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+Project Gutenberg’s The Survivors of the Chancellor, by Jules Verne
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Survivors of the Chancellor
+
+Author: Jules Verne
+
+Posting Date: November 20, 2008 [EBook #1652]
+Release Date: February, 1999
+Last Updated: October 13, 2016
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: UTF-8
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SURVIVORS OF THE CHANCELLOR ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer
+
+
+
+
+
+THE SURVIVORS OF THE CHANCELLOR.
+
+DIARY OF J.R.KAZALLON, PASSENGER.
+
+
+By Jules Verne
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+CHARLESTON, SEPTEMBER 27th, 1869.--It is high tide, and three o’clock
+in the afternoon when we leave the Battery-quay; the ebb carries us off
+shore, and as Captain Huntly has hoisted both main and top sails, the
+northerly breeze drives the “Chancellor” briskly across the bay. Fort
+Sumter ere long is doubled, the sweeping batteries of the mainland on
+our left are soon passed, and by four o’clock the rapid current of the
+ebbing tide has carried us through the harbour-mouth.
+
+But as yet we have not reached the open sea; we have still to thread our
+way through the narrow channels which the surge has hollowed out amongst
+the sand-banks. The captain takes a south-west course, rounding the
+lighthouse at the corner of the fort; the sails are closely trimmed; the
+last sandy point is safely coasted, and at length, at seven o’clock in
+the evening; we are out free upon the wide Atlantic.
+
+The “Chancellor” is a fine square-rigged three-master, of 900 tons
+burden, and belongs to the wealthy Liverpool firm of Laird Brothers. She
+is two years old, is sheathed and secured with copper, her decks being
+of teak, and the base of all her masts, except the mizzen, with all their
+fittings, being of iron. She is registered first class A I, and is now
+on her third voyage between Charleston and Liverpool. As she wended her
+way through the channels of Charleston harbour, it was the British flag
+that was lowered from her mast-head; but without colours at all,
+no sailor could have hesitated for a moment in telling her
+nationality,--for English she was, and nothing but English from her
+water-line upwards to the truck of her masts.
+
+I must now relate how it happens that I have taken my passage on board
+the “Chancellor” on her return voyage to England. At present there is no
+direct steamship service between South Carolina and Great Britain,
+and all who wish to cross must go either northwards to New York or
+southwards to New Orleans. It is quite true that if I had chosen to
+start from New York I might have found plenty of vessels belonging to
+English, French, or Hamburg lines, any of which would have conveyed me
+by a rapid voyage to my destination; and it is equally true that if I
+had selected New Orleans for my embarkation I could readily have reached
+Europe by one of the vessels of the National Steam Navigation Company,
+which join the French Transatlantic line of Colon and Aspinwall. But it
+was fated to be otherwise.
+
+One day, as I was loitering about the Charleston quays, my eye lighted
+upon this vessel. There was something about the “Chancellor” that
+pleased me, and a kind of involuntary impulse took me on board, where I
+found the internal arrangements perfectly comfortable. Yielding to the
+idea that a voyage in a sailing vessel had certain charms beyond the
+transit in a steamer, and reckoning that with wind and wave in my
+favour there would be little material difference in time; considering,
+moreover, that in these low latitudes the weather in early autumn is
+fine and unbroken, I came to my decision, and proceeded forthwith to
+secure my passage by this route to Europe.
+
+Have I done right or wrong? Whether I shall have reason to regret my
+determination is a problem to be solved in the future. However, I will
+begin to record the incidents of our daily experience, dubious as I feel
+whether the lines of my chronicle will ever find a reader.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+SEPTEMBER 28th.--John Silas Huntly, the captain of the “Chancellor,” has
+the reputation of being an experienced navigator of the Atlantic. He is
+a Scotchman, a native of Dundee, and is about fifty years of age. He is
+of middle height and slight build, and has a small head, which he has a
+habit of holding a little over his left shoulder. I do not pretend to be
+much of a physiognomist, but I am inclined to believe that my few hours’
+acquaintance with our captain has given me considerable insight into
+his character. That he is a good seaman and thoroughly understands his
+duties I could not for a moment venture to deny; but that he is a man
+of resolute temperament, or that he possesses the amount of courage
+that would render him, physically or morally, capable of coping with
+any great emergency, I confess I cannot believe. I observe a certain
+heaviness and dejection about his whole carriage. His wavering glances,
+the listless motions of his hands, and his slow, unsteady gait, all seem
+to me to indicate a weak and sluggish disposition. He does not appear
+as though he could be energetic enough ever to be stubborn; he never
+frowns, sets his teeth, or clenches his fist. There is something
+enigmatical about him; however, I shall study him closely and do what
+I can to understand the man who, as commander of a vessel, should be to
+those around him “second only to God.”
+
+Unless I am greatly mistaken there is another man on board who,
+if circumstances should require it, would take the more prominent
+position--I mean the mate. I have hitherto, however, had such little
+opportunity of observing his character, that I must defer saying more
+about him at present.
+
+Besides the captain and this mate, whose name is Robert Curtis, our crew
+consists of Walter, the lieutenant, the boatswain, and fourteen sailors,
+all English or Scotch, making eighteen altogether, a number quite
+sufficient for working a vessel of 900 tons burden. Up to this time my
+sole experience of their capabilities is, that under the command of the
+mate, they brought us skillfully enough through the narrow channels of
+Charleston; and I have no reason to doubt but that they are well up to
+their work.
+
+My list of the ship’s officials is incomplete unless I mention Hobart,
+the steward, and Jynxstrop, the negro cook.
+
+In addition to these, the “Chancellor” carries eight passengers,
+including myself. Hitherto, the bustle of embarkation, the arrangement
+of cabins, and all the variety of preparations inseparable from starting
+on a voyage for at least twenty or five-and-twenty days have precluded
+the formation of any acquaintanceships; but the monotony of the voyage,
+the close proximity into which we must be thrown, and the natural
+curiosity to know something of each other’s affairs, will doubtless lead
+us in due time to an interchange of ideas. Two days have elapsed and
+I have not even seen all the passengers. Probably sea-sickness has
+prevented some of them from making their appearance at the common
+table. One thing, however, I do know; namely, that there are two ladies
+occupying the stern-cabins, the windows of which are in the aft-board of
+the vessel.
+
+I have seen the ship’s list and subjoin a list of the passengers. They
+are as follow:--Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Americans, of Buffalo. Miss Herbey,
+a young English lady, companion to Mrs. Kear. M. Letourneur and his son
+Andre, Frenchmen, of Havre. William Falsten, a Manchester engineer. John
+Ruby, a Cardiff merchant; and myself, J. R. Kazallon, of London.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+SEPTEMBER 29th.--Captain Huntly’s bill of lading, that is to say, the
+document that describes the “Chancellor’s” cargo and the conditions of
+transport, is couched in the following terms:--
+
+“BRONSFIELD AND CO., AGENTS, CHARLESTON.
+
+“I, John Silas Huntly, of Dundee, Scotland, commander of the ship
+‘Chancellor,’ of about 900 tons burden, now at Charleston, do purpose,
+by the blessing of God, at the earliest convenient season, and by the
+direct route, to sail for the port of Liverpool, where I shall obtain
+my discharge. I do hereby acknowledge that I have received from you,
+Messrs. Bronsfield and Co., Commission Agents, Charleston, and have
+placed the same under the gun-deck of the aforesaid ship, seventeen
+hundred bales of cotton, of the estimated value of 26,000l., all in
+good condition, marked and numbered as in the margin; which goods I do
+undertake to transport to Liverpool, and there to deliver, free from
+injury (save only such injury as shall have been caused by the chances
+of the sea), to Messrs. Laird Brothers, or to their order, or to their
+representative, who shall on due delivery of the said freight pay me the
+sum of 2000l. inclusive, according to the charter-party and damages in
+addition, according to the usages and customs of the sea.
+
+“And for the fulfillment of the above covenant, I have pledged and do
+pledge my person, my property, and my interest in the vessel aforesaid,
+with all its appurtenances. In witness whereof, I have signed three
+agreements, all of the same purport; on the condition that when the
+terms of one are accomplished, the other two shall be absolutely null
+and void.
+
+“Given at Charleston, September 13th, 1869,
+
+“J. S. HUNTLY.”
+
+
+From the foregoing document it will be understood that the “Chancellor”
+ is conveying 1700 bales of cotton to Liverpool; that the shippers are
+Bronsfield, of Charleston, and the consignees are Laird Brothers, of
+Liverpool. The ship was constructed with the especial design of carrying
+cotton, and the entire hold, with the exception of a very limited space
+reserved for passengers’ luggage, is closely packed with the bales, The
+lading was performed with the utmost care, each bale being pressed into
+its proper place by the aid of screw-jacks, so that the whole freight
+forms one solid and compact mass; not an inch of space is wasted, and
+the vessel is thus made capable of carrying her full complement of
+cargo.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+SEPTEMBER 30th to OCTOBER 6th.--The “Chancellor” is a rapid sailer, and
+more than a match for many a vessel of the same dimensions. She scuds
+along merrily in the freshening breeze, leaving in her wake, far as the
+eye can reach, a long white line of foam as well defined as a delicate
+strip of lace stretched upon an azure ground.
+
+The Atlantic is not visited by many gales, and I have every reason to
+believe that the rolling and pitching of the vessel no longer incommode
+any of the passengers, who are all more or less accustomed to the sea.
+A vacant seat at our table is now very rare; we are beginning to know
+something about each other, and our daily life, in consequence, is
+becoming somewhat less monotonous.
+
+M. Letourneur, our French fellow-passenger, often has a chat with me.
+He is a fine tall man, about fifty years of age, with white hair and a
+grizzly beard. To say the truth, he looks older than he really is: his
+drooping head, his dejected manner, and his eye, ever and again suffused
+with tears, indicate that he is haunted by some deep and abiding sorrow.
+He never laughs; he rarely even smiles, and then only on his son:
+his countenance ordinarily bearing a look of bitterness tempered by
+affection, while his general expression is one of caressing tenderness.
+It excites an involuntary commiseration to learn that M. Letourneur is
+consuming himself by exaggerated reproaches on account of the infirmity
+of an afflicted son.
+
+Andre Letourneur is about twenty years of age, with a gentle,
+interesting countenance, but, to the irrepressible grief of his father,
+is a hopeless cripple. His left leg is miserably deformed, and he is
+quite unable to walk without the assistance of a stick. It is obvious
+that the father’s life is bound up with that of his son; his devotion
+is unceasing; every thought, every glance is for Andre; he seems to
+anticipate his most trifling wish, watches his slightest movement, and
+his arm is ever ready to support or otherwise assist the child whose
+sufferings he more than shares.
+
+M. Letourneur seems to have taken a peculiar fancy to myself,
+and constantly talks about Andre. This morning, in the course of
+conversation, I said,--
+
+“You have a good son, M. Letourneur. I have just been talking to him. He
+is a most intelligent young man.”
+
+“Yes, Mr. Kazallon,” replied M. Letourneur, brightening up into a smile,
+“his afflicted frame contains a noble mind. He is like his mother, who
+died at his birth.”
+
+“He is full of reverence and love for you, sir,” I remarked.
+
+“Dear boy!” muttered the father half to himself. “Ah, Mr. Kazallon,”
+ he continued, “you do not know what it is to a father to have a son a
+cripple, beyond hope of cure.”
+
+“M. Letourneur,” I answered, “you take more than your share of the
+affliction which has fallen upon you and your son. That M. Andre is
+entitled to the very greatest commiseration no one can deny; but you
+should remember, that after all a physical infirmity is not so hard to
+bear as mental grief. Now, I have watched your son pretty closely, and
+unless I am much mistaken there is nothing, that troubles him so much as
+the sight of your own sorrow.”
+
+“But I never let him see it,” he broke in hastily. “My sole thought
+is how to divert him. I have discovered, that in spite of his physical
+weakness, he delights in travelling; so for the last few years we have
+been constantly on the move. We first went all over Europe, and are now
+returning from visiting the principal places in the United States.
+I never allowed my son to go to college, but instructed him entirely
+myself, and these travels, I hope, will serve to complete his education.
+He is very intelligent, and has a lively imagination, and I am sometimes
+tempted to hope that in contemplating the wonders of nature he forgets
+his own infirmity.”
+
+“Yes, sir, of course he does,” I assented.
+
+“But,” continued M. Letourneur, taking my hand, “although, perhaps, HE
+may forget, I can never forget. Ah, sir, do you suppose that Andre can
+ever forgive his parents for bringing him into the world a cripple?”
+
+The remorse of the unhappy father was very distressing, and I was
+about to say a few kind words of sympathy when Andre himself made his
+appearance. M. Letourneur hastened toward him and assisted him up the
+few steep steps that led to the poop.
+
+As soon as Andre was comfortably seated on one of the benches, and his
+father had taken his place by his side, I joined them, and we fell into
+conversation upon ordinary topics, discussing the various points of
+the “Chancellor,” the probable length of the passage, and the different
+details of our life on board. I find that M. Letourneur’s estimate of
+Captain Huntly’s character very much coincided with my own, and that,
+like me, he is impressed with the man’s undecided manner and sluggish
+appearance. Like me, too, he has formed a very favourable opinion of
+Robert Curtis, the mate, a man of about thirty years of age, of great
+muscular power, with a frame and a will that seem ever ready for action.
+
+Whilst we were still talking of him, Curtis himself came on deck, and as
+I watched his movements I could not help being struck with his physical
+development; his erect and easy carriage, his fearless glance and
+slightly contracted brow all betokened a man of energy, thoroughly
+endowed with the calmness and courage that are indispensable to the
+true sailor. He seems a kind-hearted fellow, too, and is always ready
+to assist and amuse young Letourneur, who evidently enjoys his company.
+After he had scanned the weather and examined the trim of the sails, he
+joined our party and proceeded to give us some information about those
+of our fellow-passengers with whom at present we have made but slight
+acquaintance.
+
+Mr. Kear, the American, who is accompanied by his wife, has made a large
+fortune in the petroleum springs in the United States. He is a man of
+about fifty, a most uninteresting companion, being overwhelmed with
+a sense of his own wealth and importance, and consequently supremely
+indifferent to all around him. His hands are always in his pockets,
+and the chink of money seems to follow him wherever he goes. Vain and
+conceited, a fool as well as an egotist, he struts about like a peacock
+showing its plumage, and to borrow the words of the physiognomist
+Gratiolet, “il se flaire, il se savoure, il se goute.” Why he should
+have taken his passage on board a mere merchant vessel instead of
+enjoying the luxuries of a Transatlantic steamer, I am altogether at a
+loss to explain.
+
+The wife is an insignificant, insipid woman, of about forty years of
+age. She never reads, never talks, and I believe I am not wrong in
+saying, never thinks. She seems to look without seeing, and listen
+without hearing, and her sole occupation consists in giving her orders
+to her companion, Miss Herbey, a young English girl of about twenty.
+
+Miss Herbey is extremely pretty. Her complexion is fair and her eyes
+deep blue, whilst her pleasing countenance is altogether free from
+that insignificance of feature which is not unfrequently alleged to be
+characteristic of English beauty. Her mouth would be charming if she
+ever smiled, but exposed as she is to the ridiculous whims and fancies
+of a capricious mistress, her lips rarely relax from their ordinary
+grave expression. Yet humiliating as her position must be, she never
+utters a word of open complaint, but quietly and gracefully performs her
+duties accepting without a murmur the paltry salary which the bumptious
+petroleum-merchant condescends to allow her.
+
+The Manchester engineer, William Falsten, looks like a thorough
+Englishman. He has the management of some extensive hydraulic works in
+South Carolina, and is now on his way to Europe to obtain some improved
+apparatus, and more especially to visit the mines worked by centrifugal
+force, belonging to the firm of Messrs. Cail. He is forty-five years of
+age, with all his interests so entirely absorbed by his machinery that
+he seems to have neither a thought nor a care beyond his mechanical
+calculations. Once let him engage you in conversation, and there is no
+chance of escape; you have no help for it but to listen as patiently as
+you can until he has completed the explanation of his designs.
+
+The last of our fellow-passengers, Mr. Ruby, is the type of a vulgar
+tradesman. Without any originality or magnanimity in his composition, he
+has spent twenty years of his life in mere buying and selling, and as
+he has generally contrived to do business at a profit, he has realized a
+considerable fortune. What he is going to do with the money, he does
+not seem able to say: his ideas do not go beyond retail trade, his mind
+having been so long closed to all other impressions that it appears
+incapable of thought or reflection on any subject besides. Pascal says,
+“L’homme est visiblement fait pour penser. C’est toute sa dignite
+et tout-son merite;” but to Mr. Ruby the phrase seems altogether
+inapplicable.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+OCTOBER 7th.--This is the tenth day since we left Charleston, and I
+should think our progress has been very rapid. Robert Curtis, the mate,
+with whom I continue to have many a friendly chat, informed me that we
+could not be far off Cape Hatteras in the Bermudas; the ship’s bearings,
+he said were lat. 32deg. 20min. N. and long. 64deg. 50min. W., so that
+he had every reason to believe that we should sight St. George’s Island
+before night.
+
+“The Bermudas!” I exclaimed. “But how is it we are off the Bermudas? I
+should have thought that a vessel sailing from Charleston to Liverpool,
+would have kept northwards, and have followed the track of the Gulf
+Stream.”
+
+“Yes, indeed; sir,” replied Curtis, “that is the usual course; but you
+see that this time the captain hasn’t chosen to take it.”
+
+“But why not?” I persisted.
+
+“That’s not for me to say, sir; he ordered us eastwards, and eastwards
+we go.”
+
+“Haven’t you called his attention to it?” I inquired.
+
+Curtis acknowledged that he had already pointed out what an unusual
+route they were taking, but that the captain had said that he was quite
+aware what he was about. The mate made no further remark; but the knit
+of his brow, as he passed his hand mechanically across his forehead,
+made me fancy that he was inclined to speak out more strongly.
+
+“All very well, Curtis,” I said, “but I don’t know what to think about
+trying new routes. Here we are at the 7th of October, and if we are to
+reach Europe before the bad weather sets in, I should suppose there is
+not a day to be lost.”
+
+“Right, sir, quite right; there is not a day to be lost.”
+
+Struck by his manner, I ventured to add, “Do you mind, Mr. Curtis giving
+me your honest opinion of Captain Huntly?”
+
+He hesitated a moment, and then replied shortly, “He is my captain,
+sir.”
+
+This evasive answer of course put an end to any further interrogation on
+my part, but it only set me thinking the more.
+
+Curtis was not mistaken. At about three o’clock the lookout man sung out
+that there was land to windward, and descried what seemed as if it might
+be a line of smoke in the north-east horizon. At six, I went on deck
+with M. Letourneur and his son, and we could then distinctly make out
+the low group of the Bermudas, encircled by their formidable chain of
+breakers.
+
+“There,” said Andre Letourneur to me, as we stood gazing at the distant
+land, “there lies the enchanted Archipelago, sung by your poet Moore.
+The exile Waller, too, as long ago as 1643, wrote an enthusiastic
+panegyric on the islands, and I have been told that at one time English
+ladies would wear no other bonnets than such as were made of the leaves
+of the Bermuda palm.”
+
+“Yes,” I replied, “the Bermudas were all the rage in the seventeenth
+century, although latterly they have fallen into comparative oblivion.”
+
+“But let me tell you, M. Andre,” interposed Curtis, who had as usual
+joined our party, “that although poets may rave, and be as enthusiastic
+as they like about these islands, sailors will tell a different tale.
+The hidden reefs that lie in a semicircle about two or three leagues
+from shore make the attempt to land a very dangerous piece of business.
+And another thing, I know. Let the natives boast as they will about
+their splendid climate, they, are visited by the most frightful
+hurricanes. They get the fag-end of the storms that rage over the
+Antilles; and the fag-end of a storm is like the tail of a whale;
+it’s just the strongest bit of it. I don’t think you’ll find a sailor
+listening much to your poets,--your Moores, and your Wallers.”
+
+“No, doubt you are right, Mr. Curtis,” said Andre, smiling, “but poets
+are like proverbs; you can always find one to contradict another.
+Although Waller and Moore have chosen to sing the praises of the
+Bermudas, it has been supposed that Shakspeare was depicting them in the
+terrible scenes that are found in ‘The Tempest.’”
+
+The whole vicinity of these islands is beyond a question extremely
+perilous to mariners. Situated between the Antilles and Nova Scotia, the
+Bermudas have ever since their discovery belonged to the English,
+who have mainly used them for a military station. But this little
+archipelago, comprising some hundred and fifty different isles and
+islets, is destined to increase, and that, perhaps, on a larger scale
+than has yet been anticipated. Beneath the waves there are madrepores,
+in infinity of number, silently but ceaselessly pursuing their labours;
+and with time, that fundamental element in nature’s workings, who shall
+tell whether these may not gradually build up island after island, which
+shall unite and form another continent?
+
+I may mention that there was not another of our fellow-passengers who
+took the trouble to come on deck and give a glance at this strange
+cluster of islands. Miss Herbey, it is true, was making an attempt to
+join us, but she had barely reached the poop, when Mrs. Kear’s languid
+voice was heard recalling her for some trifling service to her side.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+OCTOBER 8th to OCTOBER 13th.--The wind is blowing hard from the
+north-east; and the “Chancellor” under low-reefed top-sail and
+fore-sail, and labouring against a heavy sea, has been obliged to be
+brought ahull. The joists and girders all creak again until one’s teeth
+are set on edge. I am the only passenger not remaining below; but I
+prefer being on deck notwithstanding the driving rain, fine as dust,
+which penetrates to my very skin. We have been driven along in this
+fashion for the best part of two days; the “stiffish breeze” has
+gradually freshened into “a gale;” the top-gallants have been lowered,
+and, as I write, the wind is blowing with a velocity of fifty or sixty
+miles an hour. Although the “Chancellor” has many good points, her drift
+is considerable, and we have been carried far to the south we can
+only guess at our precise position, as the cloudy atmosphere entirely
+precludes us from taking the sun’s altitude.
+
+All along throughout this period, my fellow-passengers are totally
+ignorant of the extraordinary course that we are taking England lies
+to the NORTH-EAST, yet we are sailing directly SOUTH-EAST, and Robert
+Curtis owns that he is quite bewildered; he cannot comprehend why the
+captain, ever since this north-easterly gale has been blowing, should
+persist in allowing the ship to drive to the south, instead of tacking
+to the north-west until she gets into better quarters.
+
+I was alone with Curtis to-day upon the poop, and could not help saying
+to him “Curtis, is your captain mad?”
+
+“Perhaps, sir, I might be allowed to ask what YOU think upon that
+matter,” was his cautious reply.
+
+“Well to say the truth,” I answered, “I can hardly tell; but I confess
+there is every now and then a wandering in his eye, and an odd look on
+his face that I do not like. Have you ever sailed with him before?”
+
+“No; this is our first voyage together. Again last night I spoke to him
+about the route we were taking, but he only said he knew all about it,
+and that it was all right.”
+
+“What do Lieutenant Walter and your boatswain think of it all?” I
+inquired.
+
+“Think; why they think just the same as I do,” replied the mate; “but
+if the captain chooses to take the ship to China we should obey his
+orders.”
+
+“But surely,” I exclaimed, “there must be some limit to your obedience!
+Suppose the man is actually mad, what then?”
+
+“If he should be mad enough, Mr. Kazallon, to bring the vessel into any
+real danger, I shall know what to do.”
+
+With this assurance I am forced to be content. Matters, however, have
+taken a different turn to what I bargained for when I took my passage
+on board the “Chancellor.” The weather has become worse and worse. As I
+have already said, the ship under her large low-reefed top-sail and fore
+stay-sail has been brought ahull, that is to say, she copes directly
+with the wind, by presenting her broad bows to the sea; and so we go on
+still drift, drift, continually to the south.
+
+How southerly our course has been is very apparent; for upon the night
+of the 11th we fairly entered upon that portion of the Atlantic which
+is known as the Sargassos Sea. An extensive tract of water is this,
+enclosed by the warm current of the Gulf Stream, and thickly covered
+with the wrack, called by the Spaniards “sargasso,” the abundance of
+which so seriously impeded the progress of Columbus’s vessels on his
+first voyage across the ocean.
+
+Each morning at daybreak the Atlantic has presented an aspect so
+remarkable, that at my solicitation, M. Letourneur and his son have
+ventured upon deck to witness the unusual spectacle. The squally gusts
+make the metal shrouds vibrate like harp-strings; and unless we were
+on our guard to keep our clothes wrapped tightly to us, they would have
+been torn off our backs in shreds. The scene presented to our eyes is
+one of strangest interest. The sea, carpeted thickly with masses of
+prolific fucus, is a vast unbroken plain of vegetation, through which
+the vessel makes her way as a plough. Long strips of seaweed caught up
+by the wind become entangled in the rigging, and hang between the masts
+in festoons of verdure; whilst others, varying from two to three hundred
+feet in length, twine themselves up to the very mast-heads, from whence
+they float like streaming pendants. For many hours now, the “Chancellor”
+ has been contending with this formidable accumulation of algae; her
+masts are circled with hydrophytes; her rigging is wreathed everywhere
+with creepers, fantastic as the untrammelled tendrils of a vine, and as
+she works her arduous course, there are times when I can only compare
+her to an animated grove of verdure making its mysterious way over some
+illimitable prairie.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+OCTOBER 14th.--At last we are free from the sea of vegetation, the
+boisterous gale has moderated into a steady breeze, the sun is shining
+brightly, the weather is warm and genial, and thus, two reefs in her
+top-sails, briskly and merrily sails the “Chancellor.”
+
+Under conditions so favourable, we have been able to take the ship’s
+bearings: our latitude, we find, is 21deg. 33min. N., our longitude
+50deg. 17min. W.
+
+Incomprehensible altogether is the conduct of Captain Huntly. Here we
+are, already more than ten degrees south of the point from which, we
+started, and yet still we are persistently following a south-easterly
+course! I cannot bring myself to the conclusion that the man is mad. I
+have had various conversations with him: he has always spoken rationally
+and sensibly. He shows no tokens of insanity. Perhaps his case is one
+of those in which insanity is partial, and where the mania is of
+a character which extends only to the matters connected with his
+profession. Yet it is unaccountable.
+
+I can get nothing out of Curtis; he listens coldly whenever I allude
+to the subject, and only repeats what he has said before, that nothing
+short of an overt act of madness on the part of the captain could induce
+him to supersede the captain’s authority and that the imminent peril of
+the ship could alone justify him in taking so decided a measure.
+
+Last evening I went to my cabin about eight o’clock, and after an hour’s
+reading by the light of my cabin-lamp, I retired to my berth and was
+soon asleep. Some hours later I was aroused by an unaccustomed noise on
+deck. There were heavy footsteps hurrying to and fro, and the voices
+of the men were loud and eager, as if the crew were agitated by some
+strange disturbance. My first impression was, that some tacking had been
+ordered which rendered it needful to fathom the yards; but the vessel
+continuing to lie to starboard convinced me that this was not the origin
+of the commotion, I was curious to know the truth, and made all haste
+I could to go on deck; but before I was ready, the noise had ceased.
+I heard Captain Huntly return to his cabin, and accordingly I retired
+again to my own berth. Whatever may have been the meaning of the
+manoeuvre, I cannot tell; it did not seem to have resulted in any
+improvement in the ship’s pace; still it must be owned there was not
+much wind to speed us along.
+
+At six o’clock this morning I mounted the poop and made as keen a
+scrutiny as I could of everything on board. Everything appeared as
+usual. The “Chancellor” was running on the larboard tack, and carried
+low-sails, top-sails, and gallant-sails. Well braced she was; and under
+a fresh, but not uneasy breeze, was making no less than eleven knots an
+hour.
+
+Shortly afterwards M. Letourneur and Andre came an deck. The young man
+enjoyed the early morning air, laden with its briny fragrance, and I
+assisted him to mount the poop. In answer to my inquiry as to whether
+they had been disturbed by any bustle in the night, Andre replied that
+he did not wake at all, and had heard nothing.
+
+“I am glad, my boy,” said his father, “that you have slept so soundly. I
+heard the noise of which Mr. Kazallon speaks. It must have; been about
+three o’clock this morning, and it seemed to me as though they were
+shouting. I thought I heard them say, ‘Here, quick, look to the
+hatches!’ but as nobody was called up, I presumed that nothing serious
+was the matter.”
+
+As he spoke I cast my eye at the panel-slides, which fore and aft of the
+main-mast open into the hold. They seemed to be all close as usual,
+but I now observed for the first time that they were covered with heavy
+tarpauling. Wondering; in my own mind what could be the reason for
+these extra precautions I did not say anything to M. Letourneur, but
+determined to wait until the mate should come on watch, when he would
+doubtless give me, I thought, an explanation of the mystery.
