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Updated: May 21, 2025
I will, however, send young Dicey, with his brother and sisters, and he will apply to the senior officer on the station, who will probably send a man-of-war, or some other vessel, as soon as one can be despatched." The question was put to the various members of the community, "Whether or not they would desire to remain." "Remain! to be sure I will," exclaimed Mrs Rumbelow, when she was asked.
"Any suffering we may be called on to go through seems light compared with that others have had to endure. I have sought for strength from on high, and it will not be denied me." The rain had now ceased. In spite of the gale, fires were lighted; and Mrs Rumbelow, with the aid of several of the men, set to work to get breakfast ready.
As soon as she saw the wild-fowl, she begged for a couple, and began picking them on her way back to the fire. The seals and the remainder of the birds were quickly landed, and an ample supply of their flesh was soon either boiling over the fire or roasting before it. Mrs Rumbelow prepared with the birds a more delicate meal for the ladies than the seal-flesh could afford.
Mrs Rumbelow, on hearing this, offered to go into the boat, and lecture them on the subject. "They will listen to me, Mr Shafto," she observed, "more perhaps than to others in authority over them the soldiers will, at all events. They are accustomed to me, and so are the women. As to the sailors, I'll try to make them ashamed of themselves, if they hold out."
"We will soon put a stop to that," observed the boatswain, seizing a rope's end. He was not long in hunting out the fellows. The water continuing to rise, the poor women and children were now collected on the poop cabins. There they sat, crouching down on the deck, holding their children in their arms, and hiding their pallid faces. Mrs Rumbelow was the only one who remained calm.
The calm continuing, and the men being sufficiently refreshed, Shafto, after consulting with Bollard, resolved to row on till nightfall in the direction of the land they hoped to reach. The order was given, "Out oars," and the boats began to glide smoothly over the calm surface. When the men began to grow tired, Mrs Rumbelow was ever ready to cheer them up.
There's more than she can want, and I hope that you ladies will take the rest. I must be off again, because I have to bring some fish for Mrs Rumbelow to cook for your breakfast." Without waiting to receive the thanks of the ladies, the lad hurried away. Mrs Rumbelow boiled some of the seals' milk, of which there was a good supply, with sugar, in order to preserve it.
There were several sergeants, but only one, Serjeant Rumbelow, whose name it is necessary to record. He was accompanied by his wife, who was a person well capable of keeping order, not only among the soldiers' wives, but among the soldiers themselves. She was a woman of powerful frame and voice, tall and gaunt, and of a dauntless spirit.
At first Mrs Morley seemed scarcely to understand what was said, but in a short time she recovered herself, her daughters doing their utmost to console her; and Mrs Rumbelow at length persuaded her to return to the shelter of the awning. Before lying down to take the rest he so much needed, Harry ordered the provisions to be served out. On searching for the water-casks, only three were found.
The boatswain and a large party took charge of the unloading of the boats and putting up the huts, while the remainder, armed with all the axes which could be mustered, were directed to cut down wood for fuel. "And, please sir, what are we to do?" asked Mrs Rumbelow; "there are other hands here willing to work." "I think the best thing you can do is to look after the children," answered Harry.
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