As our brig was a much finer
craft in every respect, they determined upon retaining her, and
scuttling their own. Before night, they had made all their arrangements,
and were standing to the westward with a fine breeze.
But exactly as the bell struck eight for midnight, a tremendous voice
was heard at the hatchway, if possible, more than a hundred times louder
than the boatswain's, roaring out "_All hands ahoy_!"
The concussion of the air was so great, that the ship trembled, as if
she had been struck with a thunderbolt; and as soon as the motion had
subsided, the water was heard to rush into every part of the hold. Every
body ran on deck astonished with the sound, expecting the vessel
immediately to go down, and looking at each other with horror as they
stood trembling in their shirts. The water continued to rush into the
vessel, until it reached the orlop beams; then, as suddenly, it stopped.
When the panic had, to a certain degree, subsided, and they perceived
that the water did not increase, all hands applied to the pumps, and by
eight o'clock in the morning the vessel was free. Still the
unaccountable circumstance weighed heavy on the minds of the seamen, who
walked the deck without speaking to each other, or paying any attention
to the ship's course; and as no one took the command, no one was ordered
to the helm.
For my own part, I thought it a judgment upon them for their cruelty;
and, expecting that worse would happen, I had made up my mind to my
fate.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173