+
+The sun rose gloriously, with every promise of a fine dry day. The
+waning moon was yet above the western horizon, for as it still wants
+three days to her last quarter she does not set until 10.57 am. On
+consulting my almanac, I find that there will be a new moon on the 24th,
+and that on that day, little as it may affect us here in mid ocean, the
+phenomenon of the high sygyzian tides will take place on the shores of
+every continent and island.
+
+At the breakfast hour M. Letourneur and Andre went below for a cup of
+tea, and I remained on the poop alone. As I expected, Curtis appeared,
+that he might relieve Lieutenant Walter of the watch. I advanced to meet
+him, but before he even wished me good morning, I saw him cast a quick
+and searching glance upon the deck, and then, with a slightly contracted
+brow, proceed to examine the state of the weather and the trim of the
+sails.
+
+“Where is Captain Huntly?” he said to Walter.
+
+“I have seen nothing of him,” answered the lieutenant “is there anything
+fresh up?”
+
+“Nothing, whatever,” was the curt reply.
+
+They then conversed for a few moments in an undertone, and I could see
+that Walter by his gesture gave a negative answer to some question which
+the mate had asked him. “Send me the boatswain, Walter,” said Curtis
+aloud as the lieutenant moved away.
+
+The boatswain immediately appeared, and another conversation was carried
+on in whispers. The man repeatedly shook his head as he replied to
+Curtis’s inquiries, and then, in obedience to orders, called the men
+who were on watch, and made them plentifully water the tarpauling that
+covered the great hatchway.
+
+Curious to fathom the mystery I went up to Curtis and began to talk to
+him upon ordinary topics, hoping that he would himself introduce the
+subject that was uppermost in my mind; finding, however, that he did not
+allude to it; I asked him point blank.
+
+“What was the matter in the night, Curtis?”
+
+He looked at me steadily, but made no reply.
+
+“What was it?” I repeated. “M. Letourneur and myself were both of us
+disturbed by a very unusual commotion overhead.”
+
+“Oh, a mere nothing,” he said at length; “the man at the helm had made a
+false move, and we had to pipe hands to brace the ship a bit; but it was
+soon all put to rights. It was nothing, nothing at all.”
+
+I said no more; but I cannot resist the impression that Robert Curtis
+has not acted with me in his usual straightforward manner.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+OCTOBER 15th to OCTOBER 18th.--The wind is still in the north-east.
+There is no change in the “Chancellor’s” course, and to an unprejudiced
+eye all would appear to be going on as usual. But I have an uneasy
+consciousness that something is not quite right. Why should the
+hatchways be so hermetically closed as though a mutinous crew was
+imprisoned between decks? I cannot help thinking too that there is
+something in the sailors so constantly standing in groups and breaking
+off their talk so suddenly whenever we approach; and several times I
+have caught the word “hatches” which arrested M. Letourneur’s attention
+on the night of the disturbance.
+
+On the 15th, while I was walking on the forecastle, I overheard one of
+the sailors, a man named Owen say to his mates,--
+
+“Now I just give you all warning that I am not going to wait until the
+last minute. Every one for himself, say I.”
+
+“Why, what do you mean to do?” asked Jynxstrop, the cook.
+
+“Pshaw!” said Owen, “do you suppose that longboats were only made for
+porpoises?”
+
+Something at that moment occurred to interrupt the conversation, and I
+heard no more. It occurred to me whether there was not some conspiracy
+among the crew, of which probably Curtis had already detected the
+symptoms. I am quite aware that some sailors are most rebelliously
+disposed, and require to be ruled with a rod of iron.
+
+Yesterday and to-day I have observed Curtis remonstrating somewhat
+vehemently with Captain Huntly, but there is no obvious result arising
+from their interviews; the Captain apparently being bent upon some
+purpose, of which it is only too manifest that the mate decidedly
+disapproves.
+
+Captain Huntly is undoubtedly labouring under strong nervous excitement;
+and M. Letourneur has more than once remarked how silent he has become
+at meal-times; for although Curtis continually endeavours to start some
+subject of general interest, yet neither Mr. Falsten, Mr. Kear, nor Mr.
+Ruby are the men to take it up, and consequently the conversation flags
+hopelessly, and soon drops. The passengers too are now, with good cause,
+beginning to murmur at the length of the voyage, and Mr. Kear, who
+considers that the very elements ought to yield to his convenience, lets
+the captain know by his consequential and haughty manner that he holds
+him responsible for the delay.
+
+During the course of yesterday the mate gave repeated orders for the
+deck to be watered again and again, and although as a general rule this
+is a business which is done, once for all, in the early morning, the
+crew did not utter a word of complaint at the additional work thus
+imposed upon them. The tarpaulins on the hatches have thus been kept
+continually wet, so that their close and heavy texture is rendered quite
+impervious to the air, The “Chancellor’s” pumps afford a copious supply
+of water, so that I should not suppose that even the daintiest and most
+luxurious craft belonging to an aristocratic yacht-club was ever subject
+to a more thorough scouring. I tried to reconcile myself to the belief
+that it was the high temperature of the tropical regions upon which
+we are entering, that rendered such extra sousings a necessity, and
+recalled to my recollection how, during the night of the 13th, I had
+found the atmosphere below deck so stifling that in spite of the heavy
+swell I was obliged to open the porthole of my cabin, on the starboard
+side, to get a breath of air.
+
+This morning at daybreak I went on deck. The sun had scarcely risen, and
+the air was fresh and cool, in strange contrast to the heat which below
+the poop had been quite oppressive. The sailors as usual were washing
+the deck, A great sheet of water, supplied continuously by the pumps was
+rolling in tiny wavelets, and escaping now to starboard, now to larboard
+through the scupper-holes. After watching the men for a while as they
+ran about bare-footed, I could not resist the desire to join them, so
+taking off my shoes and stockings I proceeded to dabble in the flowing
+water.
+
+Great was my amazement to find the deck perfectly hot to my feet! Curtis
+heard my exclamation of surprise, and before I could put my thoughts
+into words, said,--
+
+“Yes! there is fire on board!”
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+OCTOBER 19th.--Everything, then, is clear. The uneasiness of the crew,
+their frequent conferences, Owen’s mysterious words, the constant
+scourings of the deck and the oppressive heat of the cabins which had
+been noticed even by my fellow-passengers, all are explained.
+
+After his grave communication, Curtis remained silent. I shivered with a
+thrill of horror; a calamity the most terrible that can befall a voyager
+stared me in the face, and it was some seconds before I could recover
+sufficient composure to inquire when the fire was first discovered.
+
+“Six days ago,” replied the mate.
+
+“Six days ago!” I exclaimed; “why, then, it was that night.”
+
+“Yes,” he said, interrupting me; “it was the night you heard the
+disturbance upon deck. The men on watch noticed a slight smoke issuing
+from the large hatchway and immediately called Captain Huntly and
+myself. We found beyond all doubt, that the cargo was on fire, and what
+was worse, that there was no possibility of getting at the seat of the
+combustion. What could we do? Why; we took the only precaution that
+was practicable under the circumstances, and resolved most carefully
+to exclude every breath of air from penetrating into the hold, For some
+time I hoped that we had been successful. I thought that the fire was
+stifled; but during the last three days there is every reason to make us
+know that it has been gaining strength. Do what we will, the deck gets
+hotter and hotter, and unless it were kept constantly wet, it would be
+unbearable to the feet. But I am glad, Mr. Kazallon,” he added; “that
+you have made the discovery. It is better that you should know it.”
+
+I listened in silence, I was now fully aroused to the gravity of the
+situation and thoroughly comprehended how we were in the very face of a
+calamity which it seemed that no human power could avert.
+
+“Do you know what has caused the fire?” I presently inquired.
+
+“It probably arose,” he answered, “from the spontaneous combustion of
+the cotton. The case is rare, but it is far from unknown. Unless the
+cotton is perfectly dry when it is shipped, its confinement in a damp
+or ill-ventilated hold will sometimes cause it to ignite; and I have no
+doubt it is this that has brought about our misfortune.”
+
+“But after all,” I said, “the cause matters very little. Is there no
+remedy? Is there nothing to be done?”
+
+“Nothing; Mr. Kazallon,” he said. “As I told you before, we have adopted
+the only possible measure within our power to check the fire. At one
+time I thought of knocking a hole in the ship’s timbers just on
+her waterline, and letting in just as much water as the pumps could
+afterwards get rid of again; but we found the combustion was right
+in the middle of the cargo and that we should be obliged to flood
+the entire hold before we could get at the right place. That scheme
+consequently was no good. During the night, I had the deck bored in
+various places and water poured down through the holes; but that again
+seemed all of no use. There is only one thing that can be done; we must
+persevere in excluding most carefully every breath of outer air, so that
+perhaps the conflagration deprived of oxygen may smoulder itself out.
+That is our only hope.”
+
+“But, you say the fire is increasing?”
+
+“Yes; and that shows that in spite of all our care there is some
+aperture which we have not been able to discover, by which, somehow or
+other, air gets into the hold.”
+
+“Have you ever heard of a vessel surviving such circumstances?” I asked.
+
+“Yes, Mr. Kazallon,” said Curtis; “it is not at all an unusual thing for
+ships laden with cotton to arrive at Liverpool or Havre with a portion
+of their cargo consumed; and I have myself known more than one captain
+run into port with his deck scorching his very feet, and who, to save
+his vessel and the remainder of his freight has been compelled to unload
+with the utmost expedition. But, in such cases, of course the fire has
+been more or less under control throughout the voyage; with us, it
+is increasing day by day, and I tell you I am convinced there is an
+aperture somewhere which has escaped our notice.”
+
+“But would it not be advisable for us to retrace our course, and make
+for the nearest land?”
+
+“Perhaps it would,” he answered. “Walter and I, and the boatswain, are
+going to talk the matter over seriously with the captain to-day. But,
+between ourselves, I have taken the responsibility upon myself; I have
+already changed the tack to the south-west; we are now straight before
+the wind, and consequently we are sailing towards the coast.”
+
+“I need hardly ask,” I added; “whether any of the other passengers are
+at all aware of the imminent danger in which we are placed.”
+
+“None of them,” he said; “not in the least; and I hope you will not
+enlighten them. We don’t want terrified women and cowardly men to add to
+our embarrassment; the crew are under orders to keep a strict silence on
+the subject. Silence is indispensable.”
+
+I promised to keep the matter a profound secret, as I fully entered into
+Curtis’s views as to the absolute necessity for concealment.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+OCTOBER 20th AND 21st.--The “Chancellor” is now crowded with all the
+canvas she can carry, and at times her top-masts threaten to snap with
+the pressure. But Curtis is ever on the alert; he never leaves his post
+beside the man at the helm, and without compromising the safety of the
+vessel, he contrives by tacking to the breeze, to urge her on at her
+utmost speed.
+
+All day long on the 20th, the passengers were assembled on the poop.
+Evidently they found the heat of the cabins painfully oppressive, and
+most of them lay stretched upon benches and quietly enjoyed the gentle
+rolling of the vessel. The increasing heat of the deck did not reveal
+itself to their well-shod feet and the constant scouring of the boards
+did not excite any suspicion in their torpid minds. M. Letourneur, it
+is true, did express his surprise that the crew of an ordinary merchant
+vessel should be distinguished by such extraordinary cleanliness, but as
+I replied to him in a very casual tone, he passed no further remark. I
+could not help regretting that I had given Curtis my pledge of silence,
+and longed intensely to communicate the melancholy secret to
+the energetic Frenchman; for at times when I reflect upon the
+eight-and-twenty victims who may probably, only too soon, be a prey to
+the relentless flames, my heart seems ready to burst.
+
+The important consultation between captain, mate, lieutenant, and
+boatswain has taken place. Curtis has confided the result to me. He says
+that Huntly, the captain, is completely demoralized; he has lost all
+power and energy; and practically leaves the command of the ship to him.
+It is now certain the fire is beyond control, and that sooner or
+later it will burst out in full violence The temperature of the crew’s
+quarters has already become almost unbearable. One solitary hope
+remained; it is that we may reach the shore before the final catastrophe
+occurs. The Lesser Antilles are the nearest land; and although they
+are some five or six hundred miles away, if the wind remains north-east
+there is yet a chance of reaching them in time.
+
+Carrying royals and studding-sails, the “Chancellor” during the last
+four-and-twenty hours has held a steady course. M. Letourneur is the
+only one of all the passengers who has remarked the change of tack;
+Curtis however, has set all speculation on his part to rest by telling
+him that he wanted to get ahead of the wind, and that he was tacking to
+the west to catch a favourable current.
+
+To-day, the 21st, all has gone on as usual; and as far as the
+observation of the passengers has reached, the ordinary routine has been
+undisturbed. Curtis indulges the hope even yet that by excluding the
+air, the fire may be stifled before it ignites the general cargo; he has
+hermetically closed every accessible aperture, and has even taken the
+precaution of plugging the orifices of the pumps, under the impression
+that their suction-tubes, running as they do to the bottom of the
+hold, may possibly be channels for conveying some molecules of air.
+Altogether, he considers it a good sign that the combustion has not
+betrayed itself by some external issue of smoke.
+
+The day would have passed without any incident worth recording if I had
+not chanced to overhear a fragment of a conversation which demonstrated
+that our situation hitherto precarious enough, had now become most
+appalling.
+
+As I was sitting on the poop, two of my fellow-passengers, Falsten,
+the engineer, and Ruby, the merchant whom I had observed to be often in
+company, were engaged in conversation almost close to me. What they said
+was evidently not intended for my hearing, but my attention was directed
+towards them by some very emphatic gestures of dissatisfaction on the
+part of Falsten, and I could not forbear listening to what followed.
+
+“Preposterous! shameful!” exclaimed Falsten; “nothing could be more
+imprudent.”
+
+“Pooh! pooh!” replied Ruby; “it’s all right; it is not the first time I
+have done it.”
+
+“But don’t you know that any shock at any time might cause an
+explosion?”
+
+“Oh, it’s all properly secured,” said Ruby, “tight enough; I have no
+fears on that score, Mr. Falsten.”
+
+“But why,” asked Falsten, “did you not inform the captain?”
+
+“Just because if I had informed him, he would not have taken the case on
+board.”
+
+The wind dropped for a few seconds; and for a brief interval I could
+not catch what passed; but I could see that Falsten continued to
+remonstrate, whilst Ruby answered by shrugging his shoulders. At length
+I heard Falsten say,--
+
+“Well, at any rate the captain must be informed of this, and the package
+shall be thrown overboard. I don’t want, to be blown up.”
+
+I started. To what could the engineer be alluding? Evidently he had not
+the remotest suspicion that the cargo was already on fire. In another
+moment the words “picrate of potash” brought me to my feet? and with an
+involuntary impulse I rushed up to Ruby, and seized him by the shoulder.
+
+“Is there picrate of potash on board?” I almost shrieked.
+
+“Yes,” said Falsten, “a case containing thirty pounds.”
+
+“Where is it?” I cried.
+
+“Down in the hold, with the cargo.”
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+What my feelings were I cannot describe; but it was hardly in terror so
+much as with a kind of resignation that I made my way to Curtis on
+the forecastle, and made him aware that the alarming character of our
+situation was now complete, as there was enough explosive matter on
+board to blow up a mountain. Curtis received the information as coolly
+as it was delivered, and after I had made him acquainted with all the
+particulars said,--
+
+“Not a word of this must be mentioned to any one else, Mr. Kazallon,
+where is Ruby now?”
+
+“On the poop,” I said.
+
+“Will you then come with me, sir?”
+
+Ruby and Falsten were sitting just as I had left them. Curtis walked
+straight up to Ruby, and asked him whether what he had been told was
+true.
+
+“Yes, quite true,” said Ruby, complacently, thinking that the worst
+that could befall him would be that he might be convicted of a little
+smuggling.
+
+I observed that Curtis was obliged for a moment or two to clasp his
+hands tightly together behind his back to prevent himself from
+seizing the unfortunate passenger by the throat; but suppressing his
+indignation, he proceeded quietly, though sternly, to interrogate him
+about the facts of the case. Ruby only confirmed what I had already told
+him. With characteristic Anglo-Saxon incautiousness he had brought
+on board with the rest of his baggage, a case containing no less than
+thirty pounds of picrate, and had allowed the explosive matter to be
+stowed in the hold with as little compunction as a Frenchman would feel
+in smuggling a single bottle of wine. He had not informed the captain
+of the dangerous nature of the contents of the package, because he was
+perfectly aware that he would have been refused permission to bring the
+package on board.
+
+“Any way,” he said, with a shrug of his shoulders, “you can’t hang me
+for it; and if the package gives you so much concern, you are quite at
+liberty to throw it into the sea. My luggage is insured.”
+
+I was beside myself with fury, and not being endowed with Curtis’s
+reticence and self-control, before he could interfere to stop me, I
+cried out,--
+
+“You fool! don’t you know that there is fire on board?”
+
+In an instant I regretted my words. Most earnestly I wished them
+unuttered, But it was too late: their effect upon Ruby was electrical.
+He was paralyzed with terror his limbs stiffened convulsively; his eye
+was dilated; he gasped for breath, and was speechless. All of a
+sudden he threw up his arms and, as though he momentarily expected an
+explosion, he darted down from the poop, and paced frantically up and down
+the deck, gesticulating like a madman, and shouting,--
+
+“Fire on board! Fire! Fire!”
+
+On hearing the outcry, all the crew, supposing that the fire had now
+in reality broken out, rushed on deck; the rest of the passengers soon
+joined them, and the scene that ensued was one of the utmost confusion.
+Mrs. Kear fell down senseless on the deck, and her husband, occupied in
+looking after himself, left her to the tender mercies of Miss Herbey.
+Curtis endeavoured to silence Ruby’s ravings, whilst I, in as few words
+as I could, made M. Letourneur aware of the extent to which the cargo
+was on fire. The father’s first thought was for Andre but the young
+man preserved an admirable composure, and begged his father not to be
+alarmed, as the danger was not immediate. Meanwhile the sailors had
+loosened all the tacklings of the long-boat; and were preparing to
+launch it, when Curtis’s voice was heard peremptorily bidding them to
+desist; he assured them that the fire had made no further progress; that
+Mr. Ruby had been unduly excited and not conscious of what he had said;
+and he pledged his word that when the right moment should arrive he
+would allow them all to leave the ship; but that moment, he said, had
+not yet come.
+
+At the sound of a voice which they had learned to honour and respect,
+the crew paused in their operations, and the long-boat remained
+suspended in its place. Fortunately, even Ruby himself in the midst
+of his ravings, had not dropped a word about the picrate that had
+been deposited in the hold; for although the mate had a power over the
+sailors that Captain Huntly had never possessed, I feel certain that if
+the true state of the case had been known, nothing on earth would
+have prevented some of them, in their consternation, from effecting an
+escape. As it was, only Curtis, Falsten, and myself were cognizant of
+the terrible secret.
+
+As soon as order was restored, the mate and, I joined Falsten on the
+poop, where he had remained throughout the panic, and where we found
+him with folded arms, deep in thought, as it might be, solving some hard
+mechanical problem. He promised, at my request, that he would reveal
+nothing of the new danger to which we were exposed through Ruby’s
+imprudence. Curtis himself took the responsibility of informing Captain
+Huntly of our critical situation.
+
+In order to insure complete secrecy, it was necessary to secure the
+person of the unhappy Ruby, who, quite beside himself, continued to rave
+up and down the deck with the incessant cry of “Fire! fire!” Accordingly
+Curtis gave orders to some of his men to seize him and gag him; and
+before he could make any resistance the miserable man was captured and
+safely lodged in confinement in his own cabin.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+OCTOBER 22nd.--Curtis has told the captain everything; for he persists
+in ostensibly recognizing him as his superior officer, and refuses
+to conceal from him our true situation. Captain Huntly received the
+communication in perfect silence, and merely passing his hand across his
+forehead as though to, banish some distressing thought, re-entered his
+cabin without a word.
+
+Curtis, Lieutenant Walter, Falsten, and myself have been discussing
+the chances of our safety, and I am surprised to find with how much
+composure we can all survey our anxious predicament.
+
+“There is no doubt” said Curtis, “that we must abandon all hope
+of arresting the fire; the heat towards the bow has already become
+well-nigh unbearable, and the time must come when the flames will find
+a vent through the deck. If the sea is calm enough for us to make use
+of the boats, well and good; we shall of course get quit of the ship as
+quietly as we can; if on the other hand, the weather should be adverse,
+or the wind be boisterous, we must stick to our place, and contend with
+the flames to the very last; perhaps, after all, we shall fare better
+with the fire as a declared enemy than as a hidden one.”
+
+Falsten and I agreed with what he said, but I pointed out to him that
+he had quite overlooked the fact of there being thirty pounds of
+combustible matter in the hold.
+
+“No” he gravely replied, “I have not forgotten it, but it is a
+circumstance of which I do not trust myself to think I dare not run
+the risk of admitting air into the hold by going down to search for the
+powder, and yet I know not at what moment it may explode. No; it is a
+matter that I cannot take at all into my reckoning, it must remain in
+higher hands than mine.”
+
+We bowed our heads in a silence which was solemn. In the present state
+of the weather, immediate flight was, we knew, impossible.
+
+After a considerable pause, Falsten, as calmly as though he were
+delivering some philosophic dogma, observed,--
+
+“The explosion, if I may use the formula of science, is not necessary,
+but contingent.”
+
+“But tell me, Mr. Falsten,” I asked, “is it possible for picrate of
+potash to ignite without concussion?”
+
+“Certainly it is,” replied the engineer. “Under-ordinary circumstances,
+picrate of potash although not MORE inflammable than common powder, yet
+possesses the same degree of inflammability.”
+
+We now prepared to go on deck. As we left the saloon, in which we had
+been sitting, Curtis seized my hand.
+
+“Oh, Mr. Kazallon,” he exclaimed, “if you only knew the bitterness of
+the agony I feel at seeing this fine vessel doomed to be devoured by
+flames, and at being so powerless to save her.” Then quickly recovering
+himself, he continued, “But I am forgetting myself; you, if no other,
+must know what I am suffering. It is all over now,” he said more
+cheerfully.
+
+“Is our condition quite desperate?” I asked.
+
+“It is just this,” he answered deliberately “we are over a mine, and
+already the match has been applied to the train. How long that train may
+be, ‘tis not for me to say.” And with these words he left me.
+
+The other passengers, in common with the crew, are still in entire
+ignorance of the extremity of peril to which we are exposed, although
+they are all aware that there is fire in the hold. As soon as the fact
+was announced, Mr. Kear, after communicating to Curtis his instructions
+that he thought he should have the fire immediately extinguished and
+intimating that he held him responsible for all contingencies that might
+happen, retired to his cabin, where he has remained ever since, fully
+occupied in collecting and packing together the more cherished articles
+of his property and without the semblance of a care or a thought for his
+unfortunate wife, whose condition, in spite of her ludicrous complaints,
+was truly pitiable. Miss Herbey, however, is unrelaxing in her
+attentions, and the unremitted diligence with which she fulfills her
+offices of duty, commands my highest admiration.
+
+OCTOBER 23rd.--This morning, Captain Huntly sent for Curtis into his
+cabin, and the mate has since made me acquainted with what passed
+between them.
+
+“Curtis,” began the captain, his haggard eye betraying only too plainly
+some mental derangement, “I am a sailor, am I not?”
+
+“Certainly, captain,” was the prompt acquiescence of the mate.
+
+“I do not know how it is,” continued the captain, “but I seem
+bewildered; I cannot recollect anything. Are we not bound for Liverpool?
+Ah! yes! of course. And have we kept a north-easterly direction since we
+left?”
+
+“No, sir, according to your orders we have been sailing south-east, and
+here we are in the tropics.”
+
+“And what is the name of the ship?”
+
+“The ‘Chancellor,’ sir.”
+
+“Yes, yes, the ‘Chancellor,’ so it is. Well, Curtis, I really can’t take
+her back to the north. I hate the sea, the very sight of it makes me
+ill, I would much rather not leave my cabin.”
+
+Curtis went on to tell me how he had tried to persuade him that with a
+little time and care he would soon recover his indisposition, and feel
+himself again; but the captain had interrupted him by saying,--
+
+“Well, well; we shall see by-and-by; but for the present you must take
+this for my positive order; you must, from this time, at once take
+the command of the ship, and act just as if I were not on board. Under
+present circumstances, I can do nothing. My brain is all in a whirl, you
+cannot tell what I am suffering;” and the unfortunate man pressed both
+his hands convulsively against his forehead.
+
+“I weighed the matter carefully for a moment,” added Curtis, “and seeing
+what his condition too truly was, I acquiesced in all that he required
+and withdrew, promising him that all his orders should be obeyed.”
+
+After hearing these particulars, I could not help remarking how
+fortunate it was that the captain had resigned of his own accord, for
+although he might not be actually insane, it was very evident that his
+brain was in a very morbid condition.
+
+“I succeed him at a very critical moment;” said Curtis thoughtfully;
+“but I shall endeavour to do my duty.”
+
+A short time afterwards he sent for the boatswain, and ordered him to
+assemble the crew at the foot of the main-mast. As soon as the men were
+together, he addressed them very calmly, but very firmly.
+
+“My men,” he said, “I have to tell you that Captain Huntly, on account
+of the dangerous situation in which circumstances have placed us, and
+for other reasons known to myself, has thought right to resign his
+command to me. From this time forward, I am captain of this vessel.”
+
+Thus quietly and simply the change was effected, and we have the
+satisfaction of knowing that the “Chancellor” is now under the command
+of a conscientious, energetic man, who will shirk nothing that he
+believes to be for our common good. M. Letourneur, Andre, Mr. Falsten,
+and myself immediately offered him our best wishes, in which Lieutenant
+Walter and the boatswain most cordially joined.
+
+The ship still holds her course south-west and Curtis crowds on all
+sail and makes as speedily as possible for the nearest of the Lesser
+Antilles.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+OCTOBER 24th to 29th.--For the last five days the sea has been very
+heavy, and although the “Chancellor” sails with wind and wave in her
+favour, yet her progress is considerably impeded. Here on board this
+veritable fireship I cannot help contemplating with a longing eye this
+vast ocean that surrounds us. The water supply should be all we need.
+
+“Why not bore the deck?” I said to Curtis. “Why not admit the water by
+tons into the hold? What could be the harm? The fire would be quenched;
+and what would be easier than to pump the water out again?”
+
+“I have already told you, Mr. Kazallon,” said Curtis, “that the very
+moment we admit the air, the flames will rush forth to the very top of
+the masts. No; we must have courage and patience; we must wait. There is
+nothing whatever to be done, except to close every aperture.”
+
+The fire continued to progress even more rapidly than we had hitherto
+suspected. The heat gradually drove the passengers nearly all, on deck,
+and the two stern cabins, lighted, as I said, by their windows in the
+aft-board were the only quarters below that were inhabitable. Of these
+Mrs. Kear occupied one, and Curtis reserved the other for Ruby, who,
+a raving maniac, had to be kept rigidly under restraint. I went down
+occasionally to see him, but invariably found him in a state of abject
+terror, uttering horrible shrieks, as though possessed with the idea
+that he was being scorched by the most excruciating heat.
+
+Once or twice, too, I looked in upon the ex-captain. He was always calm
+and spoke quite rationally upon any subject except his own profession;
+but in connexion with that he prated away the merest nonsense. He
+suffered greatly, but steadily declined all my offers of attention, and
+pertinaciously refused to leave his cabin.
+
+To-day, an acrid, nauseating smoke made its way through the panellings
+that partition off the quarters of the crew. At once Curtis ordered the
+partition to be enveloped in wet tarpaulin, but the fumes penetrated
+even this, and filled the whole neighbourhood of the ship’s bows with
+a reeking vapour that was positively stifling. As we listened, too, we
+could hear a dull rumbling sound, but we were as mystified as ever to
+comprehend where the air could have entered that was evidently fanning
+the flames. Only too certainly, it was now becoming a question not
+of days nor even of hours before we must be prepared for the final
+catastrophe. The sea was still running high, and escape by the boats was
+plainly impossible. Fortunately, as I have said, the main-mast and the
+mizzen are of iron; otherwise the heat at their base would long ago
+have brought them down and our chances of safety would have been
+much imperiled; but by crowding on sail the “Chancellor” in the full
+north-east wind continued to make her way with undiminished speed.
+
+It is now a fortnight since the fire was first discovered, and the
+proper working of the ship has gradually become a more and more
+difficult matter. Even with thick shoes any attempt to walk upon deck up
+to the forecastle was soon impracticable, and the poop, simply because
+its door is elevated somewhat above the level of the hold, is now the
+only available standing-place. Water began to lose its effect upon the
+scorched and shrivelling planks; the resin oozed out from the knots
+in the wood, the seams burst open, and the tar, melted by the heat,
+followed the rollings of the vessel, and formed fantastic patterns about
+the deck.
