his younger brother ran out and cried, "Brother! Brother!" "Don't worry, Jack, don't worry!" Bryant replied as he got into the sea and swam desperately forward with the rope tied. Swimming 60 yards was no easy task, even in calm waters, as the waves whipped up waves between the reefs, and the upstream and downstream collided, preventing the brave boy from swimming straight ahead.When he faced the surf, he could only make a difficult detour.He swam slowly toward the shore, but he was clearly exhausted.He swam less than 20 yards down from the sailboat when he encountered a whirlpool where the current and upstream flowed together.It would be all right if he could go round the eddy or swim straight through it, for the sea was very calm over there.He tried to swim to the left, but failed, not even for a strong swimmer.He was quickly swept away by the vortex. He tried to struggle out, but was quickly swept into the middle of the sea by the vortex. "Help! Pull quickly! Pull quickly!" He shouted loudly, and then he disappeared. The people on board were in a panic. "Pull him up!" said Gordon calmly. The boys pulled desperately up the rope and had Brian on board in less than a minute.He was unconscious at the time, but soon regained consciousness in the arms of his brother. If this effort fails, what should we do next?Just wait like this?What can we wait for?Can you wait for help?Where does this rescue come from?It was past noon, and the sea water began to rise again.As the water level rose, the sea became rough again.Because it is a new moon, the tide will rise higher than the previous day.Although the wind has subsided, there is still a slight sea breeze; the sailboat may shift from the reef layer and sway.Then crashed on the rocks.Then no one will survive!And there is nothing to do. The older boys and children gathered at the stern to watch as the water rose and the huge rocks disappeared in the rapids.The wind direction changed to west wind again, and it blew towards the shore with all its heart.Due to the rising water level, the waves continued to rise and beat against the hull of the ship.By two o'clock in the afternoon the schooner had regained its heeling position; the bow began to move and bob up and down in the rocks, while the stern remained motionless.Soon the sailboat began to swing from side to side.The children hugged each other tightly, for fear of falling into the sea from the boat. Suddenly a torrent-like torrent came from the sea, lifting the stern several feet.The torrent was as high as 20 feet, whistling and surging, and the torrent covered the reef. The torrent pushed the sailboat away from the reef and moved forward, but it did not hit the reef.In less than a minute, under the pounding of a huge wave, the wrecked sailboat was washed ashore and anchored on the sand not a few hundred feet from the grove at the foot of the cliff.So the sailboat was stranded here, and the sea retreated, leaving the sailboat there.