Part 21 (1/2)

Doubts were soon dispelled. From the sea about fifty yards away from the starboard quarter of the s.h.i.+p a column of water rose into the air, towering far higher than her masts. It was followed within a few seconds by a second boom, whizz, bang, and another column of similar dimensions rose equi-distant from her port quarter.

”My G.o.d! It's a submarine,” exclaimed my friend.

”Well, let her sub,” I lazily replied, and I continued to read my much-abused book. I should explain to the reader that I had for quite a long time previously experienced attacks from bombs and sh.e.l.ls, and I was not unduly disturbed by what I believed to be a mere casual temporary attention.

”You can't lie there, man. Get up!” And suiting his action to his words, he kicked me into activity, although according to him I was very slow to rise.

”The book cannot be as bad as you say it is, if you can continue reading it like this,” he added.

”I know all about that,” I replied, ”but one must finish a paragraph.”

As I rose from my rec.u.mbent position the s.h.i.+p's gunner rushed up on to the p.o.o.p, and climbing on the mails, searched the sea for the whereabouts of the enemy.

”There she is!” he excitedly exclaimed, as he pointed to the horizon on the port quarter. ”She's about two miles away. Look out!” and he ducked as another whizz-bang sounded all too close overhead.

We followed the direction he had indicated and observed, well below the horizon, a long, low-lying craft, upon the deck of which men were distinctly visible working the gun.

Shot followed shot in rapid succession and all around us great columns of water sprang into the air, the descending spray from which in some instances splashed our decks.

Our own gun, however, was soon in action and it plugged away merrily, seemingly giving as good as we received.

The fourth or fifth sh.e.l.l from the submarine landed just short of our vessel's stern. The explosion jerked it upwards and knocked both our gunners off their feet. This was followed by a shrapnel sh.e.l.l which exploded a little higher than our masts in the air above and hissed into the sea all around. The gla.s.s in the saloon skylight was splintered to atoms, the din of the constant explosions seemed like h.e.l.l let loose and the fear of G.o.d was located in almost everyone aboard.

It was too much for the rough element--about sixty or more Hebrideans, some of whom spoke little English. They made an ugly rush for the boats, shouting that the s.h.i.+p was doomed and every man must save himself.

Fortunately there happened to be three military officers aboard who had recently returned from the trenches in France. They tried to control the crowd, and acted with a quiet heroism worthy of much praise.

All their efforts, however, were in vain. Men pushed women aside or knocked them over, and fought like beasts of prey for places in the boats.

By the efforts of the mate, who threatened the maddest of the crowd and fought strenuously for some discipline, an extra small boat was launched first, but about half a dozen frantic pa.s.sengers jumped into her and without waiting for her complement pushed off from the s.h.i.+p. The two other boats left in the davits were filled with a fighting, snarling, swearing ma.s.s of individuals, some of whom hacked away with knives and a hatchet at the falls, whilst the great strain in weight put upon the davits bent them down like twisted wire. As the strands of the falls parted, the boats fell into the sea, s.h.i.+pping much water, whilst some of those left aboard jumped into them. Some fell out of the boats, whilst others jumped into the sea and were pulled into them as they left the vessel's side all too dangerously crowded.

It was a revolting sight; a memory that, however hard one may try to forget, must yet forever live; an act unworthy of all form of manliness, which can only remain a lasting shame to those whose selfish cowardice impelled their madness.

With my friend, I stood near the funnel looking on. What could we do?

Had we, or had the officers had a revolver, the rush might have been checked, or possibly a life or so might have been sacrificed to try to save others.

The man handling the axe probably might have suffered first. I did attempt one small effort. I approached the fighting ma.s.s and tapped a man, who was struggling ineffectually to get through, on the shoulder.

When he turned round I asked him why he was forgetting the women and children. The man swore at me, adding, ”Women be d.a.m.ned! the boats are the only thing for us.” Then I asked him if he had a match. ”What for?”

he demanded.

”To light a cigarette with, of course.”

”To h.e.l.l with you and your cigarettes!” he yelled, and springing on the backs of those in front of him he crawled over their heads and jumped for the boat below as it was falling from the davits. I was gratified to see him miss the boat and plunge headlong into the sea.

When all three boats were well away from the s.h.i.+p, those left behind, who could think at all, expressed their thankfulness that the rough element had departed. It gave the much-needed opportunity to talk quietly to many who were demented with fear, and to attempt to soothe others whose quiet weeping and wailing was heartbreaking to listen to.

Meanwhile the small thirteen-pounder aft and the submarine exchanged shots with ceaseless regularity. But the attacking craft appeared to have two guns in action. Her sh.e.l.ls came faster and the high explosive was from time to time varied with shrapnel.

Shrapnel is much more unpleasant at sea than on land. One sees it hiss down on the surface of the water like spray from a water-cart. Whilst I was forward taking stock of the hatchway battens for possible floating purposes, I had two fragments pa.s.s all too close to either cheek--so close that I actually felt them. I put my hand up to my left cheek expecting to find it laid open, but the skin had not even been broken. A fortunate and most lucky escape. It was the nearest approach to an individual casualty throughout the sc.r.a.p. When the panic crews in the boats appeared to be about a mile away a high explosive sh.e.l.l from the submarine actually sc.r.a.ped along the whole of the port side of our s.h.i.+p, bursting just in front of her fore-foot. I was forward again at the time getting some lifebelts from the fore-hatch. The explosion knocked me off my feet.