+
+Then to complete our perplexity, the wind shifted suddenly round to the
+north-west, whence it blew a perfect hurricane. To no purpose did Curtis
+do everything in his power to bring the ship ahull; every effort was
+vain; the “Chancellor” could not bear her trysail, so there was nothing
+to be done but to let her go with the wind, and drift further and
+further from the land for which we are longing so eagerly.
+
+To-day, the 29th, the tempest seemed to reach its height; the waves
+appeared to us mountains high, and dashed the spray most violently
+across the deck. A boat could not live for a moment in such a sea.
+
+Our situation is terrible. We all wait in silence, some few on the
+forecastle, the great proportion of us on the poop. As for the picrate,
+for the time we have quite forgotten its existence; indeed it might
+almost seem as though its explosion would come as a relief, for no
+catastrophe, however terrible, could far exceed the torture of our
+suspense.
+
+While he had still the remaining chance, Curtis rescued from the
+store-room such few provisions as the heat of the compartment allowed
+him to obtain; and a lot of cases of salt meat and biscuits, a cask of
+brandy, some barrels of fresh water, together with some sails and wraps,
+a compass and other instruments are now lying packed in a mass all ready
+for prompt removal to the boats whenever we shall be obliged to leave
+the ship.
+
+About eight o’clock in the evening, a noise is heard, distinct even
+above the raging of the hurricane. The panels of the deck are upheaved,
+and volumes of black smoke issue upwards as if from a safety-valve. An
+universal consternation seizes one and all: we must leave the volcano
+which is about to burst beneath our feet. The crew run to Curtis for
+orders. He hesitates; looks first at the huge and threatening waves;
+looks then at the boats. The long-boat is there, suspended right along
+the centre of the deck; but it is impossible to approach it now;
+the yawl, however, hoisted on the starboard side, and the whale-boat
+suspended aft, are still available. The sailors make frantically for the
+yawl.
+
+“Stop, stop,” shouts Curtis; “do you mean to cut off our last and only
+chance of safety? Would you launch a boat in such a sea as this?”
+
+A few of them, with Owen at their head, give no heed to what he says.
+Rushing to the poop, and seizing a cutlass, Curtis shouts again,--
+
+“Touch the tackling of the davit, one of you; only touch it, and I’ll
+cleave your skull.”
+
+Awed by his determined manner, the men retire, some clambering into the
+shrouds, whilst others mount to the very top of the masts.
+
+At eleven o’clock, several loud reports are heard, caused by the
+bursting asunder of the partitions of the hold. Clouds of smoke issue
+from the front, followed by a long tongue of lambent flame that seems to
+encircle the mizzen-mast. The fire now reaches to the cabin occupied by
+Mrs. Kear, who, shrieking wildly, is brought on deck by Miss Herbey.
+A moment more, and Silas Huntly makes his appearance, his face all
+blackened with the grimy smoke; he bows to Curtis, as he passes, and
+then proceeds in the calmest manner to mount the aft-shrouds, and
+installs himself at the very top of the mizzen.
+
+The sight of Huntly recalls to my recollection the prisoner still below,
+and my first impulse is to rush to the staircase and do what I can to
+set him free. But the maniac has already eluded his confinement, and
+with singed hair and his clothes already alight, rushes upon deck. Like
+a salamander he passes across the burning deck with unscathed feet,
+and glides through the stifling smoke with unchoked breath. Not a sound
+escapes his lips.
+
+Another loud report; the long-boat is shivered into fragments; the
+middle panel bursts the tarpaulin that covered it, and a stream of fire,
+free at length from the restraint that had held it, rises half-mast
+high.
+
+“The picrate! the picrate!” shrieks the madman; “we shall all be blown
+up! the picrate will blow us all up.”
+
+And in an instant, before we can get near him, he has hurled himself,
+through the open hatchway, down into the fiery furnace below.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+OCTOBER 29th:--NIGHT.--The scene, as night came on, was terrible indeed.
+Notwithstanding the desperateness of our situation, however, there
+was not one of us so paralyzed by fear, but that we fully realized the
+horror of it all.
+
+Poor Ruby, indeed, is lost and gone, but his last words were productive
+of serious consequences. The sailors caught his cry of “Picrate,
+picrate!” and being thus for the first time made aware of the true
+nature of their peril, they resolved at every hazard to accomplish their
+escape. Beside themselves with terror, they either did not or would
+not, see that no boat could brave the tremendous waves that were raging
+around, and accordingly they made a frantic rush towards the yawl.
+Curtis again made a vigorous endeavour to prevent them, but this time
+all in vain; Owen urged them on, and already the tackling was loosened,
+so that the boat was swung over to the ship’s side, For a moment it hung
+suspended in mid-air, and then, with a final effort from the sailors, it
+was quickly lowered into the sea. But scarcely had it touched the water,
+when it was caught by an enormous wave which, recoiling with resistless
+violence, dashed it to atoms against the “Chancellor’s” side.
+
+The men stood aghast; they were dumbfoundered. Long-boat and yawl both
+gone, there was nothing now remaining to us but a small whale-boat. Not
+a word was spoken; not a sound was heard but the hoarse whistling of
+the wind, and the mournful roaring of the flames. From the centre of the
+ship, which was hollowed out like a furnace, there issued a column of
+sooty vapour that ascended to the sky. All the passengers, and several
+of the crew, took refuge in the aft-quarters of the poop. Mrs. Kear
+was lying senseless on one of the hen-coops, with Miss Herbey sitting
+passively at her side; M. Letourneur held his son tightly clasped to his
+bosom. I saw Falsten calmly consult his watch, and note down the time
+in his memorandum-book, but I was far from sharing his, composure, for I
+was overcome by a nervous agitation that I could not suppress.
+
+As far as we knew, Lieutenant Walter, the boatswain, and such of the
+crew as were not with us, were safe in the bow; but it was impossible
+to tell how they were faring because the sheet of fire intervened like a
+curtain, and cut off all communication between stem and stern.
+
+I broke the dismal silence, saying “All over now, Curtis.”
+
+“No, sir, not yet,” he replied, “now that the panel is open we will set
+to work, and pour water with all our might down into the furnace, and
+may be, we shall put it out, even yet.”
+
+“But how can you work your pumps while the deck is burning? and how can
+you get at your men beyond that sheet of flame?”
+
+He made no answer to my impetuous questions, and finding that he had
+nothing more to say, I repeated that it was all over now.
+
+After a pause, he said, “As long as a plank of the ship remains to stand
+on, Mr. Kazallon, I shall not give up my hope.”
+
+But the conflagration raged with redoubled fury, the sea around us was
+lighted with a crimson glow, and the clouds above shone with a lurid
+glare. Long jets of fire darted across the hatchways, and we were forced
+to take refuge on the taffrail at the extreme end of the poop. Mrs.
+Kear was laid in the whale-boat that hung from the stern, Miss Herbey
+persisting to the last in retaining her post by her side.
+
+No pen could adequately portray the horrors of this fearful night. The
+“Chancellor” under bare poles, was driven, like a gigantic fire-ship
+with frightful velocity across the raging ocean; her very speed as it
+were, making common cause with the hurricane to fan the fire that was
+consuming her. Soon there could be no alternative between throwing
+ourselves into the sea, or perishing in the flames.
+
+But where, all this time, was the picrate? perhaps, after all, Ruby
+had deceived us and there was no volcano, such as we dreaded, below our
+feet.
+
+At half-past eleven, when the tempest seems at its very height there
+is heard a peculiar roar distinguishable even above the crash of the
+elements. The sailors in an instant recognize its import.
+
+“Breakers to starboard!” is the cry.
+
+Curtis leaps on to the netting, casts a rapid glance at the snow-white
+billows, and turning to the helmsman shouts with all his might
+“Starboard the helm!”
+
+But it is too late. There is a sudden shock; the ship is caught up by an
+enormous wave; she rises upon her beam ends; several times she strikes
+the ground; the mizzen-mast snaps short off level with the deck, falls
+into the sea, and the “Chancellor” is motionless.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+THE NIGHT OF THE 29th CONTINUED.--It was not yet midnight; the darkness
+was most profound, and we could see nothing. But was it probable that we
+had stranded on the coast of America?
+
+Very shortly after the ship had thus come to a standstill a clanking of
+chains was heard proceeding from her bows.
+
+“That is well,” said Curtis; “Walter and the boatswain have cast both
+the anchors. Let us hope they will hold.”
+
+Then, clinging to the netting, he clambered along the starboard side,
+on which the ship had heeled, as far as the flames would allow him. He
+clung to the holdfasts of the shrouds, and in spite of the heavy
+seas that dashed against the vessel he maintained his position for a
+considerable time, evidently listening to some sound that had caught
+his ear in the midst of the tempest. In about a quarter of an hour he
+returned to the poop.
+
+“Heaven be praised!” he said, “the water is coming in, and perhaps may
+get the better of the fire.”
+
+“True,” said I, “but what then?”
+
+“That,” he replied, “is a question for by-and-by. We can now only think
+of the present.”
+
+Already I fancied that the violence of the flames was somewhat abated,
+and that the two opposing elements were in fierce contention. Some plank
+in the ship’s side was evidently stove in, admitting free passage for
+the waves. But how, when the water had mastered the fire, should we be
+able to master the water? Our natural course would be to use the
+pumps, but these, in the very midst of the conflagration, were quite
+unavailable.
+
+For three long hours, in anxious suspense, we watched and watched, and
+waited. Where we were we could not tell. One thing alone was certain:
+the tide was ebbing beneath us, and the waves were relaxing in their
+violence. Once let the fire be extinguished, and then, perhaps, there
+would be room to hope that the next high tide would set us afloat.
+
+Towards half-past four in the morning the curtain of fire and smoke,
+which had shut off communication between the two extremities of the
+ship, became less dense, and we could faintly distinguish that party
+of the crew who had taken refuge in the forecastle; and before long,
+although it was impracticable to step upon the deck, the lieutenant and
+the boatswain contrived to clamber over the gunwale, along the rails,
+and joined Curtis on the poop.
+
+Here they held a consultation, to which I was admitted. They were all
+of opinion that nothing could be done until daylight should give us
+something of an idea of our actual position. If we then found that we
+were near the shore, we would, weather permitting, endeavour to land,
+either in the boat or upon a raft. If, on the other hand, no land were
+in sight, and the “Chancellor” were ascertained to be stranded on some
+isolated reef, all we could do would be to get her afloat, and put her
+into condition for reaching the nearest coast. Curtis told us that it
+was long since he had been able to take any observation of altitude, but
+there was no doubt the north-west wind had driven us far to the south;
+and he thought, as he was ignorant of the existence of any reef in this
+part of the Atlantic, that it was just possible that we had been driven
+on to the coast of some portion of South America.
+
+I reminded him that we were in momentary expectation of an explosion,
+and suggested that it would be advisable to abandon the ship and take
+refuge on the reef. But he would not hear of such a proceeding, said
+that the reef would probably be covered at high tide, and persisted in
+the original resolution, that no decided action could be taken before
+the daylight appeared.
+
+I immediately reported this decision of the captain to my fellow
+passengers. None of them seem to realize the new danger to which the
+“Chancellor” may be exposed by being cast upon an unknown reef, hundreds
+of miles it may be from land. All are for the time possessed with one
+idea, one hope; and that is, that the fire may now be quenched and the
+explosion averted.
+
+And certainly their hopes seem in a fair way of being fulfilled. Already
+the raging flames that poured forth from the hatches have given place
+to dense black smoke, and although occasionally some fiery streaks dart
+across the dusky fumes, yet they are instantly extinguished. The waves
+are doing what pumps and buckets could never have effected; by their
+inundation they are steadily stifling the fire which was as steadily
+spreading to the whole bulk of the 1700 bales of cotton.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+OCTOBER 30th.--At the first gleam of daylight we eagerly scanned the
+southern and western horizons, but the morning mists limited our view.
+Land was nowhere to be seen. The tide was now almost at its lowest ebb,
+and the colour of the few peaks of rock that jutted up around us showed
+that the reef on which we had stranded was of basaltic formation. There
+were now only about six feet of water around the “Chancellor,” though
+with a full freight she draws about fifteen. It was remarkable how far
+she had been carried on to the shelf of rock, but the number of times
+that she had touched the bottom before she finally ran aground left us
+no doubt that she had been lifted up and borne along on the top of an
+enormous wave. She now lies with her stern considerably higher than her
+bows, a position which renders walking upon the deck anything but an
+easy matter; moreover as the tide-receded she heeled over so much to
+larboard that at one time Curtis feared she would altogether capsize;
+that fear, however, since the tide has reached its lowest mark, has
+happily proved groundless.
+
+At six o’clock some violent blows were felt against the ship’s side, and
+at the same time a voice was distinguished, shouting loudly, “Curtis!
+Curtis!” Following the direction of the cries we saw that the broken
+mizzen-mast was being washed against the vessel, and in the dusky morning
+twilight we could make out the figure of a man clinging to the rigging.
+Curtis, at the peril of his life, hastened to bring the man on board,
+It proved to be none other than Silas Huntly, who, after being carried
+overboard with the mast, had thus, almost by a miracle, escaped a
+watery grave. Without a word of thanks to his deliverer, the ex-captain,
+passive, like an automaton, passed on and took his seat in the most
+secluded corner of the poop. The broken mizzen may, perhaps, be of
+service to us at some future time, and with that idea it has been
+rescued from the waves and lashed securely to the stern.
+
+By this time it was light enough to see for a distance of three miles
+round; but as yet nothing could be discerned to make us think that
+we were near a coast. The line of breakers ran for about a mile from
+south-west to north-east, and two hundred fathoms to the north of the
+ship an irregular mass of rocks formed a small islet. This islet rose
+about fifty feet above the sea, and was consequently above the level of
+the highest tides; whilst a sort of causeway, available at low water,
+would enable us to reach the island, if necessity required. But
+there the reef ended; beyond it the sea again resumed its sombre hue,
+betokening deep water. In all probability, then, this was a solitary
+shoal, unattached to a shore, and the gloom of a bitter disappointment
+began to weigh upon our spirits.
+
+In another hour the mists had totally disappeared, and it was broad
+daylight. I and M. Letourneur stood watching Curtis as he continued
+eagerly to scan the western horizon. Astonishment was written on his
+countenance; to him it appeared perfectly incredible that, after our
+course for so long had been due south from the Bermudas, no land should
+be in sight. But not a speck, however minute, broke the clearly-defined
+line that joined sea and sky. After a time Curtis made his way along the
+netting to the shrouds, and swung himself quickly up to the top of the
+mainmast. For several minutes he remained there examining the open space
+around, then seizing one of the backstays he glided down and rejoined us
+on the poop.
+
+“No land in sight,” he said, in answer to our eager looks of inquiry.
+
+At this point Mr. Kear interposed, and in a gruff, ill-tempered tone,
+asked Curtis where we were. Curtis replied that he did not know.
+
+“You don’t know, sir? Then all I can say is that you ought to know!”
+ exclaimed the petroleum merchant.
+
+“That may be, sir; but at present I am as ignorant of our whereabouts as
+you are yourself,” said Curtis.
+
+“Well,” said Mr. Kear, “just please to know that I don’t want to stay
+for ever on your everlasting ship, so I beg you will make haste and
+start off again.”
+
+Curtis condescended to make no other reply than a shrug of the
+shoulders, and turning away he informed M. Letourneur and myself that if
+the sun came out he intended to take its altitude and find out to what
+part of the ocean we had been driven. His next care was to distribute
+preserved meat and biscuit amongst the passengers and crew already half
+fainting with hunger and fatigue, and then he set to work to devise
+measures for setting the ship afloat.
+
+The conflagration was greatly abated; no flames now appeared, and
+although some black smoke still issued from the interior, yet its volume
+was far less than before. The first step was to discover how much water
+had entered the hold. The deck was still too hot to walk upon; but
+after two hours’ irrigation the boards became sufficiently cool for the
+boatswain to proceed to take some soundings, and he shortly afterwards
+announced that there were five feet of water below. This the captain
+determined should not be pumped out at present, as he wanted it
+thoroughly to do its duty before he got rid of it.
+
+The next subject for consideration was whether it would be advisable to
+abandon the vessel, and to take refuge on the reef. Curtis thought not;
+and the lieutenant and the boatswain agreed with him. The chances of an
+explosion were greatly diminished, as it had been ascertained that the
+water had reached that part of the hold in which Ruby’s luggage had been
+deposited; while, on the other hand, in the event of rough weather,
+our position even upon the most elevated points of rock might be very
+critical. It was accordingly resolved that both passengers and crew were
+safest on board.
+
+Acting upon this decision we proceeded to make a kind of encampment on
+the poop, and the few mattresses that were rescued uninjured have been
+given up for the use of the two ladies. Such of the crew as had saved
+their hammocks have been told to place them under the forecastle where
+they would have to stow themselves as best they could, their ordinary
+quarters being absolutely uninhabitable.
+
+Fortunately, although the store-room has been considerably exposed
+to the heat, its contents are not very seriously damaged, and all
+the barrels of water and the greater part of the provisions are quite
+intact. The stack of spare sails, which had been packed away in front,
+is also free from injury. The wind has dropped considerably since the
+early morning, and the swell in the sea is far less heavy. On the whole
+our spirits are reviving, and we begin to think we may yet find a way
+out of our troubles.
+
+M. Letourneur, his son, and I, have just had a long conversation about
+the ship’s officers. We consider their conduct, under the late trying
+circumstances, to have been most exemplary, and their courage, energy,
+and endurance to have been beyond all praise. Lieutenant Walter,
+the boatswain, and Dowlas the carpenter have all alike distinguished
+themselves, and made us feel that they are men to be relied on. As for
+Curtis, words can scarcely be found to express our admiration of his
+character; he is the same as he has ever been, the very life of his
+crew, cheering them on by word or gesture; finding an expedient for
+every difficulty, and always foremost in every action.
+
+The tide turned at seven this morning, and by eleven all the rocks were
+submerged, none of them being visible except the cluster of those which
+formed the rim of a small and almost circular basin from 250 to 300 feet
+in diameter, in the north angle of which the ship is lying. As the tide
+rose the white breakers disappeared, and the sea, fortunately for
+the “Chancellor,” was pretty calm; otherwise the dashing of the waves
+against her sides, as she lies motionless, might have been attended by
+serious consequences.
+
+As might be supposed, the height of the water in the hold increased
+with the tide from five feet to nine; but this was rather a matter for
+congratulation, inasmuch as it sufficed to inundate another layer of
+cotton.
+
+At half-past eleven the sun, which had been behind the clouds since
+ten o’clock, broke forth brightly. The captain, who had already in the
+morning been able to calculate an horary angle, now prepared to take
+the meridian altitude, and succeeded at midday in making his observation
+most satisfactorily. After retiring for a short time to calculate the
+result; he returned to the poop and announced that we are in lat; 18deg.
+5min. N. and long. 45deg. 53min. W., but that the reef on which we are
+aground is not marked upon the charts. The only explanation that can be
+given for the omission is that the islet must be of recent formation,
+and has been caused by some subterranean volcanic disturbance. But
+whatever may be the solution of the mystery, here we are 800 miles from
+land; for such, on consulting the map, we find to be the actual distance
+to the coast of Guiana, which is the nearest shore. Such is the position
+to which we have been brought, in the first place, by Huntly’s senseless
+obstinacy, and, secondly, by the furious north-west gale.
+
+Yet, after all, the captain’s communication does not dishearten us. As
+I said before, our spirits are reviving. We have escaped the peril of
+fire; the fear of explosion is past and gone; and oblivious of the fact
+that the ship with a hold full of water is only too likely to founder
+when she puts out to sea, we feel a confidence in the future that
+forbids us to despond.
+
+Meanwhile Curtis prepares to do all that common sense demands. He
+proposes, when the fire is quite extinguished, to throw overboard the
+whole, or the greater portion of the cargo, including of course, the
+picrate; he will next plug up the leak, and then, with a lightened
+ship, he will take advantage of the first high tide to quit the reef as
+speedily as possible.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+OCTOBER 30th.--Once again I talked to M. Letourneur about our situation,
+and endeavoured to animate him with the hope that we should not be
+detained for long in our present predicament; but he could not be
+brought to take a very sanguine view of our prospects.
+
+“But surely,” I protested, “it will not be difficult to throw overboard
+a few hundred bales of cotton; two or three days at most will suffice
+for that.”
+
+“Likely enough,” he replied, “when the business is once begun; but you
+must remember, Mr. Kazallon, that the very heart of the cargo is still
+smouldering, and that it will still be several days before any one will
+be able to venture into the hold. Then the leak, too, that has to be
+caulked; and, unless it is stopped up very effectually, we shall be
+only doomed most certainly to perish at sea. Don’t, then, be deceiving
+yourself; it must be three weeks at least before you can expect to put
+out to sea. I can only hope meanwhile that the weather will continue
+propitious; it wouldn’t take many storms to knock the ‘Chancellor,’
+shattered as she is, completely into pieces.”
+
+Here, then, was the suggestion of a new danger to which we were to be
+exposed; the fire might be extinguished, the water might be got rid of
+by the pumps, but, after all, we must be at the mercy of the wind and
+waves; and, although the rocky island might afford a temporary refuge
+from the tempest, what was to become of passengers and crew if the
+vessel should be reduced to a total wreck? I made no remonstrance,
+however, to this view of our case, but merely asked M. Letourneur if he
+had confidence in Robert Curtis?
+
+“Perfect confidence,” he answered; “and I acknowledge it most
+gratefully, as a providential circumstance, that Captain Huntly had
+given him the command in time. Whatever man can do I know that Curtis
+will not leave undone to extricate us from our dilemma.”
+
+Prompted by this conversation with M. Letourneur I took the first
+opportunity of trying to ascertain from Curtis himself, how long he
+reckoned we should be obliged to remain upon the reef; but he merely
+replied, that it must depend upon circumstances, and that he hoped the
+weather would continue favourable. Fortunately the barometer is rising
+steadily, and there is every sign of a prolonged calm.
+
+Meantime Curtis is taking active measures for totally extinguishing the
+fire. He is at no great pains to spare the cargo, and as the bales that
+lie just above the level of the water are still a-light he has resorted
+to the expedient of thoroughly saturating the upper layers of the
+cotton, in order that the combustion may be stifled between the moisture
+descending from above and that ascending from below. This scheme has
+brought the pumps once more into requisition. At present the crew are
+adequate to the task of working them, but I and some of our fellow
+passengers are ready to offer our assistance whenever it shall be
+necessary.
+
+With no immediate demand upon our labour, we are thrown upon our own
+resources for passing our time. Letourneur, Andre and myself, have
+frequent conversations; I also devote an hour or two to my diary.
+Falsten holds little communication with any of us, but remains absorbed
+in his calculations, and amuses himself by tracing mechanical diagrams
+with ground-plan, section, elevation, all complete. It would be a happy
+inspiration if he could invent some mighty engine that could set us all
+afloat again. Mr. and Mrs. Kear, too, hold themselves aloof from
+their fellow passengers, and we are not sorry to be relieved from the
+necessity of listening to their incessant grumbling; unfortunately,
+however, they carry off Miss Herbey with them, so that we enjoy little
+or nothing of the young lady’s society. As for Silas Huntly, he has
+become a complete nonentity; he exists, it is true, but merely, it would
+seem, to vegetate.
+
+Hobart, the steward, an obsequious, sly sort of fellow, goes through his
+routine of duties just as though the vessel were pursuing her ordinary
+course; and, as usual, is continually falling out with Jynxstrop, the
+cook, an impudent, ill-favoured negro, who interferes with the other
+sailors in a manner which, I think, ought not to be allowed.
+
+Since it appears likely that we shall have abundance of time on our
+hands, I have proposed to M. Letourneur and his son that we shall
+together explore the reef on which we are stranded. It is not very
+probable that we shall be able to discover much about the origin of this
+strange accumulation of rock, yet the attempt will at least occupy us
+for some hours, and will relieve us from the monotony of our confinement
+on board. Besides, as the reef is not marked in any of the maps, I could
+not but believe that it would be rendering a service to hydrography if
+we were to take an accurate plan of the rocks, of which Curtis could
+afterwards verify the true position by a second observation made with a
+closer precision than the one he has already taken.
+
+M. Letourneur agrees to my proposal, Curtis has promised to let us have
+the boat and some sounding-lines, and to allow one of the sailors to
+accompany us; so to-morrow morning, we hope to make our little voyage of
+investigation.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+OCTOBER 31st to NOVEMBER 5th.--Our first proceeding on the morning of
+the 31st was to make the proposed tour of the reef, which is about a
+quarter of a mile long. With the aid of our sounding-lines we found that
+the water was deep, right up to the very rocks, and that no shelving
+shores prevented us coasting along them. There was not a shadow of doubt
+as to the rock being of purely volcanic origin, upheaved by some mighty
+subterranean convulsion. It is formed of blocks of basalt, arranged
+in perfect order, of which the regular prisms give the whole mass the
+effect of being one gigantic crystal; and the remarkable transparency
+of the sea enabled us plainly to observe the curious shafts of the
+prismatic columns that support the marvelous substructure.
+
+“This is indeed a singular island,” said M. Letourneur; “evidently it is
+of quite a recent origin.”
+
+“Yes, father,” said Andre, “and I should think it has been caused by
+a phenomenon similar to those which produced the Julia Island, off
+the coast of Sicily, or the group of the Santorini, in the Grecian
+Archipelago. One could almost fancy that it had been created expressly
+for the ‘Chancellor’ to stand upon.”
+
+“It is very certain,” I observed, “that some upheaving has lately taken
+place. This is by no means an unfrequented part of the Atlantic, so that
+it is not at all likely that it could have escaped the notice of sailors
+if it had been always in existence; yet it is not marked even in the
+most modern charts. We must try and explore it thoroughly and give
+future navigators the benefit of our observations.”
+
+“But, perhaps, it will disappear as it came,” said Andre. “You are no
+doubt aware, Mr. Kazallon, that these volcanic islands sometimes have
+a very transitory existence. Not impossibly, by the time it gets marked
+upon the maps it may no longer be here.”
+
+“Never mind, my boy,” answered his father, “it is better to give warning
+of a danger that does not exist than overlook one that does. I daresay
+the sailors will not grumble much, if they don’t find a reef where we
+have marked one.”
+
+“No, I daresay not, father,” said Andre “and after all this island is
+very likely as firm as a continent. However, if it is to disappear, I
+expect Captain Curtis would be glad to see it take its departure as soon
+as possible after he has finished his repairs; it would save him a world
+of trouble in getting his ship afloat.”
+
+“Why, what a fellow you are Andre!” I said, laughing, “I believe you
+would like to rule Nature with a magic wand; first of all, you would
+call up a reef from the depth of the ocean to give the ‘Chancellor’ time
+to extinguish her flames, and then you would make it disappear just that
+the ship might be free again.”
+
+Andre smiled; then, in a more serious tone, he expressed his gratitude
+for the timely help that had been vouchsafed us in our hour of need.
+
+The more we examined the rocks that formed the base of the little
+island, the more we became convinced that its formation was quite
+recent, Not a mollusk, not a tuft of seaweed was found clinging to the
+sides of the rocks; not a germ had the wind carried to its surface, not
+a bird had taken refuge amidst the crags upon its summits. To a lover of
+natural history, the spot did not yield a single point of interest; the
+geologist alone would find subject of study in the basaltic mass.
+
+When we reached the southern point of the island I proposed that we
+should disembark. My companions readily assented, young Letourneur
+jocosely observing that if the little island was destined to vanish,
+it was quite right that it should first be visited by human beings. The
+boat was accordingly brought alongside, and we set, foot upon the
+reef, and began to ascend the gradual slope that leads to its highest
+elevation.
+
+The walking was not very rough, and as Andre could get along tolerably
+well without the assistance of an arm, he led the way, his father and I
+following close behind. A quarter of an hour sufficed to bring us to the
+loftiest point in the islet, when we seated ourselves on the basaltic
+prism that crowned its summit.
+
+Andre took a sketch-book from his pocket, and proceeded to make a
+drawing of the reef. Scarcely had he completed the outline when his
+father exclaimed,--
+
+“Why, Andre, you have drawn a ham!”
+
+“Something uncommonly like it, I confess,” replied Andre. “I think we
+had better ask Captain Curtis to let us call our island Ham Rock.”
+
+“Good,” said I; “though sailors will need to keep it at a respectful
+distance, for they will scarcely find that their teeth are strong enough
+to tackle with it.”
+
+M. Letourneur was quite correct; the outline of the reef as it stood
+clearly defined against the deep green water resembled nothing so much,
+as a fine York ham, of which the little creek, where the “Chancellor”
+ had been stranded, corresponded to the hollow place above the knuckle.
+The tide at this time was low, and the ship now lay heeled over very
+much to the starboard side, the few points of rock that emerged in the
+extreme south of the reef plainly marking the narrow passage through
+which she had been forced before she finally ran aground.
