The Survivors of the Chancellor Read online

Page 16


  "But where are we?" I asked at length.

  "The land is there," said Curtis, pointing toward the west.

  We all stared at the captain as though he were mocking us: no land was in sight, and the raft, just as ever, was the center of a watery waste. Yet our senses had not deceived us; the water we had been drinking was perfectly fresh.

  "Yes," repeated the captain, "land is certainly there, not more than twenty miles to leeward."

  "What land?" inquired the boatswain.

  "South America," answered Curtis, "and near the Amazon; no other river has a current strong enough to freshen the ocean twenty miles from shore!"

  CHAPTER LVII

  LAND AHOY!

  JANUARY 27 continued. -- Curtis, no doubt, was right. The discharge from the mouth of the Amazon is enormously large, but we had probably drifted into the only spot in the Atlantic where we could find fresh water so far from land. Yet land undoubtedly was there, and the breeze was carrying us onward slowly but surely to our deliverance.

  Miss Herbey's voice was heard pouring out fervent praise to Heaven, and we were all glad to unite our thanksgivings with hers. Then the whole of us (with the exception of Andre and his father, who remained by themselves together at the stern) clustered in a group, and kept our expectant gaze upon the horizon.

  We had not long to wait. Before an hour had passed, Curtis leaped in ecstasy and raised the joyous shout of "Land ahoy!"

  . . . . .

  My journal has come to a close.

  I have only to relate, as briefly as possible, the circumstances that finally brought us to our destination.

  A few hours after we first sighted land the raft was off Cape Magoari, on the island of Marajo, and was observed by some fishermen, who, with kind-hearted alacrity picked us up and tended us most carefully. They conveyed us to Para, where we became the objects of unbounded sympathy.

  The raft was brought to land in latitude 0° 12' north, so that since we abandoned the Chancellor we had drifted at least fifteen degrees to the southwest. Except for the influence of the Gulf Stream we must have been carried far, far to the south, and in that case we should never have reached the mouth of the Amazon, and must inevitably have been lost.

  Of the thirty-two souls -- nine passengers and twenty-three seamen -- who left Charleston on board the ship, only five passengers and six seamen remain. Eleven of us alone survive.

  An official account of our rescue was drawn up by the Brazilian authorities. Those who signed were Miss Herbey, J. R. Kazallon, M. Letourneur, Andre Letourneur, Mr. Falsten, the boatswain, Dowlas, Burke, Flaypole, Sandon, and last, though not least,

  "Robert Curtis, Captain."

  At Para we soon found facilities for continuing our homeward route. A vessel took us to Cayenne, where we secured a passage on board one of the steamers of the French Transatlantic Aspinwall line, the Ville de St. Nazaire, which conveyed us to Europe.

  After all the dangers and privations which we have undergone together, it is scarcely necessary to say that there has arisen between the surviving passengers of the Chancellor a bond of friendship too indissoluble, I believe, for either time or circumstance to destroy; Curtis must ever remain the honored and valued friend of those whose welfare he consulted so faithfully in their misfortunes; his conduct was beyond all praise.

  When we were fairly on our homeward way, Miss Herbey by chance intimated to us her intention of retiring from the world and devoting the remainder of her life to the care of the sick and suffering.

  "Then why not come and look after my son?" said M. Letourneur, adding, "he is an invalid, and he requires, as he deserves, the best of nursing."

  Miss Herbey, after some deliberation, consented to become a member of their family, and finds in M. Letourneur a father, and in Andre a brother. A brother, I say; but may we not hope that she may be united by a dearer and a closer tie, and that the noble-hearted girl may experience the happiness that she so richly deserves?

