1 6 NORTH SEA FISHERS AND FIGHTERS 



ship was doomed. Seeing that the Rainbow could not 

 be saved, but hoping that he might at any rate preserve 

 some of the stores, Cummins cut the cable with an axe, 

 to beach the ship, as the wind was blowing dead on 

 shore ; and then, with Shepherd, six sailors, and three 

 boys, he jumped into the longboat and reached the 

 land. 



The plight of the crew was so terrible that even the 

 stout-hearted captain despaired of salvation. But the 

 natives proved kind and helpful, and assisted, amongst 

 other things, to hunt down and destroy the sailors who 

 had fled to the woods. The survivors began to hope 

 that salvation would come in their ability to reach a 

 friendly coast ; but there was little prospect of this. 

 The wreck of the Rainbow was worthless, and the long- 

 boat would hold only half the men and boys. At last it 

 was resolved that Shepherd, two men, and three boys 

 should leave, on the chance of reaching Europe and 

 returning with help. These had been chosen by lot. 

 The longboat carried 500 ounces of gold-dust, to buy a 

 suitable craft for the rescue. 



In April 1476 Shepherd returned to Hull, and told 

 a marvellous and untrue story of what had befallen the 

 ship and her people. He declared, amongst other things, 

 that Cummins was dead. - The fact was, Shepherd's 

 nature had undergone a change. He had become 

 faithless and avaricious, and was determined that if there 

 were riches to be had he would possess them alone. 

 He forgot when safe ashore again that he had pledged 

 his soul to "save his captain and his comrades." But 

 Shepherd had not allowed for everything; he had 

 forgotten that as he and Cummins had had some 