+
+As soon as Andre had finished his sketch we descended by a slope as
+gradual as that by which we had come up, and made our way towards the
+west. We had not gone very far when a beautiful grotto, perfect as an
+architectural structure, arrested our attention, M. Letourneur and Andre
+who have visited the Hebrides, pronounced it to be a Fingal’s cave
+in miniature; a Gothic chapel that might form a fit vestibule for the
+cathedral cave of Staffa. The basaltic rocks had cooled down into the
+same regular concentric prisms; there was the same dark canopied
+roof with its interstices filled up with its yellow lutings; the same
+precision of outline in the prismatic angles, sharp as though chiselled
+by a sculptor’s hand; the same sonorous vibration of the air across the
+basaltic rocks, of which the Gaelic poets have feigned that the harps of
+the Fingal minstrelsy were made. But whereas at Staffa the floor of the
+cave is always covered with a sheet of water, here the grotto was beyond
+the reach of all but the highest waves, whilst the prismatic shafts
+themselves formed quite a solid pavement.
+
+After remaining nearly an hour in our newly-discovered grotto we
+returned to the “Chancellor,” and communicated the result of our
+explorations to Curtis, who entered the island upon his chart by the
+name that Andre Letourneur had proposed.
+
+Since its discovery we have not permitted a day to pass without spending
+some time in our Ham Rock grotto. Curtis has taken an opportunity of
+visiting it, but he is too preoccupied with other matters to have much
+interest to spare for the wonders of nature. Falsten, too, came once and
+examined the character of the rocks, knocking and chipping them about
+with all the mercilessness of a geologist. Mr. Kear would not trouble
+himself to leave the ship; and although I asked his wife to join us in
+one of our excursions she declined, upon the plea that the fatigue, as
+well as the inconvenience of embarking in the boat, would be more than
+she could bear.
+
+Miss Herbey, only too thankful to escape even for an hour from her
+capricious mistress, eagerly accepted M. Letourneur’s invitation to pay
+a visit to the reef but to her great disappointment Mrs. Kear at first
+refused point-blank to allow her to leave the ship. I felt intensely
+annoyed, and resolved to intercede in Miss Herbey’s favour; and as I
+had already rendered that self-indulgent lady sundry services which she
+thought she might probably be glad again to accept, I gained my point,
+and Miss Herbey has several times been permitted to accompany us across
+the rocks, where the young girl’s delight at her freedom has been a
+pleasure to behold.
+
+Sometimes we fish along the shore, and, then enjoy a luncheon in the
+grotto, whilst the basalt columns vibrate like harps to the breeze.
+This arid reef, little as it is, compared with the cramped limits of
+the “Chancellor’s” deck is like some vast domain; soon there will be
+scarcely a stone with which we are not familiar, scarcely a portion of
+its surface which we have not merrily trodden, and I am sure that when
+the hour of departure arrives we shall leave it with regret.
+
+In the course of conversation, Andre Letourneur one day happened to say
+that he believed the island of Staffa belonged to the Macdonald family,
+who let it for the small sum of 12 pounds a year.
+
+“I suppose then,” said Miss Herbey, “that we should hardly get more than
+half-a-crown a year for our pet little island.”
+
+“I don’t think you would get a penny for it, Miss Herbey; but are you
+thinking of taking a lease?” I said, laughing.
+
+“Not at present,” she said; then added, with a half-suppressed sigh,
+“and yet it is a place where I have seemed to know what it is to be
+really happy.”
+
+Andre murmured some expression of assent, and we all felt that there was
+something touching in the words of the orphaned, friendless girl who had
+found her long-lost sense of happiness on a lonely rock in the Atlantic.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+NOVEMBER 6th to NOVEMBER 15th.--For the first five days after the
+“Chancellor” had run aground, there was a dense black smoke continually
+rising from the hold; but it gradually diminished until the 6th of
+November, when we might consider that the fire was extinguished. Curtis,
+nevertheless, deemed it prudent to persevere in working the pumps, which
+he did until the entire hull of the ship, right up to the deck, had been
+completely inundated.
+
+The rapidity, however, with which the water, at every retreat of the
+tide, drained off to the level of the sea, was an indication that the
+leak must be of considerable magnitude; and such, on investigation,
+proved to be the case. One of the sailors, named Flaypole, dived one
+day at low water to examine the extent of the damage, and found that the
+hole was not much less than four feet square, and was situated thirty
+feet fore of the helm, and two feet above the rider of the keel; three
+planks had been stoved in by a sharp point of rock, and it was only a
+wonder that the violence with which the heavily-laden vessel had been
+thrown ashore did not result in the smashing in of many parts besides.
+
+As it would be a couple of days or more before the hold would be in a
+condition for the bales of cotton to be removed for the carpenter to
+examine the damage from the interior of the ship, Curtis employed the
+interval in having the broken mizzen-mast repaired. Dowlas the carpenter,
+with considerable skill, contrived to mortice it into its former stump,
+and made the junction thoroughly secure by strong iron-belts and bolts.
+The shrouds, the stays and backstays, were then carefully refitted,
+some of the sails were changed, and the whole of the running rigging was
+renewed. Injury, to some extent, had been done to the poop and to the
+crew’s lockers, in the front; but time and labour were all that were
+wanted to make them good; and with such a will, did every one set to
+work that it was not long before all the cabins were again available for
+use.
+
+On the 8th the unlading of the ship commenced. Pulleys and tackling were
+put over the hatches, and passengers and crew together proceeded to haul
+up the heavy bales which had been deluged so frequently by water that
+the cotton was all but spoiled. One by one the sodden bales were placed
+in the boat to be transported to the reef. After the first layer of
+cotton had been removed it became necessary to drain off part of the
+water that filled the hold. For this purpose the leak in the side had
+somehow or other to be stopped, and this was an operation which was
+cleverly accomplished by Dowlas and Flaypole, who contrived to dive at
+low tide and nail a sheet of copper over the entire hole. This, however,
+of itself would have been utterly inadequate to sustain the pressure
+that would arise from the action of the pumps; so Curtis ordered that a
+number of the bales should be piled up inside against the broken planks.
+The scheme succeeded very well, and as the water got lower and lower in
+the hold the men were enabled to resume their task of unlading.
+
+Curtis thinks it quite probable that the leaks may be mended from the
+interior. By far the best way of repairing the damage would be to careen
+the ship, and to shift the planking, but the appliances are wanting for
+such an undertaking; moreover, any bad weather which might occur while
+the ship was on her flank would only too certainly be fatal to her
+altogether. But the captain has very little doubt that by some device or
+other he shall manage to patch up the hole in such a way as will insure
+our reaching land in safety.
+
+After two days’ toil the water was entirely reduced and without further
+difficulty the unlading was completed. All of us, including even Andre
+Letourneur, have been taking our turn at the pumps, for the work is so
+extremely fatiguing that the crew require some occasional respite; arms
+and back soon become strained and weary with the incessant swing of
+the handles, and I can well understand the dislike which sailors always
+express to the labour.
+
+One thing there is which is much in our favour; the ship lies on a firm
+and solid bottom, and we have the satisfaction of knowing that we
+are not contending with a flood that encroaches faster than it can be
+resisted. Heaven grant that we may not be called to make like efforts,
+and to make them hopelessly, for a foundering ship!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+NOVEMBER 15th to 20th.--The examination of the hold has at last been
+made. Amongst the first things that were found was the case of picrate,
+perfectly intact; having neither been injured by the water, nor of
+course reached by the flames. Why it was not at once pitched into the
+sea I cannot say; but it was merely conveyed to the extremity of the
+island, and there it remains.
+
+While they were below, Curtis and Dowlas made themselves acquainted with
+the full extent of the mischief that had been done by the conflagration.
+They found that the deck and the cross-beams that supported it had been
+much less injured than they expected, and the thick, heavy planks had
+only been scorched very superficially. But the action of the fire on
+the flanks of the ship had been of a much more serious character; a long
+portion of the inside boarding had been burnt away, and the very ribs
+of the vessel were considerably damaged; the oakum caulkings had all
+started away from the butt-ends and seams; so much so that it was
+little short of a miracle that the whole ship had not long since gaped
+completely open.
+
+The captain and the carpenter returned to the deck with anxious faces.
+Curtis lost no time in assembling passengers and crew, and announcing to
+them the facts of the case.
+
+“My friends,” he said, “I am here to tell you that the ‘Chancellor’ has
+sustained far greater injuries than we suspected, and that her hull is
+very seriously damaged. If we had been stranded anywhere else than on a
+barren reef, that may at any time be overwhelmed by a tempestuous sea
+I should not have hesitated to take the ship to pieces, and construct a
+smaller vessel that might have carried us safely to land; but I dare not
+run the risk of remaining here. We are now 800 miles from the coast of
+Paramaribo, the nearest portion of Dutch Guiana, and in ten or twelve
+days, if the weather should be favourable, I believe we could reach the
+shore. What I now propose to do is to stop the leak by the best means we
+can command, and make at once for the nearest port.”
+
+As no better plan seemed to suggest itself, Curtis’s proposal was
+unanimously accepted Dowlas and his assistants immediately set to work
+to repair the charred frame-work of the ribs, and to stop the leak; they
+took care thoroughly to caulk from the outside all the seams that were
+above low water mark; lower than that they were unable to work, and
+had to content themselves with such repairs as they could effect in the
+interior. But after all the pains there is no doubt the “Chancellor” is
+not fit for a long voyage, and would be condemned as unseaworthy at any
+port at which we might put in.
+
+To-day, the 20th, Curtis having done all that human power could do to
+repair his ship, determined to put her to sea.
+
+Ever since the “Chancellor” had been relieved of her cargo, and of the
+water in her hold, she had been able to float in the little natural
+basin into which she had been driven. The basin was enclosed on either
+hand by rocks that remained uncovered even at high water, but was
+sufficiently wide to allow the vessel to turn quite round at its
+broadest part, and by means of hawsers fastened on the reef to be
+brought with her bows towards the south; while, to prevent her being
+carried back on to the reef, she has been anchored fore and aft.
+
+To all appearance, then, it seemed as though it would be an easy matter
+to put the “Chancellor” to sea; if the wind were favourable the sails
+would be hoisted, if otherwise, she would have to be towed through the
+narrow passage. All seemed simple. But unlooked-for difficulties had yet
+to be surmounted.
+
+The mouth of the passage is guarded by a kind of ridge of basalt, which
+at high tide we knew was barely covered with sufficient water to float
+the “Chancellor,” even when entirely unfreighted. To be sure she had
+been carried over the obstacle once before, but then, as I have already
+said, she had been caught up by an enormous wave, and might have been
+said to be LIFTED over the barrier into her present position. Besides,
+on that ever-memorable night, there had not only been the ordinary
+spring-tide, but an equinoctial tide, such a one as could not be
+expected to occur again for many months. Waiting was out of the
+question; so Curtis determined to run the risk, and to take advantage of
+the spring-tide, which would occur to-day, to make an attempt to get the
+ship, lightened as she was, over the bar; after which, he might ballast
+her sufficiently to sail.
+
+The wind was blowing from the north-west, and consequently right in the
+direction of the passage. The captain, however, after a consultation,
+preferred to tow the ship over the ridge, as he considered it was
+scarcely safe to allow a vessel of doubtful stability at full sail to
+charge an obstacle that would probably bring her to a dead lock. Before
+the operation was commenced, Curtis took the precaution of having
+an anchor ready in the stern, for, in the event of the attempt being
+unsuccessful, it would be necessary to bring the ship back to her
+present moorings. Two more anchors were next carried outside the
+passage, which was not more than two hundred feet in length. The
+chains were attached to the windlass, the sailors worked away at the
+handspikes, and at four o’clock in the afternoon the “Chancellor” was in
+motion.
+
+High tide would be at twenty minutes past four, and at ten minutes
+before that time the ship had been hauled as far as her sea-range would
+allow; her keel grazed the ridge, and her progress was arrested. When
+the lowest part of her stern, however, just cleared the obstruction,
+Curtis deemed that there was no longer any reason why the mechanical
+action of the wind should not be brought to bear and contribute its
+assistance. Without delay, all sails were unfurled and trimmed to the
+wind. The tide was exactly at its height, passengers and crew together
+were at the windlass, M. Letourneur, Andre, Falsten, and myself being
+at the starboard bar. Curtis stood upon the poop, giving his chief
+attention to the sails; the lieutenant was on the forecastle; the
+boatswain by the helm. The sea seemed propitiously calm and, as it
+swelled gently to and fro, lifted the ship several times.
+
+“Now, my boys,” said Curtis in his calm clear voice, “all together!
+Off!”
+
+Round went the windlass; click, click, clanked the chains as link by
+link they were forced through the hawse-holes.
+
+The breeze freshened, and the masts gave to the pressure of the sails,
+but round and round we went, keeping time in regular monotony to the
+sing-song tune hummed by one of the sailors.
+
+We had gained about twenty feet, and were redoubling our efforts when
+the ship grounded again.
+
+And now no effort would avail; all was in vain; the tide began to turn;
+and the “Chancellor” would not advance an inch. Was there time to go
+back? She would inevitably go to pieces if left balanced upon the ridge.
+In an instant the captain has ordered the sails to be furled, and the
+anchor dropped from the stern.
+
+One moment of terrible anxiety, and all is well.
+
+The “Chancellor” tacks to stern, and glides back into the basin, which
+is once more her prison.
+
+“Well, captain,” says the boatswain, “what’s to be done now?”
+
+“I don’t know” said Curtis, “but we shall get across somehow.”
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+NOVEMBER 21st to 24th.--There was assuredly no time to be lost before we
+ought to leave Ham Rock reef. The barometer had been falling ever since
+the morning, the sea was getting rougher, and there was every symptom
+that the weather, hitherto so favourable, was on the point of breaking;
+and in the event of a gale the “Chancellor” must inevitably be dashed to
+pieces on the rocks.
+
+In the evening, when the tide was quite low, and the rocks uncovered,
+Curtis, the boatswain, and Dowlas went to examine the ridge which had
+proved so serious an obstruction, Falsten and I accompanied them. We
+came to the conclusion that the only way of effecting a passage was by
+cutting away the rocks with pikes over a surface measuring ten feet by
+six. An extra depth of nine or ten inches would give a sufficient gauge,
+and the channel might be accurately marked out by buoys; in this way it
+was conjectured the ship might be got over the ridge and so reach the
+deep water beyond.
+
+“But this basalt is as hard as granite,” said the boatswain; “besides,
+we can only get at it at low water, and consequently could only work at
+it for two hours out of the twenty-four.”
+
+“All the more reason why we should begin at once, boatswain,” said
+Curtis.
+
+“But if it is to take us a month, captain, perhaps by that time the ship
+may be knocked to atoms. Couldn’t we manage to blow up the rock? we have
+got some powder on board.”
+
+“Not enough for that;” said the boatswain.
+
+“You have something better than powder,” said Falsten.
+
+“What’s that?” asked the captain.
+
+“Picrate of potash,” was the reply.
+
+And so the explosive substance with which poor Ruby had so grievously
+imperilled the vessel was now to serve her in good stead, and I now saw
+what a lucky thing it was that the case had been deposited safely on the
+reef, instead of being thrown into the sea.
+
+Picric acid is a crystalline bitter product extracted from coal-tar, and
+forming, in combination with potash, a yellow salt known as picrate of
+potash. The explosive power of this substance is inferior to that
+of gun-cotton or of dynamite, but far greater than that of ordinary
+gunpowder; one grain of picric powder producing an effect equal to that
+of thirteen grains of common powder. Picrate is easily ignited by
+any sharp or violent shock, and some gun-priming which we had in our
+possession would answer the purpose of setting it alight.
+
+The sailors went off at once for their pikes, and Dowlas and his
+assistants, under the direction of Falsten, who, as an engineer,
+understood such matters, proceeded to hollow out a mine wherein to
+deposit the powder. At first we hoped that everything would be ready for
+the blasting to take place on the following morning, but when daylight
+appeared we found that the men, although they had laboured with a will,
+had only been able to work for an hour at low water and that four tides
+must ebb before the mine had been sunk to the required depth.
+
+Not until eight o’clock on the morning of the 23rd was the work
+complete. The hole was bored obliquely in the rock, and was large enough
+to contain about ten pounds of explosive matter. Just as the picrate was
+being introduced into the aperture, Falsten interposed:--
+
+“Stop,” he said, “I think it will be best to mix the picrate with common
+powder, as that will allow us to fire the mine with a match instead of
+the gun-priming which would be necessary to produce a shock. Besides,
+it is an understood thing that the addition of gunpowder renders picrate
+far more effective in blasting such rocks as this, as then the violence
+of the picrate prepares the way for the powder which, slower in its
+action, will complete the disseverment of the basalt.”
+
+Falsten is not a great talker, but what he does say is always very
+much to the point. His good advice was immediately followed; the two
+substances were mixed together, and after a match had been introduced
+the compound was rammed closely into the hole.
+
+Notwithstanding that the “Chancellor” was at a distance from the rocks
+that insured her from any danger of being injured by the explosion, it
+was thought advisable that the passengers and crew should take refuge in
+the grotto at the extremity of the reef, and even Mr. Kear, in spite of
+his many objections, was forced to leave the ship. Falsten, as soon as
+he had set fire to the match, joined us in our retreat.
+
+The train was to burn for ten minutes, and at the end of that time the
+explosion took place; the report, on account of the depth of the
+mine, being muffled, and much less noisy than we had expected. But the
+operation had been perfectly successful. Before we reached the ridge we
+could see that the basalt had been literally reduced to powder, and that
+a little channel, already being filled by the rising tide, had been
+cut right through the obstacle. A loud hurrah rang through the air; our
+prison-doors were opened, and we were prisoners no more!
+
+At high tide the “Chancellor” weighed anchor and floated out into the
+open sea, but she was not in a condition to sail until she had been
+ballasted; and for the next twenty-four hours the crew were busily
+employed in taking up blocks of stone, and such of the bales of cotton
+as had sustained the least amount of injury.
+
+In the course of the day, M. Letourneur, Andre, Miss Herbey, and I took
+a farewell walk round the reef, and Andre with artistic skill, carved on
+the wall of the grotto the word “Chancellor,”--the designation Ham Rock,
+which we had given to the reef,--and the date of our running aground.
+Then we bade adieu to the scene of our three week’s sojourn, where we
+had passed days that to some at least of our party will be reckoned as
+far from being the least happy of their lives.
+
+At high tide this morning, the 24th, with low, top, and gallant sails
+all set, the “Chancellor” started on her onward way, and two hours later
+the last peak of Ham Rock had vanished below the horizon.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+NOVEMBER 24th to DECEMBER 1st.--Here we were then once more at sea, and
+although on board a ship of which the stability was very questionable,
+we had hopes, if the wind continued favourable, of reaching the coast of
+Guiana in the course of a few days.
+
+Our way was south-west and consequently with the wind, and although
+Curtis would not crowd on all sail lest the extra speed should have a
+tendency to spring the leak afresh, the “Chancellor” made a progress
+that was quite satisfactory. Life on board began to fall back into its
+former routine; the feeling of insecurity and the consciousness that
+we were merely retracing our path doing much, however, to destroy the
+animated intercourse that would otherwise go on between passenger and
+passenger.
+
+The first few days passed without any incident worth recording, then
+on the 29th, the wind shifted to the north, and it became necessary to
+brace the yards, trim the sails, and take a starboard tack. This made
+the ship lurch very much on one side, and as Curtis felt that she was
+labouring far too heavily, he clued up the top-gallants, prudently
+reckoning that, under the circumstances, caution was far more important
+than speed.
+
+The night came on dark and foggy. The breeze freshened considerably,
+and, unfortunately for us, hailed from the north-west. Although we
+carried no top-sails at all, the ship seemed to heel over more than
+ever. Most of the passengers had retired to their cabins, but all the
+crew remained on deck, whilst Curtis never quitted his post upon the
+poop.
+
+Towards two o’clock in the morning I was myself preparing to go to my
+cabin, when Burke, one of the sailors who had been down into the hold,
+came on deck with the ominous cry,--
+
+“Two feet of water below.”
+
+In an instant Curtis and the boatswain had descended the ladder. The
+startling news was only too true; the sea-water was entering the hold,
+but whether the leak had sprung afresh, or whether the caulking in some
+of the seams was insufficient, it was then impossible to determine; all
+that could be done was to let the ship go with the wind and wait for
+day.
+
+At daybreak they sounded again:--“Three feet of water!” was the report,
+I glanced at Curtis, his lips were white, but he had not lost his
+self-possession. He quietly informed such of the passengers as were
+already on deck of the new danger that threatened us; it was better that
+they should know the worst, and the fact could not be long concealed. I
+told M. Letourneur that I could not help hoping that there might yet be
+time to reach the land before the last crisis came. Falsten was about to
+give vent to an expression of despair, but he was soon silenced by Miss
+Herbey asserting her confidence that all would yet be well.
+
+Curtis at once divided the crew into two sets, and made them work
+incessantly, turn and turn about at the pumps. The men applied
+themselves to their task with resignation rather than with ardour; the
+labour was hard and scarcely repaid them; the pumps were constantly
+getting out of order, the valves being choked up by the ashes and bits
+of cotton that were floating about in the hold, while every moment that
+was spent in cleaning or repairing them was so much time lost.
+
+Slowly, but surely, the water continued to rise, and on the following
+morning the soundings gave five feet for its depth, I noticed that
+Curtis’s brow contracted each time that the boatswain or the lieutenant
+brought him their report. There was no doubt it was only a question of
+time, and not for an instant must the efforts for keeping down the level
+be relaxed. Already the ship had sunk a foot lower in the water, and as
+her weight increased she no longer rose buoyantly with the waves, but
+pitched and rolled considerably.
+
+All yesterday, and last night, the pumping continued; but still the
+sea gained upon us. The crew are weary and discouraged, but the second
+officer and the boatswain set them a fine example of endurance, and the
+passengers have now begun to take their turn at the pumps.
+
+But all are conscious of toiling almost against hope; we are no longer
+secured firmly to the solid soil of the Ham Rock reef, but we are
+floating over an abyss which daily, nay hourly, threatens to swallow us
+into its depths.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+DECEMBER 2nd and 3rd.--For four hours we have succeeded in keeping the
+water in the hold to one level; now, however, it is very evident that
+the time cannot be far distant when the pumps will be quite unequal to
+their task.
+
+Yesterday Curtis, who does not allow himself a minute’s rest, made a
+personal inspection of the hold. I, with the boatswain and carpenter,
+accompanied him. After dislodging some of the bales of cotton we could
+hear a splashing, or rather gurgling sound; but whether the water
+was entering at the original aperture, or whether it found its way in
+through a general dislocation of the seams, we were unable to discover.
+But whichever might be the case, Curtis determined to try a plan which,
+by cutting off communication between the interior and exterior of the
+vessel, might, if only for a few hours, render her hull more watertight.
+For this purpose he had some strong, well-tarred sails drawn upwards by
+ropes from below the keel, as high as the previous leaking-place, and
+then fastened closely and securely to the side of the hull. The
+scheme was dubious, and the operation difficult, but for a time it
+was effectual, and at the close of the day the level of the water
+had actually been reduced by several inches. The diminution was small
+enough, but the consciousness that more water was escaping through
+the scupper-holes than was finding its way into the hold gave us fresh
+courage to persevere with our work.
+
+The night was dark, but the captain carried all the sail he could,
+eager to take every possible advantage of the wind, which was freshening
+considerably. If he could have sighted a ship he would have made signals
+of distress, and would not have hesitated to transfer the passengers,
+and even have allowed the crew to follow, if they were ready to forsake
+him; for himself his mind was made up, he should remain on board the
+“Chancellor” until she foundered beneath his feet. No sail, however,
+hove in sight; consequently escape by such means was out of our power.
+
+During the night the canvas covering yielded to the pressure of the
+waves, and this morning, after taking the sounding, the boatswain could
+not suppress an oath when he announced “Six feet of water in the hold!”
+
+The ship, then, was filling once again, and already had sunk
+considerably below her previous water-line. With aching arms and
+bleeding hands we worked harder than ever at the pumps, and Curtis makes
+those who are not pumping form a line and pass buckets, with all the
+speed they can, from hand to hand.
+
+But all in vain! At half-past eight more water is reported in the hold,
+and some of the sailors, overcome by despair, refuse to work one minute
+longer.
+
+The first to abandon his post was Owen, a man whom I have mentioned
+before, as exhibiting something of a mutinous spirit, He is about forty
+years of age, and altogether unprepossessing in appearance; his face
+is bare, with the exception of a reddish beard, which terminates in a
+point; his forehead is furrowed with sinister-looking wrinkles, his lips
+curl inwards, and his ears protrude, whilst his bleared and bloodshot
+eyes are encircled with thick red rings.
+
+Amongst the five or six other men who had struck work, I noticed
+Jynxstrop the cook, who evidently shared all Owen’s ill feelings.
+
+Twice did Curtis order the men back to the pumps, and twice did Owen,
+acting as spokesman for the rest, refuse; and when Curtis made a step
+forward as though to approach him, he said savagely,--
+
+“I advise you not to touch me,” and walked away to the forecastle.
+
+Curtis descended to his cabin, and almost immediately returned with a
+loaded revolver in his hand.
+
+For a moment Owen surveyed the captain with a frown of defiance; but
+at a sign from Jynxstrop he seemed to recollect himself; and, with the
+remainder of the men, he returned to his work.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+DECEMBER 4th.--The first attempt at mutiny being thus happily
+suppressed, it is to be hoped that Curtis will succeed as well in
+future. An insubordinate crew would render us powerless indeed.
+
+Throughout the night the pumps were kept, without respite, steadily at
+work, but without producing the least sensible benefit. The ship became
+so water-logged and heavy that she hardly rose at all to the waves,
+which consequently often washed over the deck and contributed their
+part towards aggravating our case. Our situation was rapidly becoming as
+terrible as it had been when the fire was raging in the midst of us;
+and the prospect of being swallowed by the devouring billows was no less
+formidable than that of perishing in the flames.
+
+Curtis kept the men up to the mark, and, willing or unwilling, they had
+no alternative but to work on as best they might; but, in spite of all
+their efforts, the water perpetually rose, till, at length, the men in
+the hold who were passing the buckets found themselves immersed up to
+their waists and were obliged to come on deck.
+
+This morning, after a somewhat protracted consultation with Walter and
+the boatswain, Curtis resolved to abandon the ship. The only remaining
+boat was far too small to hold us all, and it would therefore be
+necessary to construct a raft that should carry those who could not find
+room in her. Dowlas the carpenter, Mr. Falsten, and ten sailors were
+told off to put the raft in hand, the rest of the crew being ordered to
+continue their work assiduously at the pumps, until the time came and
+everything was ready for embarkation.
+
+Hatchet or saw in hand, the carpenter and his assistants made a
+beginning without delay by cutting and trimming the spare yards and
+extra spars to a proper length. These were then lowered into the sea,
+which was propitiously calm, so as to favour the operation (which
+otherwise would have been very difficult) of lashing them together into
+a firm framework, about forty feet long and twenty-five feet wide, upon
+which the platform was to be supported.
+
+I kept my own place steadily at the pumps, and Andre Letourneur worked
+at my side; I often noticed his father glance at him sorrowfully, as
+though he wondered what would become of him if he had to struggle with
+waves to which even the strongest man could hardly fail to succumb. But
+come what may, his father will never forsake him, and I myself shall not
+be wanting in rendering him whatever assistance I can.
+
+Mrs. Kear, who had been for some time in a state of drowsy
+unconsciousness, was not informed of the immediate danger, but when
+Miss Herbey, looking somewhat pale with fatigue, paid one of her flying
+visits to the deck, I warned her to take every precaution for herself
+and to be ready for any emergency.
+
+“Thank you, doctor, I am always ready,” she cheerfully replied, and
+returned to her duties below. I saw Andre follow the young girl with his
+eyes, and a look of melancholy interest passed over his countenance.
+
+Towards eight o’clock in the evening the framework for the raft was
+almost complete, and the men were lowering empty barrels, which had
+first been securely bunged, and were lashing them to the wood-work to
+insure its floating.
+
+Two hours later and suddenly there arose the startling cry, “We are
+sinking! we are sinking!”
+
+Up to the poop rushed Mr. Kear, followed immediately by Falsten and Miss
+Herbey, who were bearing the inanimate form of Mrs. Kear. Curtis ran to
+his cabin, instantly returning with a chart; a sextant, and a compass in
+his hand.
+
+The scene that followed will ever be engraven in my memory; the cries of
+distress, the general confusion, the frantic rush of the sailors towards
+the raft that was not yet ready to support them, can never be forgotten.
+The whole period of my life seemed to be concentrated into that terrible
+moment when the planks bent below my feet and the ocean yawned beneath
+me.
+
+Some of the sailors had taken their delusive refuge in the shrouds, and
+I was preparing to follow them when a hand was laid upon my shoulder.
