whale-boat
was suspended, the poop and the forecastle are the only portions that now are visible; and as the intervening section of
the deck is quite below the water, these appear to be connected only by the framework of the netting that runs along
the vessel's sides. Communication between the top-masts is
extremely difficult, and would be absolutely precluded, were
it not that the sailors, with practiced dexterity, manage to
hoist themselves about by means of the stays. For the passengers, cowering on their narrow and unstable platform,
the spectacle of the raging sea below was truly terrific;
every wave that dashed over the ship shook the masts till
they trembled again, and one could venture scarcely to look
or to think lest he should be tempted to cast himself into the
vast abyss.
Meanwhile, the crew worked away with all their remaining vigor at the second raft, for which the top-gallants and
yards were all obliged to be employed; the planks, too, which
were continually being loosened and broken away by the
violence of the waves from the partitions of the ship, were
rescued before they had drifted out of reach, and were
brought into use. The symptoms of the ship foundering
did not appear to be immediate; so that Curtis insisted upon
the raft being made with proper care to insure its strength;
we were still several hundred miles from the coast of Guiana,
and for so long a voyage it was indispensable to have a structure of considerable solidity. The reasonableness of this
was self-apparent, and as the crew had recovered their assurance they spared no pains to accomplish their work effectually.
Of all the number, there was but one, an Irishman, named
O'Ready, who seemed to question the utility of all their toil.
He shook his head with an oracular gravity. He is an oldish man, not less than sixty, with his hair and beard bleached
with the storms of many travels. As I was making my way
toward the poop, he came up to me and began talking.
"And why, bedad, I'd like to know, why is it that they'll
all be afther lavin' the ship?"
He turned his quid with the most serene composure, and
continued:
"And isn't it me myself that's been wrecked nine times
already? and sure, poor fools are they that ever have put
their trust in rafts or boats; sure and they found a wathery
grave. Nay, nay; while the ould ship lasts, let's stick to her,
says I."
Having thus unburdened his mind he relapsed into silence, and soon went away.
About three o'clock I noticed that Mr. Kear and Silas
Huntly were holding an animated conversation in the foretop. The petroleum merchant had evidently some difficulty
in bringing the ex-captain round to his opinion, for I saw
him several times shake his head as he gave long and scrutinizing looks at the sea and sky. In less than an hour afterward I saw Huntly let himself down by the forestays and
clamber along to the fore-castle, where he joined the group
of sailors, and I lost sight of him.
I attached little importance to the incident, and shortly
afterward joined the party in the main-top, where we continued talking for some hours. The heat was intense, and if
it had not been for the shelter afforded by the sail-tent,
would have been unbearable. At five o'clock we took as refreshment some dried meat and biscuit, each individual being also allowed half a glass of water. Mrs. Kear prostrate
with fever, could not touch a mouthful; and nothing could
be done by Miss Herbey to relieve her, beyond occasionally
moistening her parched lips. The unfortunate lady suffers
greatly, and sometimes I am inclined to think that she will
succumb to the exposure and privation. Not once had her
husband troubled himself about her; but when shortly afterward I heard him hail some of the sailors on the fore-castle
and ask them to help him down from the foretop, I began
to think that the selfish fellow was coming to join his wife.
At first the sailors took no notice of his request, but on
his repeating it with the promise of paying them
was suspended, the poop and the forecastle are the only portions that now are visible; and as the intervening section of
the deck is quite below the water, these appear to be connected only by the framework of the netting that runs along
the vessel's sides. Communication between the top-masts is
extremely difficult, and would be absolutely precluded, were
it not that the sailors, with practiced dexterity, manage to
hoist themselves about by means of the stays. For the passengers, cowering on their narrow and unstable platform,
the spectacle of the raging sea below was truly terrific;
every wave that dashed over the ship shook the masts till
they trembled again, and one could venture scarcely to look
or to think lest he should be tempted to cast himself into the
vast abyss.
Meanwhile, the crew worked away with all their remaining vigor at the second raft, for which the top-gallants and
yards were all obliged to be employed; the planks, too, which
were continually being loosened and broken away by the
violence of the waves from the partitions of the ship, were
rescued before they had drifted out of reach, and were
brought into use. The symptoms of the ship foundering
did not appear to be immediate; so that Curtis insisted upon
the raft being made with proper care to insure its strength;
we were still several hundred miles from the coast of Guiana,
and for so long a voyage it was indispensable to have a structure of considerable solidity. The reasonableness of this
was self-apparent, and as the crew had recovered their assurance they spared no pains to accomplish their work effectually.
Of all the number, there was but one, an Irishman, named
O'Ready, who seemed to question the utility of all their toil.
He shook his head with an oracular gravity. He is an oldish man, not less than sixty, with his hair and beard bleached
with the storms of many travels. As I was making my way
toward the poop, he came up to me and began talking.
"And why, bedad, I'd like to know, why is it that they'll
all be afther lavin' the ship?"
He turned his quid with the most serene composure, and
continued:
"And isn't it me myself that's been wrecked nine times
already? and sure, poor fools are they that ever have put
their trust in rafts or boats; sure and they found a wathery
grave. Nay, nay; while the ould ship lasts, let's stick to her,
says I."
Having thus unburdened his mind he relapsed into silence, and soon went away.
About three o'clock I noticed that Mr. Kear and Silas
Huntly were holding an animated conversation in the foretop. The petroleum merchant had evidently some difficulty
in bringing the ex-captain round to his opinion, for I saw
him several times shake his head as he gave long and scrutinizing looks at the sea and sky. In less than an hour afterward I saw Huntly let himself down by the forestays and
clamber along to the fore-castle, where he joined the group
of sailors, and I lost sight of him.
I attached little importance to the incident, and shortly
afterward joined the party in the main-top, where we continued talking for some hours. The heat was intense, and if
it had not been for the shelter afforded by the sail-tent,
would have been unbearable. At five o'clock we took as refreshment some dried meat and biscuit, each individual being also allowed half a glass of water. Mrs. Kear prostrate
with fever, could not touch a mouthful; and nothing could
be done by Miss Herbey to relieve her, beyond occasionally
moistening her parched lips. The unfortunate lady suffers
greatly, and sometimes I am inclined to think that she will
succumb to the exposure and privation. Not once had her
husband troubled himself about her; but when shortly afterward I heard him hail some of the sailors on the fore-castle
and ask them to help him down from the foretop, I began
to think that the selfish fellow was coming to join his wife.
At first the sailors took no notice of his request, but on
his repeating it with the promise of paying them
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