  THE END

 

 

 


    Michael Strogoff; Or the Courier of the Czar: A Literary Classic Read onlineMichael Strogoff; Or the Courier of the Czar: A Literary ClassicVoyage au centre de la terre. English Read onlineVoyage au centre de la terre. EnglishJourney Through the Impossible Read onlineJourney Through the ImpossibleThe Castaways of the Flag Read onlineThe Castaways of the FlagL'île mystérieuse. English Read onlineL'île mystérieuse. EnglishMaître du monde. English Read onlineMaître du monde. EnglishAround the World in Eighty Days Read onlineAround the World in Eighty DaysA Voyage in a Balloon Read onlineA Voyage in a BalloonFrom the Earth to the Moon, Direct in Ninety-Seven Hours and Twenty Minutes: and a Trip Round It Read onlineFrom the Earth to the Moon, Direct in Ninety-Seven Hours and Twenty Minutes: and a Trip Round ItParis in the Twentieth Century Read onlineParis in the Twentieth CenturyCity in the Sahara - Barsac Mission 02 Read onlineCity in the Sahara - Barsac Mission 02The English at the North Pole Read onlineThe English at the North PoleThe Field of Ice Read onlineThe Field of IceFrom the Earth to the Moon Read onlineFrom the Earth to the MoonUn capitaine de quinze ans. English Read onlineUn capitaine de quinze ans. EnglishThe Mysterious Island Read onlineThe Mysterious IslandLes indes-noirs. English Read onlineLes indes-noirs. EnglishRobur-le-conquerant. English Read onlineRobur-le-conquerant. EnglishPropeller Island Read onlinePropeller IslandAround the World in Eighty Days. Junior Deluxe Edition Read onlineAround the World in Eighty Days. Junior Deluxe EditionLes forceurs de blocus. English Read onlineLes forceurs de blocus. EnglishIn the Year 2889 Read onlineIn the Year 2889Journey to the Centre of the Earth Read onlineJourney to the Centre of the EarthTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Read onlineTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the SeaFrom the Earth to the Moon; and, Round the Moon Read onlineFrom the Earth to the Moon; and, Round the MoonVingt mille lieues sous les mers. English Read onlineVingt mille lieues sous les mers. EnglishCinq semaines en ballon. English Read onlineCinq semaines en ballon. EnglishTwenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas Read onlineTwenty Thousand Leagues under the SeasFace au drapeau. English Read onlineFace au drapeau. EnglishMichael Strogoff; Or, The Courier of the Czar Read onlineMichael Strogoff; Or, The Courier of the CzarUn billet de loterie. English Read onlineUn billet de loterie. EnglishThe Secret of the Island Read onlineThe Secret of the IslandOff on a Comet! a Journey through Planetary Space Read onlineOff on a Comet! a Journey through Planetary SpaceInto the Niger Bend: Barsac Mission, Part 1 Read onlineInto the Niger Bend: Barsac Mission, Part 1All Around the Moon Read onlineAll Around the MoonA Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne: Annotated Read onlineA Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne: Annotated20000 Lieues sous les mers Part 2 Read online20000 Lieues sous les mers Part 2Robur-le-Conquerant Read onlineRobur-le-ConquerantLes Index Noires Read onlineLes Index NoiresMichael Strogoff; or the Courier of the Czar Read onlineMichael Strogoff; or the Courier of the Czar20000 Lieues sous les mers Part 1 Read online20000 Lieues sous les mers Part 1Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) Read onlineTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)Five Weeks In A Balloon Read onlineFive Weeks In A BalloonJourney to the Center of the Earth Read onlineJourney to the Center of the Earth20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Read online20,000 Leagues Under the SeaJourney to the Center of the Earth (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) Read onlineJourney to the Center of the Earth (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)Adrift in the Pacific-Two Years Holiday Read onlineAdrift in the Pacific-Two Years HolidayThe Collected Works of Jules Verne: 36 Novels and Short Stories (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics) Read onlineThe Collected Works of Jules Verne: 36 Novels and Short Stories (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics)The Survivors of the Chancellor Read onlineThe Survivors of the ChancellorTheir Island Home Read onlineTheir Island HomeLe Chateau des Carpathes Read onlineLe Chateau des CarpathesLes Cinq Cents Millions de la Begum Read onlineLes Cinq Cents Millions de la BegumThe Floating Island Read onlineThe Floating IslandCinq Semaines En Ballon Read onlineCinq Semaines En BallonAutour de la Lune Read onlineAutour de la Lune