+Turning round I beheld M. Letourneur, with tears in his eyes, pointing
+towards his son. “Yes, my friend,” I said, pressing his hand, “we will
+save him, if possible.”
+
+But Curtis had already caught hold of the young man, and was hurrying
+him to the main-mast shrouds, when the “Chancellor,” which had been
+scudding along rapidly with the wind, stopped suddenly, with a violent
+shock, and began to settle, The sea rose over my ankles and almost
+instinctively I clutched at the nearest rope. All at once, when it
+seemed all over, the ship ceased to sink, and hung motionless in
+mid-ocean.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+NIGHT OF DECEMBER 4th.--Curtis caught young Letourneur again in his
+arms, and running with him across the flooded deck deposited him safely
+in the starboard shrouds, whither his father and I climbed up beside
+him.
+
+I now had time to look about me. The night was not very dark, and I
+could see that Curtis had returned to his post upon the poop; whilst in
+the extreme aft near the taffrail, which was still above water, I could
+distinguish the forms of Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Miss Herbey, and Mr. Falsten
+The lieutenant and the boatswain were on the far end of the forecastle;
+the remainder of the crew in the shrouds and top-masts.
+
+By the assistance of his father, who carefully guided his feet up the
+rigging, Andre was hoisted into the main-top. Mrs. Kear could not be
+induced to join him in his elevated position, in spite of being
+told that if the wind were to freshen she would inevitably be
+washed overboard by the waves; nothing could induce her to listen to
+remonstrance, and she insisted upon remaining on the poop, Miss Herbey,
+of course, staying by her side.
+
+As soon as the captain saw the “Chancellor” was no longer sinking,
+he set to work to take down all the sails, yards and all, and the
+top-gallants, in the hope that by removing everything that could
+compromise the equilibrium of the ship he might diminish the chance of
+her capsizing altogether.
+
+“But may she not founder at any moment?” I said to Curtis, when I had
+joined him for a while upon the poop.
+
+“Everything depends upon the weather,” he replied, in his calmest
+manner; “that, of course, may change at any hour. One thing, however, is
+certain, the ‘Chancellor’ preserves her equilibrium for the present.”
+
+“But do you mean to say,” I further asked, “that she can sail with two
+feet of water over her deck?”
+
+“No, Mr. Kazallon, she can’t sail, but she can drift with the wind, and
+if the wind remains in its present quarter, in the course of a few days
+we might possibly sight the coast. Besides, we shall have our raft as a
+last resource; in a few hours it will be ready, and at daybreak we can
+embark.”
+
+“You have not then,” I added, “abandoned all hope even yet?” I marvelled
+at his composure.
+
+“While there’s life there’s hope, you know Mr. Kazallon; out of a
+hundred chances, ninety-nine may be against us, but perhaps the odd one
+may be in our favour. Besides, I believe that our case is not without
+precedent. In the year 1795 a three-master, the ‘Juno,’ was precisely
+in the same half-sunk, water-logged condition as ourselves; and yet with
+her passengers and crew clinging to her top-masts she drifted for twenty
+days, until she came in sight of land, when those who had survived the
+deprivation and fatigue were saved. So let us not despair; let us hold
+on to the hope that the survivors of the ‘Chancellor’ may be equally
+fortunate.”
+
+I was only too conscious that there was not much to be said in support
+of Curtis’s sanguine view of things, and that the force of reason
+pointed all the other way; but I said nothing, deriving what comfort I
+could from the fact that the captain did not yet despond of an ultimate
+rescue.
+
+As it was necessary to be prepared to abandon the ship almost at a
+moment’s notice, Dowlas was making every exertion to hurry on the
+construction of the raft. A little before midnight he was on the point
+of conveying some planks for this purpose, when, to his astonishment and
+horror, he found that the framework had totally disappeared. The ropes
+that had attached it to the vessel had snapped as she became vertically
+displaced, and probably it had been adrift for more than an hour.
+
+The crew were frantic at this new misfortune, and shouting “Overboard
+with the masts!” they began to cut down the rigging preparatory to
+taking possession of the masts for a new raft.
+
+But here Curtis interposed:--
+
+“Back to your places, my men; back to your places. The ship will not
+sink yet, so don’t touch a rope until I give you leave.”
+
+The firmness of the captain’s voice brought the men to their senses, and
+although some of them could ill disguise their reluctance, all returned
+to their posts.
+
+When daylight had sufficiently advanced Curtis mounted the mast, and
+looked around for the missing raft; but it was nowhere to be seen. The
+sea was far too rough for the men to venture to take out the whaleboat
+in search of it, and there was no choice but to set to work and to
+construct a new raft immediately.
+
+Since the sea has become so much rougher, Mrs. Kear has been induced to
+leave the poop, and has managed to join M. Letourneur and his son on
+the main-top, where she lies in a state of complete prostration. I need
+hardly add that Miss Herbey continues in her unwearied attendance. The
+space to which these four people are limited is necessarily very small,
+nowhere measuring twelve feet across; to prevent them losing their
+balance some spars have been lashed from shroud to shroud, and for the
+convenience of the two ladies Curtis has contrived to make a temporary
+awning of a sail. Mr. Kear has installed himself with Silas Huntly on
+the foretop.
+
+A few cases of preserved meat and biscuit and some barrels of water,
+that floated between the masts after the submersion of the deck, have
+been hoisted to the top-masts and fastened firmly to the stays. These
+are now our only provisions.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+DECEMBER 5th.--The day was very hot. December in latitude 16deg. N. is a
+summer month, and unless a breeze should rise to temper the burning sun,
+we might expect to suffer from an oppressive heat.
+
+The sea still remained very rough, and as the heavy waves broke over the
+ship as though she were a reef, the foam flew up to the very top-masts,
+and our clothes were perpetually drenched by the spray.
+
+The “Chancellor’s” hull is three-fourths immerged; besides the three
+masts and the bowsprit, to which the 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 practised 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 vigour 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 towards 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’ of 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 fore top. 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 afterwards
+I saw Huntly let himself down by the forestays and clamber along to the
+forecastle where he joined the group of sailors, and I lost sight of
+him.
+
+I attached little importance to the incident, and shortly afterwards
+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 afterwards I
+heard him hail some of the sailors on the forecastle 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 handsomely for their services, two
+of them, Burke and Sandon, swung themselves along the netting into the
+shrouds, and were soon at his side.
+
+A long discussion ensued. The men evidently were asking more than Mr.
+Kear was inclined to give, and at one time if seemed as though the
+negotiation would fall through altogether. But at length the bargain
+was struck, and I saw Mr. Kear take a bundle of paper dollars from his
+waistcoat pocket, and hand a number of them over to one of the men,
+The man counted them carefully, and from the time it took him, I should
+think that he could not have pocketed anything less than a hundred
+dollars.
+
+The next business was to get Mr. Kear down from the foretop, and
+Burke and Sandon proceeded to tie a rope round his waist, which they
+afterwards fastened to the forestay; then, in a way which provoked
+shouts of laughter from their mates, they gave the unfortunate man a
+shove, and sent him rolling down like a bundle of dirty clothes on to
+the forecastle.
+
+I was quite mistaken as to his object. Mr. Kear had no intention of
+looking after his wife, but remained by the side of Silas Huntly until
+the gathering darkness hid them both from view.
+
+As night drew on, the wind grew calmer, but the sea remained very rough.
+The moon had been up ever since four in the afternoon, though she only
+appeared at rare intervals between the clouds. Some long lines of vapour
+on the horizon were tinged with a rosy glare that foreboded a strong
+breeze for the morrow, and all felt anxious to know from which quarter
+the breeze would come, for any but a north-easter would bear the frail
+raft on which we were to embark far away from land.
+
+About eight o’clock in the evening Curtis mounted to the main-top but
+he seemed preoccupied and anxious, and did not speak to any one. He
+remained for a quarter of an hour, then after silently pressing my hand,
+he returned to his old post.
+
+I laid myself down in the narrow space at my disposal, and tried to
+sleep; but my mind was filled with strange forebodings, and sleep was
+impossible. The very calmness of the atmosphere was oppressive; scarcely
+a breath of air vibrated through the metal rigging, and yet the sea rose
+with a heavy swell as though it felt the warnings of a coming tempest.
+
+All at once, at about eleven o’clock, the moon burst brightly forth
+through a rift in the clouds, and the waves sparkled again as if
+illumined by a submarine glimmer. I start up and look around me. Is it
+merely imagination? or do I really see a black speck floating on the
+dazzling whiteness of the waters, a speck that cannot be a rock; because
+it rises and falls with the heaving motion of the billows? But the moon
+once again becomes overclouded; the sea, is darkened, and I return to my
+uneasy couch close to the larboard shrouds.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+DECEMBER 6th.--I must have fallen asleep for a few hours, when at four
+o’clock in the morning, I was rudely aroused by the roaring of the
+wind, and could distinguish Curtis’s voice as he shouted in the brief
+intervals between the heavy gusts.
+
+I got up, and holding tightly to the purlin--for the waves made the
+masts tremble with their violence--I tried to look around and below me.
+The sea was literally raging beneath, and great masses of livid-looking
+foam were dashing between the masts, which were oscillating
+terrifically. It was still dark, and I could only faintly distinguish
+two figures on the stern, whom, by the sound of their voices, that I
+caught occasionally above the tumult, I made out to be Curtis and the
+boatswain.
+
+Just at that moment a sailor, who had mounted to the main-top to do
+something to the rigging, passed close behind me.
+
+“What’s the matter?” I asked,
+
+“The wind has changed,” he answered, adding something which I could not
+hear distinctly, but which sounded like “dead against us.”
+
+Dead against us! then, thought I, the wind had shifted to the
+south-west, and my last night’s forebodings had been correct.
+
+When daylight at length appeared, I found the wind although not blowing
+actually from the south-west, had veered round to the north-west, a
+change which was equally disastrous to us, inasmuch as it was carrying
+us away from land. Moreover, the ship had sunk considerably during
+the night, and there were now five feet of water above deck; the side
+netting had completely disappeared, and the forecastle and the poop were
+now all but on a level with the sea, which washed over them incessantly.
+With all possible expedition Curtis and his crew were labouring away
+at their raft, but the violence of the swell materially impeded their
+operations, and it became a matter of doubt as to whether the woodwork
+would not fall asunder before it could be properly fastened together.
+
+As I watched the men at their work M. Letourneur, with one arm
+supporting his son, came and stood by my side.
+
+“Don’t you think this main-top will soon give way?” he said, as the
+narrow platform on which we stood creaked and groaned with the swaying
+of the masts.
+
+Miss Herbey heard his words, and pointing towards Mrs. Kear, who was
+lying prostrate at her feet, asked what we thought ought to be done.
+
+“We can do nothing but stay where we are,” I replied.
+
+“No;” said Andre “this is our best refuge; I hope you are not afraid.”
+
+“Not for myself,” said the young girl quietly “only for those to whom
+life is precious.”
+
+At a quarter to eight we heard the boatswain calling to the sailors in
+the bows.
+
+“Ay, ay, sir,” said one of the men--O’Ready, I think.
+
+“Where’s the whale boat?” shouted the boatswain.
+
+“I don’t know, sir. Not with us,” was the reply.
+
+“She’s gone adrift, then!”
+
+And sure enough the whale-boat was no longer hanging from the bowsprit;
+and in a moment the discovery was made that Mr. Kear, Silas Huntly, and
+three sailors,--a Scotchman and two Englishmen,--were missing. Afraid
+that the “Chancellor” would founder before the completion of the raft,
+Kear and Huntly had plotted together to effect their escape, and had
+bribed the three sailors to seize the only remaining boat.
+
+This, then, was the black speck that I had seen during the night. The
+miserable husband had deserted his wife, the faithless captain had
+abandoned the ship that had once been under his command.
+
+“There are five saved, then,” said the boatswain.
+
+“Faith, an it’s five lost ye’ll be maning,” said O’Ready; and the state
+of the sea fully justified his opinion.
+
+The crew were furious when they heard of the surreptitious flight,
+and loaded the fugitives with all the invectives they could lay their
+tongues to. So enraged were they at the dastardly trick of which they
+had been made the dupes, that if chance should bring the deserters again
+on board I should be sorry to answer for the consequences.
+
+In accordance with my advice, Mrs. Kear has not been informed of her
+husband’s disappearance. The unhappy lady is wasting away with a fever
+for which we are powerless to supply a remedy, for the medicine chest
+was lost when the ship began to sink. Nevertheless, I do not think we
+have anything to regret on that score, feeling as I do, that in a case
+like Mrs. Kear’s, drugs would be of no avail.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII.
+
+DECEMBER 6th CONTINUED.--The “Chancellor” no longer maintained her
+equilibrium; we felt that she was gradually going down, and her hull was
+probably breaking up. The main-top was already only ten feet above the
+water, whilst the bowsprit, with the exception of the extreme end, that
+rose obliquely from the waves, was entirely covered.
+
+The “Chancellor’s” last day, we felt, had come.
+
+Fortunately the raft was all but finished, and unless Curtis preferred
+to wait till morning we should be able to embark in the evening.
+
+The raft is a very solid structure. The spars that form the framework
+are crossed one above another and lashed together with stout ropes, so
+that the whole pile rises a couple of feet above the water. The upper
+platform is constructed from the planks that were broken from the ship’s
+sides by the violence of the waves, and which had not drifted away. The
+afternoon has been employed in charging the raft with such provisions,
+sails, tools, and instruments as we have been able to save.
+
+And how can I attempt to give any idea of the feelings with which, one
+and all, we now contemplated the fate before us? For my own part I was
+possessed rather by a benumbed indifference than by any sense of genuine
+resignation. M. Letourneur was entirely absorbed in his son, who, in
+his turn, thought only of his father; at the same time exhibiting a calm
+Christian fortitude, which was shown by no one else of the party
+except Miss Herbey, who faced her danger with the same brave composure.
+Incredible as it may seem, Falsten remained the same as ever, occupying
+himself with writing down figures and memoranda in his pocket-book. Mrs.
+Kear, in spite of all that Miss Herbey could do for her, was evidently
+dying.
+
+With regard to the sailors, two or three of them were calm enough, but
+the rest had well-nigh lost their wits. Some of the more ill-disposed
+amongst them seemed inclined to run into excesses; and their conduct,
+under the bad influence of Owen and Jynxstrop, made it doubtful whether
+they would submit to control when once we were limited to the narrow
+dimensions of the raft. Lieutenant Walter, although his courage never
+failed him, was worn out with bodily fatigue, and obliged to give up all
+active labour; but Curtis and the boatswain were resolute, energetic and
+firm as ever. To borrow an expression from the language of metallurgic
+art, they were men “at the highest degree of hardness.”
+
+At five o’clock one of our companions in misfortune was released from
+her sufferings. Mrs. Kear, after a most distressing illness, through
+which her young companion tended her with the most devoted care, has
+breathed her last. A few deep sighs and all was over, and I doubt
+whether the sufferer was ever conscious of the peril of, her situation.
+
+The night passed on without further incident. Towards morning I touched
+the dead woman’s hand, and it was cold and stiff. The corpse could
+not remain any longer on the main-top, and after Miss Herbey and I had
+carefully wrapped the garments about it, with a few short prayers the
+body of the first victim of our miseries was committed to the deep.
+
+As the sea closed over the body I heard one of the men in the shrouds
+say,--
+
+“There goes a carcass that we shall be sorry we have thrown away!”
+
+I looked round sharply. It was Owen who had spoken, But horrible as were
+his words, the conviction was forced upon my mind that the day could not
+be far distant when we must want for food.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX.
+
+DECEMBER 7th.--The ship was sinking rapidly; the water had risen to the
+fore-top; the poop and forecastle were completely submerged; the top
+of the bowsprit had disappeared, and only the three mast-tops projected
+from the waves.
+
+But all was ready on the raft; an erection had been made on the fore to
+hold a mast, which was supported by shrouds fastened to the sides of the
+platform; this mast carried a large royal.
+
+Perhaps, after all, these few frail planks will carry us to the shore
+which the “Chancellor” has failed to reach; at any rate, we cannot yet
+resign all hope.
+
+We were just on the point of embarking at 7 a.m. when the “Chancellor”
+ all at once began to sink so rapidly that the carpenter and men who were
+on the raft were obliged with all speed to cut the ropes that secured
+it to the vessel to prevent it from being swallowed up in the eddying
+waters. Anxiety, the most intense, took possession of us all. At the
+very moment when the ship was descending into the fathomless abyss, the
+raft, our only hope of safety, was drifting off before our eyes. Two
+of the sailors and an apprentice, beside themselves with terror, threw
+themselves headlong into the sea; but it was evident from the very first
+that they were quite powerless to combat the winds and waves. Escape was
+impossible; they could neither reach the raft, nor return to the
+ship. Curtis tied a rope round his waist and tried to swim to their
+assistance; but long before he could reach them the unfortunate men,
+after a vain struggle for life, sank below the waves and were seen no
+more. Curtis, bruised and beaten with the surf that raged about the
+mast-heads, was hauled back to the ship.
+
+Meantime, Dowlas and his men, by means of some spars which they used as
+oars, were exerting themselves to bring back the raft, which had drifted
+about two cables-lengths away; but, in spite of all their efforts, it
+was fully an hour,--an hour which seemed to us, waiting as we were with
+the water up to the level of the top-masts, like an eternity--before
+they succeeded in bringing the raft alongside, and lashing it once again
+to the “Chancellor’s” main-mast.
+
+Not a moment was then to be lost. The waves were eddying like a
+whirlpool around the submerged vessel, and numbers of enormous
+air-bubbles were rising to the surface of the water.
+
+The time was come. At Curtis’s word “Embark!” we all hurried to the
+raft. Andre who insisted upon seeing Miss Herbey go first, was helped
+safely on to the platform, where his father immediately joined him. In
+a very few minutes all except Curtis and old O’Ready had left the
+“Chancellor.”
+
+Curtis remained standing on the main-top, deeming it not only his duty,
+but his right, to be the last to leave the vessel he had loved so well,
+and the loss of which he so much deplored.
+
+“Now then, old fellow off of this!” cried the captain to the old
+Irishman, who did not move.
+
+“And is it quite sure ye are that she’s sinkin?” he said.
+
+“Ay, ay! sure enough, my man; and you’d better look sharp.”
+
+“Faith, then, and I think I will;” and not a moment too soon (for the
+water was up to his waist) he jumped on to the raft.
+
+Having cast one last, lingering look around him, Curtis then left the
+ship; the rope was cut and we went slowly adrift.
+
+All eyes were fixed upon the spot where the “Chancellor” lay foundering.
+The top of the mizzen was the first to disappear, then followed the
+main-top; and soon, of what had been a noble vessel, not a vestige was
+to be seen.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX.
+
+Will this frail float, forty feet by twenty, bear us in safety? Sink
+it cannot; the material of which it is composed is of a kind that
+must surmount the waves. But it is questionable whether it will hold
+together. The cords that bind it will have a tremendous strain to bear
+in resisting the violence of the sea. The most sanguine amongst us
+trembles to face the future; the most confident dares to think only of
+the present. After the manifold perils of the last seventy-two days’
+voyage all are too agitated to look forward without dismay to what in
+all human probability must be a time of the direst distress.
+
+Vain as the task may seem, I will not pause in my work of registering
+the events of our drama, as scene after scene they are unfolded before
+our eyes.
+
+Of the twenty-eight persons who left Charleston in the “Chancellor,”
+ only eighteen are left to huddle together upon this narrow raft; this
+number includes the five passengers, namely M. Letourneur, Andre,
+Miss Herbey, Falsten, and myself; the ship’s officers, Captain Curtis,
+Lieutenant Walter, the boatswain, Hobart the steward, Jynxstrop the
+cook, and Dowlas the carpenter; and seven sailors, Austin, Owen, Wilson,
+O’Ready, Burke, Sandon, and Flaypole.
+
+Such are the passengers on the raft; it is but a brief task to enumerate
+their resources.
+
+The greater part of the provisions in the store-room were destroyed at
+the time when the ship’s deck was submerged, and the small quantity that
+Curtis has been able to save will be very inadequate to supply the wants
+of eighteen people, who too probably have many days to wait ere they
+sight either land or a passing vessel. One cask of biscuit, another of
+preserved meat, a small keg of brandy, and two barrels of water complete
+our store, so that the utmost frugality in the distribution of our daily
+rations becomes absolutely necessary.
+
+Of spare clothes we have positively none; a few sails will serve for
+shelter by day, and covering by night. Dowlas has his carpenter’s tools,
+we have each a pocket-knife, and O’Ready an old tin pot; of which he
+takes the most tender care; in addition to these, we are in possession
+of a sextant, a compass, a chart, and a metal tea-kettle, everything
+else that was placed on deck in readiness for the first raft having been
+lost in the partial submersion of the vessel.
+
+Such then is our situation; critical indeed, but after all perhaps
+not desperate. We have one great fear; some there are amongst us whose
+courage, moral as well as physical, may give way, and over failing
+spirits such as these we may have no control.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI.
+
+DECEMBER 7th CONTINUED.--Our first day on the raft has passed without
+any special incident. At eight o’clock this morning Curtis asked our
+attention for a moment.
+
+“My friends,” he said, “listen to me. Here on this raft, just as when we
+were on board the ‘Chancellor,’ I consider myself your captain; and as
+your captain, I expect that all of you will strictly obey my orders. Let
+me beg of you, one and all, to think solely of our common welfare; let
+us work with one heart and with one soul, and may Heaven protect us!”
+
+After delivering these few words with an emotion that evidenced their
+earnestness, the captain consulted his compass, and found that the
+freshening breeze was blowing from the north. This was fortunate for us,
+and no time was to be lost in taking advantage of it to speed us on our
+dubious way. Dowlas was occupied in fixing the mast into the socket that
+had already been prepared for its reception, and in order to support
+it more firmly he placed spurs of wood, forming arched buttresses, on
+either side. While he was thus employed the boatswain and the other
+seamen were stretching the large royal sail on the yard that had been
+reserved for that purpose.
+
+By half-past nine the mast was hoisted, and held firmly in its place by
+some shrouds attached securely to the sides of the raft; then the
+sail was run up and trimmed to the wind, and the raft began to make a
+perceptible progress under the brisk breeze.
+
+As soon as we had once started, the carpenter set to work to contrive
+some sort of a rudder, that would enable us to maintain our desired
+direction. Curtis and Falsten assisted him with some serviceable
+suggestions, and in a couple of hours’ time he had made and fixed to
+the back of the raft a kind of paddle, very similar to those used by the
+Malays.
+
+At noon, after the necessary preliminary observations, Curtis took
+the altitude of the sun. The result gave lat. 15deg. 7min. N. by long.
+49deg. 35min. W. as our position, which, on consulting the chart, proved
+to be about 650 miles north-east of the coast of Paramaribo in Dutch
+Guiana.
+
+Now even under the most favourable circumstances, with trade-winds and
+weather always in our favour, we cannot by any chance hope to make more
+than ten or twelve miles a day, so that the voyage cannot possibly be
+performed under a period of two months. To be sure there is the hope to
+be indulged that we may fall in with a passing vessel, but as the part
+of the Atlantic into which we have been driven is intermediate between
+the tracks of the French and English Transatlantic steamers either
+from the Antilles or the Brazils, we cannot reckon at all upon such a
+contingency happening in our favour; whilst if a calm should set in,
+or worse still, if the wind were to blow from the east, not only two
+months, but twice, nay, three times that length of time will be required
+to accomplish the passage.
+
+At best, however, our provisions, even though used with the greatest
+care, will barely last three months. Curtis has called us into
+consultation, and as the working of the raft does not require such
+labour as to exhaust our physical strength, all have agreed to submit
+to a regimen which, although it will suffice to keep us alive, will
+certainly not fully satisfy the cravings of hunger and thirst.
+
+As far as we can estimate, we have somewhere about 500 lbs. of meat and
+about the same quantity of biscuit. To make this last for three months
+we ought not to consume very much more than 5 lbs. a day of each, which,
+when divided among eighteen people, will make the daily ration 5 oz. of
+meat and 5 oz. of biscuit for each person. Of water we have certainly
+not more than 200 gallons, but by reducing each person’s allowance to
+a pint a day, we hope to eke out that, too, over the space of three
+months.
+
+It is arranged that the food shall be distributed under the boatswain’s
+superintendence every morning at ten o’clock. Each person will then
+receive his allowance of meat and biscuit, which may be eaten when and
+how he pleases. The water will be given out twice a day--at ten in the
+morning and six in the evening; but as the only drinking-vessels in our
+possession are the tea-kettle and the old Irishman’s tin pot, the water
+has to be consumed immediately on distribution. As for the brandy,
+of which there are only five gallons, it will be doled out with the
+strictest limitation, and no one will be allowed to touch it except with
+the captain’s express permission.
+
+I should not forget that there are two sources from which we may hope to
+increase our store. First, any rain that may fall will add to our supply
+of water, and two empty barrels have been placed ready to receive it;
+secondly, we hope to do something in the way of fishing, and the sailors
+have already begun to prepare some lines.
+
+All have mutually agreed to abide by the rules that have been laid down,
+for all are fully aware that by nothing but the most precise regimen can
+we hope to avert the horrors of famine, and forewarned by the fate,
+of many who in similar circumstances have miserably perished, we are
+determined to do all that prudence can suggest for husbanding our
+stores.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII.
+
+DECEMBER 8th to 17th.--When night came we wrapped ourselves in our
+sails. For my own part, worn out with the fatigue of the long watch in
+the top-mast, I slept for several hours; M. Letourneur and Andre did
+the same, and Miss Herbey obtained sufficient rest to relieve the tired
+expression that her countenance had lately been wearing. The night
+passed quietly. As the raft was not very heavily laden the waves did not
+break over it at all, and we were consequently able to keep ourselves
+perfectly dry. To say the truth, it was far better for us that the sea
+should remain somewhat boisterous, for any diminution in the swell of
+the waves would indicate that; the wind had dropped, and it was with a
+feeling of regret that when the morning came I had to note down “weather
+calm” in my journal.
+
+In these low latitudes the heat in the day-time is so intense, and
+the sun burns with such an incessant glare, that the entire atmosphere
+becomes pervaded with a glowing vapour. The wind, too, blows only in
+fitful gusts and through long intervals of perfect calm the sails flap
+idly and uselessly against the mast. Curtis and the boatswain, however,
+are of opinion that we are not entirely dependent on the wind. Certain
+indications, which a sailor’s eye alone could detect, make them almost
+sure that we are being carried along by a westerly current, that flows
+at the rate of three or four miles an hour. If they are not mistaken,
+this is a circumstance that may materially assist our progress, and
+at which we can hardly fail to rejoice, for the high temperature often
+makes our scanty allowance of water quite inadequate to allay our
+thirst.
+
+But with all our hardships I must confess that our condition is
+far preferable to what it was when we were still clinging to the
+“Chancellor.” Here at least we have a comparatively solid platform
+beneath our feet, and we are relieved from the incessant dread of being
+carried down with a foundering vessel. In the day-time we can move about
+with a certain amount of freedom, discuss the weather, watch the sea,
+and examine our fishing-lines; whilst at night we can rest securely
+under the shelter of our sails.
+
+“I really think, Mr. Kazallon,” said Andre Letourneur to me a few
+days after we had embarked, “that our time on board the raft passes as
+pleasantly as it did upon Ham Rock; and the raft has one advantage even
+over the reef, for it is capable of motion.”
+
+“Yes, Andre,” replied, “as long as the wind continues favourable the
+raft has decidedly the advantage; but supposing the wind shifts, what
+then?”
+
+“Oh, we mustn’t think about that,” he said; “let us keep up our courage
+while we can.”
+
+I felt that he was right, and that the dangers we had escaped should
+make us more hopeful for the future; and I think that nearly all of us
+are inclined to share his opinion.
+
+Whether the captain is equally sanguine I am unable to say. He holds
+himself very much aloof, and as he evidently feels that he has the great
+responsibility of saving other lives than his own, we are reluctant to
+disturb his silent meditations.
+
+Such of the crew as are not on watch spend the greater portion of their
+time in dozing on the fore part of the raft. The aft, by the captain’s
+orders, has been reserved for the use of us passengers, and by erecting
+some uprights we have contrived to make a sort of tent, which affords
+some shelter from the burning sun. On the whole our bill of health is
+tolerably satisfactory. Lieutenant Walter is the only invalid, and he,
+in spite of all our careful nursing, seems to get weaker every day.
+
+Andre Letourneur is the life of our party, and I have never appreciated
+the young man so well. His originality of perception makes his
+conversation both lively and entertaining and as he talks, his wan
+and suffering countenance lights up with an intelligent animation. His
+father seems to become more devoted to him than ever, and I have seen
+him sit for an hour at a time, with his hand resting on his son’s,
+listening eagerly to his every word.
+
+Miss Herbey occasionally joins in our conversation, but although we all
+do our best to make her forget that she has lost those who should have
+been her natural protectors, M. Letourneur is the only one amongst us to
+whom she speaks without a certain reserve. To him, whose age gives him
+something of the authority of a father, she has told the history of her
+life--a life of patience and self-denial such as not unfrequently falls
+to the lot of orphans. She had been, she said, two years with Mrs.
+Kear, and although now left alone in the world, homeless and without
+resources, hope for the future does not fail her. The young lady’s
+modest deportment and energy of character command the respect of all
+on board, and I do not think that even the coarsest of the sailors has
+either by word or gesture acted towards her in a way that she could deem
+offensive.
+
+The 12th, 13th, and 14th of December passed away without any change in
+our condition. The wind continued to blow in irregular gusts, but always
+in the same direction, and the helm, or rather the paddle at the back of
+the raft has never once required shifting; and the watch, who are posted
+on the fore, under orders to examine the sea with the most scrupulous
+attention, have had no change of any kind to report.
+
+At the end of a week we found ourselves growing accustomed to our
+limited diet, and as we had no manual exertion, and no wear and tear
+of our physical constitution, we managed very well. Our greatest
+deprivation was the short supply of water, for, as I said before, the
+unmitigated heat made our thirst at times very painful.
+
+On the 15th we held high festival. A shoal of fish, of the sparus tribe,
+swarmed round the raft, and although our tackle consisted merely of long
+cords baited with morsels of dried meat stuck upon bent nails, the fish
+were so voracious that in the course of a couple of days we had caught
+as many as weighed almost 200lbs., some of which were grilled, and
+others boiled in sea-water over a fire made on the fore part of the
+raft. This marvelous haul was doubly welcome, inasmuch as it not only
+afforded us a change of diet, but enabled us to economize our stores; if
+only some rain had fallen at the same time we should have been more than
+satisfied.
+
+Unfortunately the shoal of fish did not remain long in our vicinity. On
+the 17th they all disappeared, and some sharks, not less than twelve or
+fifteen feet long, belonging to the species of spotted dog-fish, took
+their place. These horrible creatures have black backs and fins, covered
+with white spots and stripes. Here, on our low raft, we seem almost on
+a level with them, and more than once their tails have struck the spars
+with terrible violence. The sailors manage to keep them at a distance
+by means of handspikes, but I shall not be surprised if they persist in
+following us, instinctively intelligent that we are destined to become
+their prey. For myself, I confess that they give me a feeling of
+uneasiness; they seem to me like monsters of ill-omen.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII.
+
+DECEMBER 18th to 20th.--On the 18th the wind freshened a little, but as
+it blew from the same favourable quarter we did not complain, and only
+took the precaution of putting an extra support to the mast, so that it
+should not snap with the tension of the sail. This done, the raft was
+carried along with something more than its ordinary speed, and left a
+long line of foam in its wake.
+
+In the afternoon the sky became slightly overclouded, and the heat
+consequently somewhat less oppressive. The swell made it more difficult
+for the raft to keep its balance, and we shipped two or three heavy
+seas; but the carpenter managed to make with some planks a kind of wall
+about a couple of feet high, which protected us from the direct action
+of the waves. Our casks of food and water were secured to the raft
+with double ropes, for we dared not run the risk of their being carried
+overboard, an accident that would at once have reduced us to the direst
+distress.
+
+In the course of the day the sailors gathered some of the marine plants
+known by the name of sargassos, very similar to those we saw in such
+profusion between the Bermudas and Ham Rock. I advised my companions to
+chew the laminary tangles, which they would find contained a saccharine
+juice, affording considerable relief to their parched lips and throats.
+
+The remainder of the day passed without incident. I should not, however,
+omit to mention that the frequent conferences held amongst the sailors,
+especially between Owen, Burke, Flaypole, Wilson, and Jynxstrop, the
+negro, aroused some uneasy suspicions in my mind. What was the subject
+of their conversation I could not discover, for they became silent
+immediately that a passenger or one of the officers approached them.
+When I mentioned the matter to Curtis I found he had already noticed
+these secret interviews, and that they had given him enough concern to
+make him determined to keep a strict eye upon Jynxstrop and Owen, who,
+rascals as they were themselves, were evidently trying to disaffect
+their mates.
+
+On the 19th the heat was again excessive. The sky was cloudless, and as
+there was not enough wind to fill the sail the raft lay motionless
+upon the surface of the water. Some of the sailors found a transient
+alleviation for their thirst by plunging into the sea, but as we were
+fully aware that the water all round was infested with sharks, none of
+us was rash enough to follow their example, though if, as seems likely,
+we remain long becalmed, we shall probably in time overcome our fears,
+and feel constrained to indulge ourselves with a bath.
+
+The health of Lieutenant Walter continues to cause us grave anxiety, the
+young man being weakened by attacks of intermittent fever. Except for
+the loss of the medicine-chest we might have temporarily reduced this by
+quinine; but it is only too evident that the poor fellow is consumptive,
+and that that hopeless malady is making ravages upon him that no
+medicine could permanently arrest. His sharp dry cough, his short
+breathing, his profuse perspirations, more especially in the morning;
+the pinched-in nose, the hollow cheeks, of which the general pallour is
+only relieved by a hectic flush, the contracted lips, the too brilliant
+eye and wasted form--all bear witness to a slow but sure decay.
+
+To-day, the 20th, the temperature is as high as ever, and the raft still
+motionless. The rays of the sun penetrate even through the shelter of
+our tent, where we sit literally gasping with the heat. The impatience
+with which we awaited the moment when the boatswain should dole out our
+meagre allowance of water, and the eagerness with which those lukewarm
+drops were swallowed, can only be realized by those who for themselves
+have endured the agonies of thirst.
+
+Lieutenant Walter suffers more than any of us from the scarcity of
+water, and I noticed that Miss Herbey reserved almost the whole of her
+own share for his use. Kind and compassionate as ever, the young girl
+does all that lies in her power to relieve the poor fellow’s sufferings.
+
+“Mr. Kazallon,” she said to me this morning, “that young man gets
+manifestly weaker every day.”
+
+“Yes, Miss Herbey,” I replied, “and how sorrowful it is that we can do
+nothing for him, absolutely nothing.”
+
+“Hush!” she said, with her wonted consideration, “perhaps he will hear
+what we are saying.”
+
+And then she sat down near the edge of the raft, where, with her head
+resting on her hands, she remained lost in thought.
+
+An incident sufficiently unpleasant occurred to-day. For nearly an
+hour Owen, Flaypole, Burke, and Jynxstrop had been engaged in close
+conversation and, although their voices were low, their gestures had
+betrayed that they were animated by some strong excitement. At the
+conclusion of the colloquy Owen got up and walked deliberately to
+the quarter of the raft that has been reserved for the use of the
+passengers.
+
+“Where are you off to now, Owen?” said the boatswain.
+
+“That’s my business,” said the man insolently, and pursued his course.
+
+The boatswain was about to stop him, but before he could interfere
+Curtis was standing and looking Owen steadily in the face.
+
+“Ah, captain, I’ve got a word from my mates to say to you,” he said,
+with all the effrontery imaginable.
+
+“Say on, then,” said the captain coolly.
+
+“We should like to know about that little keg of brandy. Is it being
+kept for the porpoises or the officers?”
+
+Finding that he obtained no reply, he went on,--
+
+“Look here, captain, what we want is to have our grog served out every
+morning as usual.”
+
+“Then you certainly will not,” said the captain.
+
+“What! what!” exclaimed Owen, “don’t you mean to let us have our grog?”
+
+“Once and for all, no.”
+
+For a moment, with a malicious grin upon his lips, Owen stood
+confronting the captain; then, as though thinking better of himself,
+he turned round and rejoined his companions, who were still talking
+together in an undertone.
+
+When I was afterwards discussing the matter with Curtis I asked him
+whether he was sure he had done right in refusing the brandy.
+
+“Right!” he cried, “to be sure I have. Allow those men to have brandy! I
+would throw it all overboard first.”
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV.
+
+DECEMBER 21st.--No further disturbance has taken place amongst the men.
+For a few hours the fish appeared again, and we caught a great many
+of them, and stored them away in an empty barrel. This addition to our
+stock of provisions makes us hope that food, at least, will not fail us.
+
+Usually the nights in the tropics are cool, but to-day, as evening drew
+on, the wonted freshness did not return, but the air remained stifling
+and oppressive, whilst heavy masses of vapour hung over the water.
+
+There was no moonlight; there would be a new moon at half-past one in
+the morning, but the night was singularly dark, except for dazzling
+flashes of summer lightning that from time to time illumined the horizon
+far and wide. There was, however, no answering roll of thunder, and the
+silence of the atmosphere seemed almost awful, For a couple of hours,
+in the vain hope of catching a breath of air, Miss Herbey, Andre
+Letourneur, and I, sat watching the imposing struggle of the electric
+vapours. The clouds appeared like embattled turrets crested with flame,
+and the very sailors, coarse-minded men as they were, seemed struck with
+the grandeur of the spectacle, and regarded attentively, though with an
+anxious eye, the preliminary tokens of a coming storm. Until midnight we
+kept our seats upon the stern of the raft, whilst the lightning ever and
+again shed around us a livid glare similar to that produced by adding
+salt to lighted alcohol.
+
+“Are you afraid of a storm, Miss Herbey?” said Andre to the girl.
+
+“No, Mr. Andre, my feelings are always rather those of awe than of
+fear,” she replied. “I consider a storm one of the sublimest phenomena
+that we can behold--don’t you think so too?”
+
+“Yes, and especially when the thunder is pealing,” he said; “that
+majestic rolling, far different to the sharp crash of artillery, rises
+and falls like the long-drawn notes of the grandest music, and I can
+safely say that the tones of the most accomplished ARTISTE have never
+moved me like that incomparable voice of nature.”
+
+“Rather a deep bass, though,” I said, laughing.
+
+“That may be,” he answered; “but I wish we might hear it now, for this
+silent lightning is somewhat unexpressive.”
+
+“Never mind that, Andre” I said; “enjoy a storm when it comes, if you
+like, but pray don’t wish for it.”
+
+“And why not?” said he; “a storm will bring us wind, you know.”
+
+“And water, too,” added Miss Herbey, “the water of which we are so
+seriously in need.”
+
+The young people evidently wished to regard the storm from their own
+point of view, and although I could have opposed plenty of common sense
+to their poetical sentiments, I said no more, but let them talk on as
+they pleased for fully an hour.
+
+Meantime the sky was becoming quite overclouded, and after the zodiacal
+constellations had disappeared in the mists that hung round the horizon,
+one by one the stars above our heads were veiled in dark rolling
+masses of vapour, from which every instant there issued forth sheets of
+electricity that formed a vivid background to the dark grey fragments of
+cloud that floated beneath.
+
+As the reservoir of electricity was confined to the higher strata of the
+atmosphere, the lightning was still unaccompanied by thunder; but the
+dryness of the air made it a weak conductor. Evidently the fluid could
+only escape by terrible shocks, and the storm must ere long burst forth
+with fearful violence.
+
+This was the opinion of Curtis and the boatswain. The boatswain is only
+weather-wise from his experience as a sailor; but Curtis, in addition to
+his experience, has some scientific knowledge, and he pointed out to me
+an appearance in the sky known to meteorologists as a “cloud-ring,”
+ and scarcely ever seen beyond the regions of the torrid zone, which are
+impregnated by damp vapours brought from all quarters of the ocean by
+the action of the trade-winds.
+
+“Yes, Mr. Kazallon,” said Curtis, “our raft has been driven into the
+region of storms, of which it has been justly remarked that any one
+endowed with very sensitive organs can at any moment distinguish the
+growlings of thunder.”
+
+“Hark!” I said, as I strained my ears to listen, “I think I can hear it
+now.”
+
+“You can,” he answered; “yet what you hear is but the first warning of
+the storm which, in a couple of hours, will burst upon us with all its
+fury. But never mind, we must be ready for it.”
+
+Sleep, even if we wished it, would have been impossible in that stifling
+temperature. The lightning increased in brilliancy, and appeared from
+all quarters of the horizon, each flash covering large arcs, varying
+from 100deg. to 150deg., leaving the atmosphere pervaded by one
+incessant phosphorescent glow.
+
+The thunder became at length more and more distinct, the reports, if I
+may use the expression, being “round,” rather than rolling. It seemed
+almost as though the sky were padded with heavy clouds of which the
+elasticity muffled the sound of the electric bursts.
+
+Hitherto, the sea had been calm, almost stagnant as a pond. Now,
+however, long undulations took place, which the sailors recognized, all
+too well, as being the rebound produced by a distant tempest. A ship, in
+such a case, would have been instantly brought ahull, but no manoeuvring
+could be applied to our raft, which could only drift before the blast.
+
+At one o’clock in the morning one vivid flash, followed, after the
+interval of a few seconds, by a loud report of thunder, announced that
+the storm was rapidly approaching. Suddenly the horizon was enveloped in
+a vapourous fog, and seemed to contract until it was close around us. At
+the same instant the voice of one of the sailors was heard shouting,--
+
+“A squall! a squall!”
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV.
+
+DECEMBER 21st, NIGHT.--The boatswain rushed to the halliards that
+supported the sail, and instantly lowered the yard; and not a moment too
+soon, for with the speed of an arrow the squall was upon us, and if
+it had not been for the sailor’s timely warning we must all have been
+knocked down and probably precipitated into the sea; as it was, our tent
+on the back of the raft was carried away.
+
+The raft itself, however, being so nearly level with the water, had
+little peril to encounter from the actual wind; but from the mighty
+waves now raised by the hurricane we had everything to dread. At first
+the waves had been crushed and flattened as it were by the pressure of
+the air, but now, as though strengthened by the reaction, they rose with
+the utmost fury. The raft followed the motions of the increasing swell,
+and was tossed up and down, to and fro, and from side to side with the
+most violent oscillations “Lash yourselves tight,” cried the boatswain,
+as he threw us some ropes; and in a few moments, with Curtis’s
+assistance, M. Letourneur, Andre, Falsten, and myself were fastened so
+firmly to the raft, that nothing but its total disruption could carry us
+away. Miss Herbey was bound by a rope passed round her waist to one
+of the uprights that had supported our tent, and by the glare of the
+lightning I could see that her countenance was as serene and composed as
+ever.
+
+Then the storm began to rage indeed. Flash followed flash, peal followed
+peal in quick succession. Our eyes were blinded, our ears deafened, with
+the roar and glare. The clouds above, the ocean beneath, seemed verily
+to have taken fire, and several times I saw forked lightnings dart
+upwards from the crest of the waves, and mingle with those that radiated
+from the fiery vault above. A strong odour of sulphur pervaded the air,
+but though thunderbolts fell thick around us, not one had touched our
+raft.
+
+By two o’clock the storm had reached its height. The hurricane had
+increased, and the heavy waves, heated to a strange heat by the general
+temperature, dashed over us until we were drenched to the skin. Curtis,
+Dowlas, the boatswain, and the sailors did what they could to strengthen
+the raft with additional ropes. M. Letourneur placed himself in front
+of Andre to shelter him from the waves. Miss Herbey stood upright and
+motionless as a statue.
+
+Soon dense masses of lurid clouds came rolling up, and a crackling, like
+the rattle of musketry, resounded through the air. This was produced by
+a series of electrical concussions, in which volleys of hailstones were
+discharged from the cloud-batteries above. In fact, as the storm-sheet
+came in contact with a current of cold air, hail was formed with great
+rapidity, and hailstones, large as nuts, came pelting down, making the
+platform of the raft re-echo with a metallic ring.
+
+For about half an hour the meteoric shower continued to descend, and
+during that time the wind slightly abated in violence; but after having
+shifted from quarter to quarter, it once more blew with all its former
+fury. The shrouds were broken, but happily the mast, already bending
+almost double, was removed by the men from its socket before it should
+be snapped short off. One gust caught away the tiller, which went adrift
+beyond all power of recovery, and the same blast blew down several of
+the planks that formed the low parapet on the larboard side, so that the
+waves dashed in without hindrance through the breach.
+
+The carpenter and his mates tried to repair the damage, but, tossed from
+wave to wave, the raft was inclined to an angle of more than forty-five
+degrees, making it impossible for them to keep their footing, and
+rolling one over another, they were thrown down by the violent shocks.
+Why they were not altogether carried away, why we were not all hurled
+into the sea, was to me a mystery. Even if the cords that bound us
+should retain their hold, it seemed perfectly incredible that the raft
+itself should not be overturned, so that we should be carried down and
+stifled in the seething waters.
+
+At last, towards three in the morning, when the hurricane seemed to be
+raging more fiercely than ever, the raft, caught up on the crest of
+an enormous wave, stood literally perpendicularly on its edge. For
+an instant, by the illumination of the lightning, we beheld ourselves
+raised to an incomprehensible height above the foaming breakers. Cries
+of terror escaped our lips. All must be over now! But no; another
+moment, and the raft had resumed its horizontal position. Safe, indeed,
+we were, but the tremendous upheaval was not without its melancholy
+consequences. The cords that secured the cases of provisions had
+burst asunder. One case rolled overboard, and the side of one of the
+water-barrels was staved in, so that the water which it contained was
+rapidly escaping. Two of the sailors rushed forward to rescue the case
+of preserved meat; but one of them caught his foot between the planks
+of the platform, and, unable to disengage it, the poor fellow stood
+uttering-cries of distress.
+
+I tried to go to his assistance, and had already untied the cord that
+was round me; but I was too late. Another heavy sea dashed over us, and
+by the light of a dazzling flash I saw the unhappy man, although he
+had managed without assistance to disengage his foot, washed overboard
+before it was in my power to get near him. His companion had also
+disappeared.
+
+The same ponderous wave laid me prostrate on the platform, and as my
+head came in collision with the corner of a spar, for a time I lost all
+consciousness.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI.
+
+DECEMBER 22nd.--Daylight came at length, and the sun broke through and
+dispersed the clouds that the storm had left behind. The struggle of the
+elements, while it lasted, had been terrific, but the swoon into which
+I was thrown by my fall, prevented me from observing the final incidents
+of the visitation. All that I know is, that shortly after we had shipped
+the heavy sea that I have mentioned, a shower of rain had the effect
+of calming the severity of the hurricane, and tended to diminish the
+electric tension of the atmosphere.
+
+Thanks to the kind care of M. Letourneur and Miss Herbey, I recovered
+consciousness, but I believe that it is to Robert Curtis that I owe my
+real deliverance, for he it was that prevented me from being carried
+away by a second heavy wave.
+
+The tempest, fierce as it was, did not last more than a few hours;
+but even in that short space of time what an irreparable loss we have
+sustained, and what a load of misery seems stored up for us in the
+future!
+
+Of the two sailors who perished in the storm, one was Austin, a fine
+active young man of about eight-and-twenty; the other was old O’Ready,
+the survivor of so many ship wrecks. Our party is thus reduced to
+sixteen souls, leaving a total barely exceeding half the number of those
+who embarked on board the “Chancellor” at Charleston.
+
+Curtis’s first care had been to take a strict account of the remnant of
+our provisions. Of all the torrents of rain that fell in the night we
+were unhappily unable to catch a single drop; but water will not fail us
+yet, for about fourteen gallons still remain in the bottom of the broken
+barrel, whilst the second barrel has not yet been touched. But of food
+we have next to nothing. The cases containing the dried meat, and the
+fish that we had preserved, have both been washed away, and all that now
+remains to us is about sixty pounds of biscuit. Sixty pounds of biscuit
+between sixteen persons! Eight days, with half a pound a day apiece,
+will consume it all.
+
+The day has passed away in silence. A general depression has fallen
+upon all: the spectre of famine has appeared amongst us, and each
+has remained wrapped in his own gloomy meditations, though each has
+doubtless but one idea dominant in his mind.
+
+Once, as I passed near the group of sailors lying on the fore part of
+the raft, I heard Flaypole say with a sneer,--
+
+“Those who are going to die had better make haste about it.”
+
+“Yes,” said Owen, “leave their share of food to others.”
+
+At the regular hour each person received his half-pound of biscuit.
+Some, I noticed, swallowed it ravenously, others reserved it for another
+time. Falsten divided his ration into several portions, corresponding,
+I believe, to the number of meals to which he was ordinarily accustomed.
+What prudence he shows! If any one survives this misery, I think it will
+be he.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVII.
+
+DECEMBER 23rd to 30th--After the storm the wind settled back into its
+old quarter, blowing pretty briskly from the north-east. As the breeze
+was all in our favour it was important to make the most of it, and
+after Dowlas had carefully readjusted the mast, the sail was once more
+hoisted, and we were carried along at the rate of two or two and a half
+knots an hour. A new rudder, formed of a spar and a good-sized plank,
+has been fitted in the place of the one we lost, but with the wind in
+its present quarter it is in little requisition. The platform of the
+raft has been repaired, the disjointed planks have been closed by means
+of ropes and wedges, and that portion of the parapet that was washed
+away has been replaced, so that we are no longer wetted by the waves. In
+fact, nothing has been left undone to insure the solidity of our raft,
+and to render it capable of resisting the wear and tear of the wind and
+waves. But the dangers of wind and waves are not those which we have
+most to dread.
+
+Together with the unclouded sky came a return of the tropical
+heat, which during the preceding days had caused us such serious
+inconvenience; fortunately on the 23rd the excessive warmth was somewhat
+tempered by the breeze, and as the tent was once again put up, we were
+able to find shelter under it by turns.
+
+But the want of food was beginning to tell upon us sadly, and our sunken
+cheeks and wasted forms were visible tokens of what we were enduring.
+With most of us hunger seemed to attack the entire nervous system, and
+the constriction of the stomach produced an acute sensation of pain. A
+narcotic, such as opium or tobacco, might have availed to soothe, if not
+to cure, the gnawing agony; but of sedatives we had none, so the pain
+must be endured.
+
+One alone there was amongst us who did not feel the pangs of hunger.
+Lieutenant Walter seemed as it were to feed upon the fever that raged
+within him; but then he was the victim of the most torturing thirst,
+Miss Herbey, besides reserving for him a portion of her own insufficient
+allowance, obtained from the captain a small extra supply of water, with
+which every quarter of an hour she moistened the parched lips of the
+young man, who almost too weak to speak, could only express his thanks
+by a grateful smile. Poor fellow! all our care cannot avail to save him
+now; he is doomed, most surely doomed to die.
+
+On the 23rd he seemed to be conscious of his condition, for he made
+a sign to me to sit down by his side, and then summoning up all his
+strength to speak, he asked me in a few broken words how long I
+thought he had to live? Slight as my hesitation was, Walter noticed it
+immediately.
+
+“The truth,” he said; “tell me the plain truth.”
+
+“My dear fellow, I am not a doctor, you know,” I began, “and I can
+scarcely judge--”
+
+“Never mind,” he interrupted, “tell me just what you think.”
+
+I looked at him attentively for some moments, then laid my ear against
+his chest. In the last few days his malady had made fearfully rapid
+strides, and it was only too evident that one lung had already ceased
+to act, whilst the other was scarcely capable of performing the work of
+respiration. The young man was now suffering from the fever which is the
+sure symptom of the approaching end in all tuberculous complaints.
+
+The lieutenant kept his eye fixed upon me with a look of eager inquiry.
+I knew not what to say, and sought to evade his question.
+
+“My dear boy,” I said, “in our present circumstances not one of us can
+tell how long he has to live. Not one of us knows what may happen in the
+course of the next eight days.”
+
+“The next eight days,” he murmured, as he looked eagerly into my face.
+
+And then, turning away his head, he seemed to fall into a sort of doze.
+
+The 24th, 25th, and 26th passed without any alteration in our
+circumstances, and strange, nay, incredible as it may sound, we began to
+get accustomed to our condition of starvation. Often, when reading the
+histories of shipwrecks, I have suspected the accounts to be greatly
+exaggerated; but now I fully realize their truth, and marvel when I find
+on how little nutriment it is possible to exist for so long a time. To
+our daily half-pound of biscuit the captain has thought to add a few
+drops of brandy, and the stimulant helps considerably to sustain our
+strength. If we had the same provisions for two months, or even for one,
+there might be room for hope; but our supplies diminish rapidly, and the
+time is fast approaching when of food and drink there will be none.
+
+The sea had furnished us with food once, and, difficult as the task of
+fishing had now become, at all hazards the attempt must be made again.
+Accordingly the carpenter and the boatswain set to work and made lines
+out of some untwisted hemp, to which they fixed some nails that they
+pulled out of the flooring of the raft, and bent into proper shape. The
+boatswain regarded his device with evident satisfaction.
+
+“I don’t mean to say,” said he to me, “that these nails are first-rate
+fish-hooks; but one thing I do know, and that is, with proper bait they
+will act as well as the best. But this biscuit is no good at all. Let me
+but just get hold of one fish, and I shall know fast enough how to use
+it to catch some more.”
+
+And the true difficulty was how to catch the first fish. It was evident
+that fish were not abundant in these waters, nevertheless the lines were
+cast. But the biscuit with which they were baited dissolved at once in
+the water, and we did not get a single bite. For two days the attempt
+was made in vain, and as it only involved what seemed a lavish waste of
+our only means of subsistence, it was given up in despair.
+
+To-day, the 30th, as a last resource, the boatswain tried what a piece
+of coloured rag might do by way of attracting some voracious fish, and
+having obtained from Miss Herbey a little piece of the red shawl she
+wears, he fastened it to his hook. But still no success; for when,
+after several hours, he examined his lines, the crimson shred was still
+hanging intact as he had fixed it. The man was quite discouraged at his
+failure.
+
+“But there will be plenty of bait before long,” he said to me in a
+solemn undertone.
+
+“What do you mean?” said I, struck by his significant manner.
+
+“You’ll know soon enough,” he answered.
+
+What did he insinuate? The words, coming from a man usually so reserved,
+have haunted me all night.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVIII.
+
+JANUARY 1st to 5th.--More than three months had elapsed since we left
+Charleston in the “Chancellor,” and for no less than twenty days had
+we now been borne along on our raft at the mercy of the wind and waves.
+Whether we were approaching the American coast, or whether we were
+drifting farther and farther to sea, it was now impossible to determine,
+for, in addition to the other disasters caused by the hurricane, the
+captain’s instruments had been hopelessly smashed, and Curtis had no
+longer any compass by which to direct his course, nor a sextant by which
+he might make an observation.
+
+Desperate, however, as our condition might be judged, hope did not
+entirely abandon our hearts, and day after day, hour after hour were
+our eyes strained towards the horizon, and many and many a time did our
+imagination shape out the distant land. But ever and again the illusion
+vanished; a cloud, a mist, perhaps even a wave, was all that had
+deceived us; no land, no sail ever broke the grey line that united sea
+and sky, and our raft remained the centre of the wide and dreary waste.
+
+On the 1st of January we swallowed our last morsel of biscuit. The
+1st of January! New Year’s Day! What a rush of sorrowful recollections
+overwhelmed our minds! Had we not always associated the opening of
+another year with new hopes, new plans, and coming joys? And now, where
+were we? Could we dare to look at one another, and breathe a new year’s
+greeting?
+
+The boatswain approached me with a peculiar look on his countenance.
+
+“You are surely not going to wish me a happy new year?” I said.
+
+“No indeed, sir,” he replied, “I was only going to wish you well through
+the first day of it; and that is pretty good assurance on my part, for
+we have not another crumb to eat.”
+
+True as it was, we scarcely realized the fact of there being actually
+nothing until on the following morning the hour came round for the
+distribution of the scanty ration, and then, indeed, the truth was
+forced upon us in a new and startling light. Towards evening I was
+seized with violent pains in the stomach, accompanied by a constant
+desire to yawn and gape that was most distressing; but in a couple of
+hours the extreme agony passed away, and on the 3rd I was surprised to
+find that I did not suffer more. I felt, it is true, that there was some
+great void within myself, but the sensation was quite as much moral
+as physical. My head was so heavy that I could not hold it up; it was
+swimming with giddiness, as though I were looking over a precipice.
+
+My symptoms were not shared by all my companions, some of whom endured
+the most frightful tortures. Dowlas and the boatswain especially, who
+were naturally large eaters, uttered involuntary cries of agony,
+and were obliged to gird themselves tightly with ropes to subdue the
+excruciating pain that was gnawing their very vitals.
+
+And this was only the second day of our misery! what would we not have
+given for half, nay, for a quarter of the meagre ration which a few days
+back we had deemed so inadequate to supply our wants, and which now,
+eked out crumb by crumb, might, perhaps, serve for several days? In the
+streets of a besieged city, dire as the distress may be, some gutter,
+some rubbish-heap, some corner may yet be found that will furnish a
+dry bone or a scrap of refuse that may for a moment allay the pangs
+of hunger; but these bare planks, so many times washed clean by the
+relentless waves, offer nothing to our eager search, and after every
+fragment of food that the wind carried into their interstices has been
+scraped out devoured, our resources are literally at an end.
+
+The nights seem even longer than the days. Sleep, when it comes, brings
+no relief; it is rather a feverish stupour, broken and disturbed by
+frightful nightmares. Last night, however, overcome by fatigue, I
+managed to rest for several hours.
+
+At six o’clock this morning I was roused by the sound of angry voices,
+and, starting up, I saw Owen and Jynxstrop, with Flaypole, Wilson,
+Burke, and Sandon, standing in a threatening attitude. They had taken
+possession of the carpenter’s tools, and now, armed with hatchets,
+chisels, and hammers, they were preparing to attack the captain, the
+boatswain, and Dowlas. I attached myself in a moment to Curtis’s party.
+Falsten followed my example, and although our knives were the only
+weapons at our disposal, we were ready to defend ourselves to the very
+last extremity.
+
+Owen and his men advanced towards us. The miserable wretches were
+all drunk, for during the night they had knocked a hole in the
+brandy-barrel, and had recklessly swallowed its contents. What they
+wanted they scarcely seemed to know, but Owen and Jynxstrop, not quite
+so much intoxicated as the rest; seemed to be urging them on to massacre
+the captain and the officers.
+
+“Down with the captain! Overboard with Curtis! Owen shall take the
+command!” they shouted from time to time in their drunken fury; and,
+armed as they were, they appeared completely masters of the situation.
+
+“Now, then, down with your arms!” said Curtis sternly, as he advanced to
+meet them.
+
+“Overboard with the captain!” howled Owen, as by word and gesture he
+urged on his accomplices.
+
+Curtis’ pushed aside the excited rascals, and, walking straight up to
+Owen, asked him what he wanted.
+
+“What do we want? Why, we want no more captains; we are all equals now.”
+
+Poor stupid fool! as though misery and privation had not already reduced
+us all to the same level.
+
+“Owen,” said the captain once, again, “down with your arms!”
+
+“Come on, all of you,” shouted Owen to his companions, without giving
+the slightest heed to Curtis’s words.
+
+A regular struggle ensued. Owen and Wilson attacked Curtis, who defended
+himself with a piece of a spar; Burke and Flaypole rushed upon Falsten
+and the boatswain, whilst I was left to confront the negro Jynxstrop, who
+attempted to strike me with the hammer which he brandished in his hand.
+I endeavoured to paralyze his movements by pinioning his arms, but the
+rascal was my superior in muscular strength. After wrestling for a few
+moments, I felt that he was getting the mastery over me when all of a
+sudden he rolled over on to the platform, dragging me with him. Andre
+Letourneur had caught hold of one of his legs, and thus saved my life.
+Jynxstrop dropped his weapon in his fall; I seized it instantly, and
+was about to cleave the fellow’s skull, when I was myself arrested by
+Andre’s hand upon my arm.
+
+By this time the mutineers had been driven back to the forepart of the
+raft, and Curtis, who had managed to parry the blows which had been
+aimed at him, had caught hold of a hatchet, with which he was preparing
+to strike at Owen. But Owen made a sidelong movement to avoid the blow,
+and the weapon caught Wilson full in the chest. The unfortunate man
+rolled over the side of the raft and instantly disappeared.
+
+“Save him! save him!” shouted the boatswain.
+
+“It’s too late; he’s dead!” said Dowlas.
+
+“Ah, well! he’ll do for--” began the boatswain; but he did not finish
+his sentence.
+
+Wilson’s death, however, put an end to the fray. Flaypole and Burke were
+lying prostrate in a drunken stupour, and Jynxstrop was soon overpowered,
+and lashed tightly to the foot of the mast. The carpenter and the
+boatswain seized hold of Owen.
+
+“Now then,” said Curtis, as he raised his blood-stained hatchet, “make
+your peace with God, for you have not a moment to live.”
+
+“Oh, you want to eat me, do you?” sneered Owen, with the most hardened
+effrontery.
+
+But the audacious reply saved his life; Curtis turned as pale as death,
+the hatchet dropped from his hand, and he went and seated himself
+moodily on the farthest corner of the raft.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIX.
+
+JANUARY 5th and 6th.--The whole scene made a deep impression on our
+minds, and Owen’s speech coming as a sort of climax, brought before us
+our misery with a force that was well-nigh overwhelming.
+
+As soon as I recovered my composure, I did not forget to thank Andre
+Letourneur for the act of intervention that had saved my life.
+
+“Do you thank me for that; Mr. Kazallon?” he said; “it has only served
+to prolong your misery.”
+
+“Never mind, M. Letourneur,” said Miss Herbey; “you did your duty.”
+
+Enfeebled and emaciated as the young girl is, her sense of duty never
+deserts her, and although her torn and bedraggled garments float
+dejectedly about her body, she never utters a word of complaint, and
+never loses courage.
+
+“Mr. Kazallon,” she said to me, “do you think we are fated to die of
+hunger?”
+
+“Yes; Miss Herbey, I do,” I replied in a hard, cold tone.
+
+“How long do you suppose we have to live?” she asked again.
+
+“I cannot say; perhaps we shall linger on longer than we imagine.”
+
+“The strongest constitutions suffer the most, do they not?” she said.
+
+“Yes; but they have one consolation; they die the soonest;” I replied
+coldly.
+
+Had every spark of humanity died out of my breast that I thus brought
+the girl face to face with the terrible truth without a word of hope
+or comfort? The eyes of Andre and his father, dilated with hunger, were
+fixed upon me, and I saw reproach and astonishment written in their
+faces.
+
+Afterwards, when we were quite alone, Miss Herbey asked me if I would
+grant her a favour.
+
+“Certainly, Miss Herbey; anything you like to ask,” I replied; and this
+time my manner was kinder and more genial.
+
+“Mr. Kazallon,” she said, “I am weaker than you, and shall probably die
+first. Promise me that, if I do, you will throw my body into the sea.”
+
+“Oh, Miss Herbey,” I began, “it was very wrong of me to speak to you as
+I did!”
+
+“No, no,” she replied, half smiling; “you were quite right. But it is
+a weakness of mine; I don’t mind what they do with me as long as I am
+alive, but when I am dead--” she stopped and shuddered. “Oh, promise me
+that you will throw me into, the sea!”
+
+I gave her the melancholy promise, which she acknowledged by pressing my
+hand feebly with her emaciated fingers.
+
+Another night passed away. At times my sufferings were so intense that
+cries of agony involuntarily escaped my lips; then I became calmer, and
+sank into a kind of lethargy. When I awoke, I was surprised to find my
+companions still alive.
+
+The one of our party who seems to bear his privations the best is Hobart
+the steward, a man with whom hitherto I have had very little to do. He
+is small, with a fawning expression remarkable for its indecision, and
+has a smile which is incessantly playing round his lips; he goes about
+with his eyes half-closed, as though he wished to conceal his thoughts,
+and there is something altogether false and hypocritical about his whole
+demeanour. I cannot say that he bears his privations without a murmur,
+for he sighs and moans incessantly; but, with it all, I cannot but
+think that there is a want of genuineness in his manner, and that the
+privation has not really told upon him as much as it has upon the rest
+of us. I have my suspicions about the man, and intend to watch him
+carefully. To-day, the 6th, M. Letourneur drew me aside to the stern of
+the raft, saying that he had a secret to communicate, but that he wished
+neither to be seen nor heard speaking to me. I withdrew with him to
+the larboard corner of the raft; and, as it was growing dusk, nobody
+observed what we were doing.
+
+“Mr. Kazallon,” M. Letourneur began in a low voice, “Andre is dying of
+hunger: he is growing weaker and weaker, and oh! I cannot, will not see
+him die!”
+
+He spoke passionately, almost fiercely, and I fully understood his
+feelings. Taking his hand, I tried to reassure him.
+
+“We will not despair yet,” I said, “perhaps some passing ship--”
+
+“Ship!” he cried impatiently, “don’t try to console me with empty
+commonplaces; you know as well as I do that there is no chance of
+falling in with a passing ship.” Then, breaking off suddenly, he
+asked,--“How long is it since my son and all of you have had anything to
+eat?”
+
+Astonished at his question, I replied that it was now four days since
+the biscuit had failed.
+
+“Four days,” he repeated; “well, then, it is eight since I have tasted
+anything. I have been saving my share for my son.”
+
+Tears rushed to my eyes; for a few moments I was unable to speak, and
+could only once more grasp his hand in silence.
+
+“What do you want me to do?” I asked at length.
+
+“Hush! not so loud; some one will hear us,” he said, lowering his voice,
+“I want you to offer it to Andre as though it came from yourself. He
+would not accept it from me; he would think I had been depriving myself
+for him. Let me implore you to do me this service and for your trouble,”
+ and here he gently stroked my hand, “for your trouble you shall have a
+morsel for yourself.”
+
+I trembled like a child as I listened to the poor father’s words, and
+my heart was ready to burst when I felt a tiny piece of biscuit slipped
+into my hand.
+
+“Give it him,” M. Letourneur went on under his breath, “give it him; but
+do not let any one see you; the monsters would murder you if they knew
+it. This is only for to-day; I will give you some more to-morrow.”
+
+The poor fellow did not trust me, and well he might not, for I had the
+greatest difficulty to withstand the temptation to carry the biscuit to
+my mouth, But I resisted the impulse, and those alone who have suffered
+like me can know what the effort was.
+
+Night came on with the rapidity peculiar to these low latitudes, and I
+glided gently up to Andre and slipped the piece of biscuit into his hand
+as “a present from myself.” The young man clutched at it eagerly.
+
+“But my father?” he said inquiringly.
+
+I assured him that his father and I had each had our share, and that he
+must eat this now, and, perhaps, I should be able to bring him some more
+another time. Andre asked no more questions, and eagerly devoured the
+morsel of food.
+
+So this evening at least, notwithstanding M. Letourneur’s offer, I have
+tasted nothing.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XL.
+
+JANUARY 7th.--During the last few days since the wind has freshened, the
+salt water constantly dashing over the raft has terribly punished the
+feet and legs of some of the sailors. Owen, whom the boatswain ever
+since the revolt kept bound to the mast, is in a deplorable state, and
+at our request has been released from his restraint. Sandon and Burke
+are also suffering from the severe smarting caused in this way, and
+it is only owing to our more sheltered position on the aft-part of the
+raft, that we have not; all shared the same inconvenience.
+
+Today the boatswain, maddened by starvation, laid hands upon everything
+that met his voracious eyes, and I could hear the grating of his teeth
+as he gnawed at fragments of sails and bits of wood, instinctively
+endeavouring to fill his stomach by putting the mucus’ into circulation
+at length, by dint of an eager search, he came upon a piece of leather
+hanging to one of the spars that supported the platform. He snatched
+it off and devoured it greedily, and as it was animal matter, it really
+seemed as though the absorption of the substance afforded him some
+temporary relief. Instantly we all followed his example; a leather hat,
+the rims of caps, in short, anything that contained any animal matter
+at all, were gnawed and sucked with the utmost avidity. Never shall I
+forget the scene. We were no longer human, the impulses and instincts of
+brute beasts seemed to actuate our every movement.
+
+For a moment the pangs of hunger were somewhat allayed; but some of us
+revolted against the loathsome food, and were seized either with
+violent nausea or absolute sickness. I must be pardoned for giving these
+distressing details, but how otherwise can I depict the misery, moral
+and physical, which we are enduring? And with it all, I dare not venture
+to hope that we have reached the climax of our sufferings.
+
+The conduct of Hobart during the scene that I have just described has
+only served to confirm my previous suspicions of him. He took no part
+in the almost fiendish energy with which we gnawed at our scraps of
+leather, and although by his conduct and perpetual groanings, he might
+be considered to be dying of inanition, yet to me he has the appearance
+of being singularly exempt from the tortures which we are all enduring.
+But whether the hypocrite is being sustained, by some secret store of
+food, I have been unable to discover.
+
+Whenever the breeze drops the heat is overpowering; but although our
+allowance of water is very meagre, at present the pangs of hunger far
+exceed the pain of thirst. It has often been remarked that extreme
+thirst is far less endurable than extreme hunger. Is it possible that
+still greater agonies are in store for us? I cannot, dare not, believe
+it. Fortunately, the broken barrel still contains a few pints of water,
+and the other one has not yet been opened. But I am glad to say that
+notwithstanding our diminished numbers, and in spite of some opposition,
+the captain has thought right to reduce the daily allowance to half a
+pint for each person. As for the brandy, of which there is only a quart
+now left, it has been stowed away safely in the stern of the raft.
+
+This evening has ended the sufferings of another of our companions,
+making our number now only fourteen. My attentions and Miss Herbey’s
+nursing could do nothing for Lieutenant Walter, and about half-past
+seven he expired in my arms.
+
+Before he died, in a few broken words he thanked Miss Herbey and myself
+for the kindness we had shown him. A crumpled letter fell from his hand,
+and in a voice that was scarcely audible from weakness, he said,--
+
+“It is my mother’s letter: the last I had from her--she was expecting me
+home; but she will never see me more. Oh, put it to my lips--let me kiss
+it before I die. Mother! mother! Oh my God!”
+
+I placed the letter in his cold hand, and raised it to his lips; his eye
+lighted for a moment; we heard the faint sound of a kiss, and all was
+over!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLI.
+
+JANUARY 8th.--All night I remained by the side of the poor fellow’s
+corpse, and several times Miss Herbey joined me in my mournful watch.
+
+Before daylight dawned the body was quite cold, and as I knew there must
+be no delay in throwing it overboard, I asked Curtis to assist me in
+the sad office. The body was frightfully emaciated, and I had every hope
+that it would not float.
+
+As soon as it was quite light, taking every precaution that no one
+should see what we were about, Curtis and I proceeded to our melancholy
+task. We took a few articles from the lieutenant’s pockets, which we
+purposed, if either of us should survive, to remit to his mother. But as
+we wrapped him in his tattered garments that would have to suffice for
+his winding-sheet, I started back with a thrill of horror. The right
+foot had gone, leaving the leg a bleeding stump!
+
+No doubt that, overcome by fatigue, I must have fallen asleep for
+an interval during the night, and some one had taken advantage of my
+slumber to mutilate the corpse. But who could have been guilty of so
+foul a deed! Curtis looked around with anger flashing In his eye; but
+all seemed as usual, and the silence was only broken by a few groans of
+agony.
+
+But there was no time to be lost; perhaps we were already observed, and
+more horrible scenes might be likely to occur. Curtis said a few short
+prayers, and we cast the body into the sea. It sank immediately.
+
+“They are feeding the sharks well, and no mistake,” said a voice behind
+me.
+
+I turned round quickly, and found that it was Jynxstrop who had spoken.
+
+As the boatswain now approached, I asked him whether he thought it
+possible that any of the wretched men could have taken the dead man’s
+foot.
+
+“Oh yes, I dare say,” he replied, in a significant tone “and perhaps
+they thought they were right.”
+
+“Right! what do you mean?” I exclaimed.
+
+“Well, sir,” he said coldly, “isn’t it better to eat a dead man than a
+living one?”
+
+I was at a loss to comprehend him, and, turning away, laid myself down
+at the end of the raft.
+
+Towards eleven o’clock, a most suspicious incident occurred. The
+boatswain, who had cast his lines early in the morning, caught three
+large cod, each more than thirty inches long, of the species which, when
+dried, is known by the name of stock-fish. Scarcely had he hauled them
+on board, when the sailors made a dash at them, and it was with the
+utmost difficulty that Curtis, Falsten, and myself could restore order,
+so that we might divide the fish into equal portions. Three cod were not
+much amongst fourteen starving persons, but, small as the quantity was,
+it was allotted in strictly equal shares. Most of us devoured the food
+raw, almost I might say, alive; only Curtis, Andre and Miss Herbey
+having the patience to wait until their allowance had been boiled at a
+fire which they made with a few scraps of wood. For myself, I confess
+that I swallowed my portion of fish just as it was,--raw and bleeding.
+M. Letourneur followed my example; the poor man devoured his food like
+a famished wolf, and it is only a wonder to me how, after his lengthened
+fast, he came to be alive at all.
+
+The boatswain’s delight at his success was, excessive, and amounted
+almost to delirium. I went up to him, and encouraged him to repeat his
+attempt.
+
+“Oh, yes,” he said; “I’ll try again. I’ll try again.”
+
+“And why not try at once,” I asked.
+
+“Not now,” he said evasively; “the night is the best time for catching
+large fish. Besides, I must manage to get some bait, for we have been
+improvident enough not to save a single scrap.”
+
+“But you have succeeded once without bait; why may you not succeed
+again?”
+
+“Oh! I had some very good bait last night,” he said. I stared at him in
+amazement. He steadily returned my gaze, but said nothing.
+
+“Have you none left?” at last I asked.
+
+“Yes!” he almost whispered and left me without another word.
+
+Our meal, meagre as it had been, served to rally our shattered energies;
+our hopes were slightly raised; there was no reason why the boatswain
+should not have the same good luck again.
+
+One evidence of the degree to which our spirits were revived was that
+our minds were no longer fixed upon the miserable present and hopeless
+future, but we began to recall and discuss the past; and M. Letourneur,
+Andre Mr. Falsten, and I held a long conversation with the captain
+about the various incidents of our eventful voyage, speaking of our lost
+companions, of the fire, of the stranding of the ship, of our sojourn
+on Ham Rock, of the springing of the leak, of our terrible voyage in the
+top-masts, of the construction of the raft, and of the storm. All these
+things seemed to have happened so long ago, and yet we were living
+still. Living, did I say? Ay, if such an existence as ours could be
+called a life, fourteen of us were living still. Who would be the next
+to go? We should then be thirteen.
+
+“An unlucky number!” said Andre with a mournful smile.
+
+During the night the boatswain cast his lines from the stern of the
+raft, and, unwilling to trust them to any one else, remained watching
+them himself. In the morning I went to ascertain what success had
+attended his patience. It was scarcely light, and with eager eyes he was
+peering down into the water. He had neither seen nor heard me coming.
+
+“Well, boatswain!” I said, touching him on the shoulder.
+
+He turned round quickly.
+
+“Those villainous sharks have eaten every morsel of my bait,” he said,
+in a desponding voice.
+
+“And you have no more left?” I asked.
+
+“No more,” he said. Then grasping my arm he added, “and that only shows
+me that it is no good doing things by halves.”
+
+The truth flashed upon me at once, and I laid my hand upon his mouth.
+Poor Walter!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLII.
+
+JANUARY 9th and 10th.--On the 9th the wind dropped, and there was a dead
+calm; not a ripple disturbed the surface of the long undulations as
+they rose and fell beneath us; and if it were not for the slight current
+which is carrying us we know not whither, the raft would be absolutely
+stationary.
+
+The heat was intolerable; our thirst more intolerable still; and now it
+was that for the first time I fully realized how the insufficiency of
+drink could cause torture more unendurable than the pangs of hunger.
+Mouth, throat, pharynx, all alike were parched and dry, every gland
+becoming hard as horn under the action of the hot air we breathed. At
+my urgent solicitation the captain was for once induced to double our
+allowance of water; and this relaxation of the ordinary rule enabled us
+to attempt to slake our thirst four times in the day, instead of only
+twice. I use the word “attempt” advisedly; for the water at the bottom
+of the barrel, though kept covered by a sail, became so warm that it was
+perfectly flat and unrefreshing.
+
+It was a most trying day, and the sailors relapsed into a condition of
+deep despondency. The moon was nearly full, but when she rose the breeze
+did not return. Continuance of high temperature in daytime is a sure
+proof that we have been carried far to the south, and here, on this
+illimitable ocean, we have long ceased even to look for land; it might
+almost seem as though this globe of ours had veritably become a liquid
+sphere!
+
+To-day we are still becalmed, and the temperature is as high as ever.
+The air is heated like a furnace, and the sun scorches like fire. The
+torments of famine are all forgotten: our thoughts are concentrated with
+fevered expectation upon the longed-for moment when Curtis shall dole
+out the scanty measure of lukewarm water that makes up our ration. O for
+one good draught, even if it should exhaust the whole supply! At least,
+it seems as if we then could die in peace!
+
+About noon we were startled by sharp cries of agony, and looking round I
+saw Owen writhing in the most horrible convulsions. I went towards him,
+for, detestable as his conduct had been, common humanity prompted me to
+see whether I could afford him any relief. But before I reached him, a
+shout from Flaypole arrested my attention.
+
+The man was up in the mast, and with great excitement pointing to the
+east.
+
+“A ship! A ship!” he cried.
+
+In an instant all were on their feet. Even Owen stopped his cries
+and stood erect. It was quite true that in the direction indicated by
+Flaypole there was a white speck visible upon the horizon. But did it
+move? Would the sailors with their keen vision pronounce it to be a
+sail? A silence the most profound fell upon us all. I glanced at Curtis
+as he stood with folded arms intently gazing at the distant point. His
+brow was furrowed, and he contracted every feature, as with half-closed
+eyes, he concentrated his power of vision upon that one faint spot in
+the far-off horizon.
+
+But at length he dropped his arms and shook his head. I looked again,
+but the spot was no longer there. If it were a ship, that ship had
+disappeared; but probably it had been a mere reflection, or, more likely
+still, only the crest of some curling wave.
+
+A deep dejection followed this phantom ray of hope. All returned to
+their accustomed places. Curtis alone remained motionless, but his eye
+no longer scanned the distant view.
+
+Owen now began to shriek more wildly than ever. He presented truly a
+most melancholy sight; he writhed with the most hideous contortions,
+and had all the appearance of suffering from tetanus. His throat was
+contracted by repeated spasms, his tongue was parched, his body swollen,
+and his pulse, though feeble, was rapid and irregular. The poor wretch’s
+symptoms were precisely such as to lead us to suspect that he had
+taken some corrosive poison. Of course it was quite out of our power
+to administer any antidote; all that we could devise was to make him
+swallow something that might act as an emetic. I asked Curtis for a
+little of the lukewarm water. As the contents of the broken barrel were
+now exhausted, the captain, in order to comply with my request, was
+about to tap the other barrel, when Owen started suddenly to his knees,
+and with a wild, unearthly shriek, exclaimed,--
+
+“No! no! no! of that water I will not touch a drop.”
+
+I supposed he did not understand what we were going to do, and
+endeavoured to explain; but all in vain; he persisted in refusing to
+taste the water in the second barrel. I then tried to induce vomiting
+by tickling his uvula, and he brought off some bluish secretion from his
+stomach, the character of which confirmed our previous suspicions--that
+he had been poisoned by oxide of copper. We now felt convinced that
+any efforts on our part to save him would be of no avail. The vomiting,
+however, had for the time relieved him, and he was able to speak.
+
+Curtis and I both implored him to let us know what he had taken to bring
+about consequences so serious. His reply fell upon us as a startling
+blow.
+
+The ill fated wretch had stolen several pints of water from the barrel
+that had been untouched, and that water had poisoned him!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIII.
+
+JANUARY 11th to 14th.--Owen’s convulsions returned with increased
+violence, and in the course of the night he expired in terrible agony.
+His body was thrown overboard almost directly; it had decomposed so
+rapidly that the flesh had not even consistency enough for any fragments
+of it to be reserved for the boatswain to use to bait his lines. A
+plague the man had been to us in his life; in his death he was now of no
+service!
+
+And now, perhaps, still more than ever, did the horror of our situation
+stare us in the face. There was no doubt that the poisoned barrel had
+at some time or other contained copperas; but what strange fatality had
+converted it into a water-cask, or what fatality, stranger still, had
+caused it to be brought on board the raft, was a problem that none could
+solve. Little, however, did it matter now: the fact was evident; the
+barrel was poisoned, and of water we had not a drop.
+
+One and all, we fell into the gloomiest silence. We were too irritable
+to bear the sound of each other’s voices; and it did not require a
+word, a mere look or gesture was enough, to provoke us to anger that was
+little short of madness. How it was that we did not all become raving
+maniacs, I cannot tell.
+
+Throughout the 12th no drain of moisture crossed our lips, and not
+a cloud arose to warrant the expectation of a passing shower; in
+the shade, if shade it might be called, the thermometer would have
+registered at least 100deg., and, perhaps, considerably more.
+
+No change next day. The salt water began to chafe my legs, but although
+the smarting was at times severe, it was an inconvenience to which I
+gave little heed; others who had suffered from the same trouble had
+become no worse. Oh! if this water that surrounds us could be reduced to
+vapour or to ice! its particles of salt extracted, it would be available
+for drink. But no! we have no appliances, and we must suffer on.
+
+At the risk of being devoured by the sharks, the boatswain and two
+sailors took a morning bath, and as their plunge seemed to refresh them,
+I and three of my companions resolved to follow their example. We had
+never learnt to swim, and had to be fastened to the end of a rope and
+lowered into the water; while Curtis during the half-hour of our bath,
+kept a sharp look-out to give warning of any danger from approaching
+sharks. No recommendation, however, on our part, nor any representation
+of the benefit we felt we had derived, could induce Miss Herbey to allay
+her sufferings in the same way.
+
+At about eleven o’clock, the captain came up to me, and whispered in my
+ear,--
+
+“Don’t say a word, Mr. Kazallon; I do not want to raise false hopes, but
+I think I see a ship.”
+
+It was as well that the captain had warned me; otherwise, I should
+have raised an involuntary shout of joy; as it was, I had the greatest
+difficulty in restraining my expressions of delight.
+
+“Look behind to larboard,” he continued in an undertone.
+
+Affecting an indifference which I was far from feeling, I cast an
+anxious glance to that quarter of the horizon of which he spoke, and
+there, although mine is not a nautical eye, I could plainly distinguish
+the outline of a ship under sail.
+
+Almost at the same moment the boatswain who happened to be looking in
+the same direction, raised the cry, “Ship ahoy!”
+
+Whether it was that no one believed it, or whether all energies were
+exhausted, certain it is that the announcement produced none of
+the effects that might have been expected. Not a soul exhibited the
+slightest emotion, and it was only when the boatswain had several times
+sung out his tidings that all eyes turned to the horizon. There, most
+undeniably, was the ship, and the question rose at once to the minds of
+all, and to the lips of many, “Would she see us?”
+
+The sailors immediately began discussing the build of the vessel, and
+made all sorts of conjectures as to the direction she was taking. Curtis
+was far more deliberate in his judgment. After examining her attentively
+for some time, he said, “She is a brig running close upon the wind, on
+the starboard tack, If she keeps her course for a couple of hours, she
+will come right athwart our track.”
+
+A couple of hours! The words sounded to our ears like a couple of
+centuries. The ship might change her course at any moment; closely
+trimmed as she was, it was very probable that she was only tacking about
+to catch the wind, in which case, as soon as she felt a breeze, she
+would resume her larboard tack and make away again. On the other hand,
+if she were really sailing with the wind, she would come nearer to us,
+and there would be good ground for hope.
+
+Meantime, no exertion must be spared, and no means left untried, to make
+our position known. The brig was about twelve miles to the east of us,
+so that it was out of the question to think of any cries of ours being
+overheard; but Curtis gave directions that every possible signal should
+be made. We had no fire-arms by which we could attract attention, and
+nothing else occurred to us beyond hoisting a flag of distress. Miss
+Herbey’s red shawl, as being of a colour most distinguishable against
+the background of sea and sky, was run up to the mast-head, and was
+caught by the light breeze that just then was ruffling the surface of
+the water. As a drowning man clutches at a straw, so our hearts bounded
+with hope every time that our poor flag fluttered in the wind.
+
+For an hour our feelings alternated between hope and despair. The ship
+was evidently making her way in the direction of the raft, but every
+now and then she seemed to stop, and then our hearts would almost stand
+still with agony lest she was going to put about. She carried all
+her canvas, even to her royals and stay-sails, but her hull was only
+partially visible above the horizon.
+
+How slowly she advanced! The breeze was very, very feeble, and perhaps
+soon it would drop altogether! We felt that we would give years of our
+life to know the result of the coming hour!
+
+At half-past twelve the captain and the boatswain considered that the
+brig was about nine miles away; she had, therefore, gained only three
+miles in an hour and a half, and it was doubtful whether the light
+breeze that had been passing over our heads had reached her at all. I
+fancied, too, that her sails were no longer filled, but were hanging
+loose against her masts. Turning to the direction of the wind I tried to
+make out some chance of a rising breeze; but no, the waves were calm and
+torpid, and the little puff of air that had aroused our hopes had died
+away across the sea.
+
+I stood aft with M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss Herbey, and our glances
+perpetually wandered from the distant ship to our captain’s face. Curtis
+stood leaning against the mast, with the boatswain by his side; their
+eyes seemed never for a moment to cease to watch the brig, but their
+countenances clearly expressed the varying emotions that passed through
+their minds. Not a word was uttered, nor was the silence broken, until
+the carpenter exclaimed, in accents of despair,--
+
+“She’s putting about!”
+
+All started up: some to their knees, others to their feet, The boatswain
+dropped a frightful oath. The ship was still nine miles away, and at
+such a distance it was impossible for our signal to be seen; our
+tiny raft, a mere speck upon the waters, would be lost in the intense
+irradiation of the sunbeams. If only we could be seen, no doubt all
+would be well; no captain would have the barbarous inhumanity to leave
+us to our fate; but there had been no chance; only too well we knew that
+we had not been within the range of sight.
+
+“My friends,” said Curtis, “we must make a fire; it is our last and only
+chance.”
+
+Some planks were quickly loosened and thrown into a heap upon the fore
+part of the raft. They were damp and troublesome to light; but the very
+dampness made the smoke more dense, and ere long a tall column of dusky
+fumes was rising straight upwards in the air. If darkness should come
+on before the brig was completely out of view, the flames we hoped might
+still be visible. But the hours passed on; the fire died out; and yet no
+signs of help.
+
+The temper of resignation now deserted me entirely; faith, hope,
+confidence--all vanished from my mind, and like the boatswain, I swore
+long and loudly. A gentle hand was laid upon my arm, and turning round I
+saw Miss Herbey with her finger pointing to the sky. I could stand it
+no longer, but gliding underneath the tent I hid my face in my hands and
+wept aloud.
+
+Meanwhile the brig had altered her tack, and was moving slowly to the
+east. Three hours later and the keenest eye could not have discerned her
+top-sails above the horizon.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIV.
+
+JANUARY 15th.--After this further shattering of our excited hopes death
+alone now stares us in the face; slow and lingering as that death may
+be, sooner or later it must inevitably come.
+
+To-day some clouds that rose in the west have brought us a few puffs
+of wind; and in spite of our prostration, we appreciate the moderation,
+slight as it is, in the temperature. To my parched throat the air seemed
+a little less trying but it is now seven days since the boatswain took
+his haul of fish, and during that period we have eaten nothing even
+Andre Letourneur finished yesterday the last morsel of the biscuit which
+his sorrowful and self-denying father had entrusted to my charge.
+
+Jynxstrop the negro has broken loose from his confinement, but Curtis has
+taken no measures for putting him again under restraint. It is not to be
+apprehended that the miserable fellow and his accomplices, weakened as
+they are by their protracted fast, will attempt to do us any mischief
+now.
+
+Some huge sharks made their appearance to-day, cleaving the water
+rapidly with their great black fins. The monsters came close up to the
+edge of the raft, and Flaypole, who was leaning over, narrowly escaped
+having his arm snapped off by one of them. I could not help regarding
+them as living sepulchres, which ere long might swallow up our miserable
+carcasses; yet, withal, I profess that my feelings were rather those of
+fascination than of horror.
+
+The boatswain, who stood with clenched teeth and dilated eye, regarded
+these sharks from quite another point of view. He thought about
+devouring the sharks, not about the sharks devouring him; and if he
+could succeed in catching one, I doubt if one of us would reject the
+tough and untempting flesh. He determined to make the attempt, and as
+he had no whirl which he could fasten to his rope he set to work to
+find something that might serve as a substitute. Curtis and Dowlas
+were consulted, and after a short conversation, during which they kept
+throwing bits of rope and spars into the water in order to entice the
+sharks to remain by the raft, Dowlas went and fetched his carpenter’s
+tool, which is at once a hatchet and a hammer. Of this he proposed to
+make the whirl of which they were in need, under the hope that either
+the sharp edge of the adze or the pointed extremity opposite would stick
+firmly into the jaws of any shark that might swallow it. The wooden
+handle of the hammer was secured to the rope, which, in its turn, was
+tightly fastened to the raft.
+
+With eager, almost breathless, excitement we stood watching the
+preparations, at the same time using every means in our power to
+attract the attention of the sharks. As soon as the whirl was ready the
+boatswain began to think about bait; and, talking rapidly to himself,
+ransacked every corner of the raft, as though he expected to find some
+dead body coming opportunely to sight. But his search ended in nothing;
+and the only plan that suggested itself was again to have recourse to
+Miss Herbey’s red shawl, of which a fragment was wrapped round the
+head of the hammer. After testing the strength of his line, and
+reassuring-himself that it was fastened firmly both to the hammer and to
+the raft, the boatswain lowered it into the water.
+
+The sea was quite transparent, and any object was clearly visible to
+a depth of two hundred feet below the surface. Leaning over the low
+parapet of the raft we looked on in breathless silence, as the scarlet
+rag, distinct as it was against the blue mass of water, made its slow
+descent. But one by one the sharks seemed to disappear, They could not,
+however, have gone far away, and it was not likely that anything in the
+shape of bait dropped near them would long escape their keen voracity.
+
+Suddenly, without speaking, the boatswain raised his hand and pointed to
+a dark mass skimming along the surface of the water, and making straight
+in our direction. It was a shark, certainly not less than twelve feet
+long. As soon as the creature was about four fathoms from the raft, the
+boatswain gently drew in his line until the whirl was in such a position
+that the shark must cross right over it; at the same time he shook the
+line a little, that he might give the whirl the appearance, if he could,
+of being something alive and moving. As the creature came near, my heart
+beat violently; I could see its eyes flashing above the waves; and its
+gaping jaws, as it turned half over on its back, exhibited long rows of
+pointed teeth.
+
+I know not who it was, but some one at that moment uttered an
+involuntary cry of horror. The shark came to a standstill, turned about,
+and escaped quite out of sight. The boatswain was pale with anger.
+
+“The first man who speaks,” he said, “I will kill him on the spot.”
+
+Again he applied himself to his task. The whirl again was lowered, this
+time to the depth of twenty fathoms, but for half an hour or more not a
+shark could be distinguished; but as the waters far below seemed somehow
+to be troubled I could not help believing that some of the brutes at
+least were still there.
+
+All at once, with a violent jerk, the cord was wrested from the
+boatswain’s hands; firmly attached, however, as it was to the raft, it
+was not lost. The bait had been seized by a shark, and the iron had made
+good its hold upon the creature’s flesh.
+
+“Now, then, my lads,” cried the boatswain, “haul away!”
+
+Passengers and sailors, one and all, put forth what strength they had
+to drag the rope, but so violent were the creature’s struggles that
+it required all our efforts (and it is needless to say that they were
+willing enough) to bring it to the surface, At length, after exertions
+that almost exhausted us, the water became agitated by the violent
+flappings of the tail and fins; and looking down I saw the huge carcase
+of the shark writhing convulsively amidst waves that were stained with
+blood.
+
+“Steady! steady!” said the boatswain, as the head appeared above.
+
+The whirl had passed right through the jaw into the middle of the
+throat; so that no struggle on the part of the animal could possibly
+release it. Dowlas seized his hatchet, ready to despatch the brute the
+moment if should be landed on the raft. A short sharp snap was heard.
+The shark had closed its jaws, and bitten through the wooden handle of
+the hammer. Another moment and it had turned round and was completely
+gone.
+
+A howl of despair burst from all our lips. All the labour and the
+patience, all had been in vain. Dowlas made a few more unsuccessful
+attempts, but as the whirl was lost, and they had no means of replacing
+it, there was no further room for hope. They did, indeed, lower some
+cords twisted into running knots, but (as might have been expected)
+these only slipped over, without holding, the slimy bodies of the
+sharks. As a last resource the boatswain allowed his naked leg to
+hang over the side of the raft; the monsters, however, were proof even
+against this attraction.
+
+Reduced once again to a gloomy despondency, all turned to their places,
+to await the end that cannot now be long deferred.
+
+Just as I moved away I heard the boatswain say to Curtis,--
+
+“Captain, when shall we draw lots?”
+
+The captain made no reply.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLV.
+
+JANUARY 16th.--If the crew of any passing vessel had caught sight of us
+as we lay still and inanimate upon our sail-cloth, they would scarcely,
+at first sight, have hesitated to pronounce us dead.
+
+My sufferings were terrible; tongue, lips, and throat were so parched
+and swollen that if food had been at hand I question whether I could
+have swallowed it. So exasperated were the feelings of us all, however,
+that we glanced at each other with looks as savage as though we were
+about to slaughter and without delay eat up one another.
+
+The heat was aggravated by the atmosphere being somewhat stormy. Heavy
+vapours gathered on the horizon, and there was a look as if it were
+raining all around. Longing eyes and gasping mouths turned involuntarily
+towards the clouds, and M. Letourneur, on bended knee, was raising his
+hands, as it might be in supplication to the relentless skies.
+
+It was eleven o’clock in the morning. I listened for distant rumblings
+which might announce an approaching storm, but although the vapours had
+obstructed the sun’s rays, they no longer presented the appearance
+of being charged with electricity. Thus our prognostications ended in
+disappointment; the clouds, which in the early morning had been marked
+by the distinctness of their outline, had melted one into another and
+assumed an uniform dull grey tint; in fact, we were enveloped in an
+ordinary fog. But was it not still possible that this fog might turn to
+rain?
+
+Happily this hope was destined to be realized; for in a very short time,
+Dowlas, with a shout of delight, declared that rain was actually coming;
+and sure enough, not half a mile from the raft, the dark parallel
+streaks against the sky testified that there at least the rain was
+falling. I fancied I could see the drops rebounding from the surface of
+the water. The wind was fresh and bringing the cloud right on towards
+us, yet we could not suppress our trepidation lest it; should exhaust
+itself before it reached us.
+
+But no: very soon large heavy drops began to fall, and the storm-cloud,
+passing over our heads, was outpouring its contents upon us. The shower,
+however, was very transient; already a bright streak of light along
+the horizon marked the limit of the cloud and warned us that we must be
+quick to make the most of what it had to give us. Curtis had placed the
+broken barrel in the position that was most exposed, and every sail was
+spread out to the fullest extent our dimensions would allow.
+
+We all laid ourselves down flat upon our backs and kept our mouths wide
+open. The rain splashed into my face, wetted my lips, and trickled down
+my throat. Never can I describe the ecstasy with which I imbibed that
+renovating moisture. The parched and swollen glands relaxed, I breathed
+afresh, and my whole being seemed revived with a strange and requickened
+life.
+
+The rain lasted about twenty minutes, when the cloud, still only half
+exhausted, passed quite away from over us.
+
+We grasped each other’s hands as we rose from the platform on which
+we had been lying, and mutual congratulations, mingled with gratitude,
+poured forth from our long silent lips. Hope, however evanescent it
+might be, for the moment had returned, and we yielded to the expectation
+that, ere long, other and more abundant clouds might come and replenish
+our store.
+
+The next consideration was how to preserve and economize what little had
+been collected by the barrel, or imbibed by the outspread sails. It was
+found that only a few pints of rain-water had fallen into the barrel
+to this small quantity the sailors were about to add what they could
+by wringing out the saturated sails, when Curtis made them desist from
+their intention.
+
+“Stop, stop!” he said, “we must wait a moment; we must see whether this
+water from the sails is drinkable.”
+
+I looked at him in amazement. Why should not this be as drinkable as the
+other? He squeezed a few drops out of one of the folds of a sail into
+the tin pot, and put it to his lips. To my surprise, he rejected it
+immediately, and upon tasting it for myself I found it not merely
+brackish, but briny as the sea itself. The fact was that the canvas
+had been so long exposed to the action of the waves, that it had become
+thoroughly impregnated by salt, which of course was taken up again by
+the water that fell upon it. Disappointed we were; but with several
+pints of water in our possession, we were not only contented for the
+present, but sanguine in our prospect for the future.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVI.
+
+JANUARY 17th.--As a natural consequence of the alleviation of our
+thirst, the pangs of hunger returned more violently than ever. Although
+we had no bait, and even if we had we could not use it for want of
+a whirl, we could not help asking whether no possible means could
+be devised for securing one out of the many sharks that were still
+perpetually swarming about the raft. Armed with knives, like the Indians
+in the pearl fisheries, was it not practicable to attack the monsters in
+their own element? Curtis expressed his willingness personally to make
+the attempt, but so numerous were the sharks that we would not for one
+moment hear of his risking his life in a venture of which the danger was
+as great as the success was doubtful.
+
+By plunging into the sea, or by gnawing at a piece of metal, we could
+always, or at least often, do something that cheated us into believing
+that we were mitigating the pains of thirst; but with hunger it was
+different. The prospect, too, of rain seemed hopeful, whilst for getting
+food there appeared no chance; and, as we knew that nothing could
+compensate for the lack of nutritive matter, we were soon all cast down
+again. Shocking to confess, it would be untrue to deny that we surveyed
+each other with the eye of an eager longing; and I need hardly explain
+to what a degree of savageness the one idea that haunted us had reduced
+our feelings.
+
+Ever since the storm-cloud brought us the too transient shower the
+sky has been tolerably clear, and although at that time the wind had
+slightly freshened, it has since dropped, and the sail hangs idly
+against our mast. Except for the trifling relief it brings by modifying
+the temperature we care little now for any breeze. Ignorant as we are as
+to what quarter of the Atlantic we have been carried by the currents, it
+matters very little to us from what direction the wind may blow if
+only it would bring, in rain or dew, the moisture of which we are so
+dreadfully in need.
+
+The moon was entering her last quarter, so that it was dark till nearly
+midnight, and the stars were misty, not glowing with that lustre which
+is so often characteristic of cool nights. Half frantic with that sense
+of hunger which invariably returns with redoubled vigour at the close of
+every day, I threw myself, in a kind of frenzy, upon a bundle of sails
+that was lying on the starboard of the raft, and leaning over, I tried
+to get some measure of relief by inhaling the moist coolness that rarely
+fails to circulate just above the water. My brain was haunted by the
+most horrible nightmares; not that I suppose I was in any way more
+distressed than my companions, who were lying in their usual places,
+vainly endeavouring to forget their sufferings in sleep.
+
+After a time I fell into a restless, dreamy doze. I was neither asleep
+nor awake. How long I remained in that state of stupor I could hardly
+say, but at length a strange sensation half brought me to myself. Was
+I dreaming, or was there not really some unaccustomed odour floating in
+the air? My nostrils became distended, and I could scarcely suppress a
+cry of astonishment; but some instinct kept me quiet, and I laid myself
+down again with the puzzled sensation sometimes experienced when we
+have forgotten a word or name. Only a few minutes, however, had elapsed
+before another still more savoury puff induced me to take several
+long inhalations. Suddenly, the truth seemed to dash across my mind.
+“Surely,” I muttered to myself “this must be cooked meat that I can
+smell.”
+
+Again and again I sniffed and became more convinced than ever that my
+senses were not deceiving me. But from what part of the raft could the
+smell proceed? I rose to my knees, and having satisfied myself that the
+odour came from the front, I crept stealthily as a cat under the sails
+and between the spars in that direction. Following the promptings of
+my scent, rather than my vision, like a bloodhound in the track of his
+prey, I searched everywhere I could, now finding, now losing, the smell
+according to my change of position, or the dropping of the wind. At
+length I got the true scent; once for all, so that I could go straight
+to the object for which I was in search.
+
+Approaching the starboard angle of the raft, I came to the conclusion
+that the smell that had thus keenly excited my cravings was the smell
+of smoked bacon; the membranes of my tongue almost bristled with the
+intenseness of my longing.
+
+Crawling along a little farther, under a thick roll of sail-cloth, I was
+not long in securing my prize. Forcing my arm below the roll, I felt my
+hand in contact with something wrapped up in paper. I clutched it up,
+and carried it off to a place where I could examine it by the help
+of the light of the moon that had now made its appearance above the
+horizon. I almost shrieked for joy. It was a piece of bacon. True,
+it did not weigh many ounces, but small as it was it would suffice to
+alleviate the pangs of hunger for one day at least. I was just on the
+point of raising it to my mouth, when a hand was laid upon my arm. It
+was only by a most determined effort that I kept myself from screaming
+out one instant more, and I found myself face to face with Hobart.
+
+In a moment I understood all. Plainly this rascal Hobart had saved some
+provision from the wreck, upon which he had been subsisting ever since.
+The steward had provided for himself, whilst all around him were dying
+of starvation. Detestable wretch! This accounts for the inconsistency of
+his well-to-do looks and his pitiable groans. Vile hypocrite!
+
+Yet why, it struck me, should I complain? Was not I reaping the benefit
+of that secret store that he, for himself, had saved?
+
+But Hobart had no idea of allowing me the peaceable possession of what
+he held to be his own. He made a dash at the fragment of bacon, and
+seemed determined to wrest it from my grasp. We struggled with each
+other, but although our wrestling was very violent, it was very
+noiseless. We were both of us aware that it was absolutely necessary
+that not one of those on board should know anything at all about
+the prize for which we were contending. Nor was my own determination
+lessened by hearing him groan out that it was his last, his only morsel.
+“His!” I thought; “it shall be mine now!”
+
+And still careful that no noise of commotion should arise, I threw him
+on his back, and grasping his throat so that it gurgled again, I held
+him down until, in rapid mouthfuls, I had swallowed up the last scrap of
+the food for which we had fought so hard.
+
+I released my prisoner, and quietly crept back to my own quarters.
+
+And not a soul is aware that I have broken my fast!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVII.
+
+JANUARY 18th.--After this excitement I awaited the approach of day with
+a strange anxiety. My conscience told me that Hobart had the right to
+denounce me in the presence of all my fellow-passengers; yet my alarm
+was vain. The idea of my proceedings being exposed by him was quite
+absurd; in a moment he would himself be murdered without pity by the
+crew, if it should be revealed that, unknown to them, he had been living
+on some private store which, by clandestine cunning, he had reserved.
+But, in spite of my anxiety, I had a longing for day to come.
+
+The bit of food that I had thus stolen was very small; but small as it
+was it had alleviated my hunger, and I was now tortured with remorse,
+because I had not shared the meagre morsel with my fellow-sufferers.
+Miss Herbey, Andre, his father, all had been forgotten, and from the
+bottom of my heart I repented of my cruel selfishness.
+
+Meantime the moon rose high in the heavens, and the first streaks of
+dawn appeared. There is no twilight in these low latitudes, and the
+full daylight came well nigh at once. I had not closed my eyes since my
+encounter with the steward, and ever since the first blush of day I had
+laboured under the impression that I could see some unusual dark mass
+half way up the mast. But although it again and again caught my eye, it
+hardly roused my curiosity, and I did not rise from the bundle of sails
+on which I was lying to ascertain what it really was. But no sooner did
+the rays of the sun fall full upon it than I saw at once that it was
+the body of a man, attached to a rope, and swinging to and fro with the
+motion of the raft.
+
+A horrible presentiment carried me to the foot of the mast, and, just
+as I had guessed, Hobart had hanged himself. I could not for a moment;
+doubt that it was I myself that had impelled him to the suicide. A cry
+of horror had scarcely escaped my lips, when my fellow-passengers were
+at my side, and the rope was cut. Then came the sailors. And what was it
+that made the group gather so eagerly around the body? Was it a humane
+desire to see whether any spark of life remained? No, indeed; the corpse
+was cold, and the limbs were rigid; there was no chance that animation
+should be restored. What then was it that kept them lingering so close
+around? It was only too apparent what they were about to do.
+
+But I did not, could not, look. I refused to take part in the horrible
+repast that was proposed. Neither would Miss Herbey, Andre nor his
+father, consent to alleviate their pangs of hunger by such revolting
+means. I know nothing for certain as to what Curtis did, and I did not
+venture to inquire; but of the others,--Falsten, Dowlas, the boatswain,
+and all the rest,--I know that, to assuage their cravings, they
+consented to reduce themselves to the level of beasts of prey; they were
+transformed from human beings into ravenous brutes.
+
+The four of us who sickened at the idea of partaking of the horrid
+meal withdrew to the seclusion of our tent; it was bad enough to hear;
+without witnessing the appalling operation. But, in truth, I had the
+greatest difficulty in the world in preventing Andre from rushing out
+upon the cannibals, and snatching the odious food from their clutches.
+I represented to him the hopelessness of his attempt, and tried to
+reconcile him by telling him that if they liked the food they had a
+right to it. Hobart had not been murdered; he had died by his own hand;
+and, after all, as the boatswain had once remarked to me, “it was better
+to eat a dead man than a live one.”
+
+Do what I would, however, I could not quiet Andre’s feeling of
+abhorrence; in his disgust and loathing he seemed for the time to have
+quite forgotten his own sufferings.
+
+Meanwhile, there was no concealing the truth that we were ourselves
+dying of starvation, whilst our eight companions would probably, by
+their loathsome diet, escape that frightful destiny. Owing to his secret
+hoard of provisions Hobart had been by far the strongest amongst us; he
+had been supported, so that no organic disease had affected his tissues,
+and really might be said to be in good health when his chagrin drove him
+to his desperate suicide. But what was I thinking of! whither were
+my meditations carrying me away? was it not coming to pass that the
+cannibals were rousing my envy instead of exciting my horror?
+
+Very shortly after this I heard Dowlas talking about the possibility
+of obtaining salt by evaporating sea-water in the sun; “and then,” he
+added, “we can salt down the rest.”
+
+The boatswain assented to what the carpenter had said, and probably the
+suggestion was adopted.
+
+Silence, the most profound, now reigns upon the raft. I presume that
+nearly all have gone to sleep. One thing I do know, that they are no
+longer hungry!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVIII.
+
+JANUARY 19th.--All through the day the sky remained unclouded and
+the heat intense; and night came on without bringing much sensible
+moderation in the temperature. I was unable to get any sleep, and,
+towards morning, was disturbed by hearing an angry clamour going on
+outside the tent; it aroused M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss Herbey,
+as much as myself, and we were anxious to ascertain the cause of the
+tumult.
+
+The boatswain, Dowlas, and all the sailors were storming at each other
+in frightful rage; and Curtis, who had come forward from the stern, was
+vainly endeavouring to pacify them.
+
+“But who has done it? we must know who has done it,” said Dowlas,
+scowling with vindictive passion on the group around him.
+
+“There’s a thief,” howled out the boatswain, “and he shall be found!
+Let’s know who has taken it.”
+
+“I haven’t taken it!” “Nor I!” “Nor I!” cried the sailors one after
+another.
+
+And then they set to work again to ransack every quarter of the raft;
+they rolled every spar aside, they overturned everything on board,
+and only grew more and more incensed with anger as their search proved
+fruitless.
+
+“Can YOU tell us,” said the boatswain, coming up to me, “who is the
+thief?”
+
+“Thief!” I replied. “I don’t know what you mean.”
+
+And while we were speaking the others all came up together, and told me
+that they had looked everywhere else, and that they were going now to
+search the tent.
+
+“Shame!” I said. “You ought to allow those whom you know to be dying of
+hunger at least to die in peace. There is not one of us who has left the
+tent all night. Why suspect us?”
+
+“Now just look here, Mr. Kazallon,” said the boatswain, in a voice which
+he was endeavouring to calm down into moderation, “we are not accusing
+you of anything; we know well enough you, and all the rest of you, had
+a right to your shares as much as anybody; but that isn’t it. It’s all
+gone somewhere, every bit.”
+
+“Yes,” said Sandon gruffly; “it’s all gone somewheres, and we are a
+going to search the tent.”
+
+Resistance was useless, and Miss Herbey, M. Letourneur, and Andre were
+all turned out.
+
+I confess I was very fearful. I had a strong suspicion that for the sake
+of his son, for whom he was ready to venture anything, M. Letourneur
+had committed the theft; in that case I knew that nothing would have
+prevented the infuriated men from tearing the devoted father to pieces.
+I beckoned to Curtis for protection, and he came and stood beside me. He
+said nothing, but waited with his hands in his pockets, and I think I am
+not mistaken in my belief that there was some sort of a weapon in each.
+
+To my great relief the search was ineffectual. There was no doubt that
+the carcase of the suicide had been thrown overboard, and the rage of
+the disappointed cannibals knew no bounds.
+
+Yet who had ventured to do the deed! I looked at M. Letourneur and Miss
+Herbey; but their countenances at once betrayed their ignorance. Andre
+turned his face away, and his eyes did not meet my own. Probably it is
+he; but, if it be, I wonder whether he has reckoned up the consequences
+of so rash an act.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIX.
+
+JANUARY 20th to 22nd.--For the day or two after the horrible repast of
+the 18th those who had partaken of it appeared to suffer comparatively
+little either from hunger or thirst; but for the four of us who had
+tasted nothing, the agony of suffering grew more and more intense. It
+was enough to make us repine over the loss of the provision that had so
+mysteriously gone; and if any one of us should die, I doubt whether the
+survivors would a second time resist the temptation to assuage their
+pangs by tasting human flesh.
+
+Before long, all the cravings of hunger began to return to the sailors,
+and I could see their eyes greedily glancing upon us, starved as they
+knew us to be, as though they were reckoning our hours, and already were
+preparing to consume us as their prey.
+
+As is always the case with shipwrecked men, we were tormented by thirst
+far more than by hunger; and if, in the height of our sufferings, we had
+been offered our choice between a few drops of water and a few crumbs
+of biscuit, I do not doubt that we should, without exception, have
+preferred to take the water.
+
+And what a mockery to our condition did it seem that all this while
+there was water, water, nothing but water, everywhere around us! Again
+and again, incapable of comprehending how powerless it was to relieve
+me, I put a few drops within my lips, but only with the invariable
+result of bringing on a most trying nausea, and rendering my thirst more
+unendurable than before.
+
+Forty-two days had passed since we quitted the sinking “Chancellor.”
+ There could be no hope now; all of us must die, and by the most
+deplorable of deaths. I was quite conscious that a mist was gathering
+over my brain; I felt my senses sinking into a condition of torpor; I
+made an effort, but all in vain, to master the delirium that I was aware
+was taking possession of my reason. It is out of my power to decide for
+how long I lost my consciousness; but when I came to myself I found
+that Miss Herbey had folded some wet bandages around my forehead. I am
+somewhat better; but I am weakened, mind and body, and I am conscious
+that I have not long to live.
+
+A frightful fatality occurred to-day. The scene was terrible. Jynxstrop
+the negro went raving mad. Curtis and several of the men tried their
+utmost to control him, but in spite of everything he broke loose,
+and tore up and down the raft, uttering fearful yells. He had gained
+possession of a handspike, and rushed upon us all with the ferocity
+of an infuriated tiger; how we contrived to escape mischief from his
+attacks, I know not. All at once, by one of those unaccountable impulses
+of madness, his rage turned against himself. With his teeth and nails he
+gnawed and tore away at his own flesh; dashing the blood into our faces,
+he shrieked out with a demoniacal grin, “Drink, drink!” and flinging us
+gory morsels, kept saying “Eat, eat!” In the midst of his insane shrieks
+he made a sudden pause, then dashing back again from the stern to the
+front, he made a bound and disappeared beneath the waves.
+
+Falsten, Dowlas, and the boatswain, made a rush that at least they might
+secure the body; but it was too late; all that they could see was a
+crimson circle in the water, and some huge sharks disporting themselves
+around the spot.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER L.
+
+JANUARY 23rd.--Only eleven of us now remain; and the probability is very
+great that every day must now carry off at least its one victim, and
+perhaps more. The end of the tragedy is rapidly approaching, and save
+for the chance, which is next to an impossibility, of our sighting land,
+or being picked up by a passing vessel, ere another week has elapsed not
+a single survivor of the “Chancellor” will remain.
+
+The wind freshened considerably in the night, and it is now blowing
+pretty briskly from the north-east. It has filled our sail, and
+the white foam in our wake is an indication that we are making some
+progress. The captain reckons that we must be advancing at the rate of
+about three miles an hour.
+
+Curtis and Falsten are certainly in the best condition amongst us, and
+in spite of their extreme emaciation they bear up wonderfully under
+the protracted hardships we have all endured. Words cannot describe the
+melancholy state to which poor Miss Herbey bodily is reduced; her whole
+being seems absorbed into her soul, but that soul is brave and resolute
+as ever, living in heaven rather than on earth. The boatswain, strong,
+energetic man that he was, has shrunk into a mere shadow of his former
+self, and I doubt whether any one would recognize him to be the same
+man. He keeps perpetually to one corner of the raft, his head dropped
+upon his chest, and his long, bony hands lying upon knees that project
+sharply from his worn-out trowsers. Unlike Miss Herbey, his spirit seems
+to have sunk into apathy, and it is at times difficult to believe that
+he is living at all, so motionless and statue-like does he sit.
+
+Silence continues to reign upon the raft. Not a sound, not even a groan,
+escapes our lips. We do not exchange ten words in the course of the
+day, and the few syllables that our parched tongue and swollen lips can
+pronounce are almost unintelligible. Wasted and bloodless, we are no
+longer human beings; we are spectres.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LI.
+
+JANUARY 24th.--I have inquired more than once of Curtis if he has the
+faintest idea to what quarter of the Atlantic we have drifted, and each
+time he has been unable to give me a decided answer, though from
+his general observation of the direction of the wind and currents he
+imagines that we have been carried westwards, that is to say, towards
+the land.
+
+To-day the breeze has dropped entirely, but the heavy swell is still
+upon the sea, and is an unquestionable sign that a tempest has been
+raging at no great distance. The raft labours hard against the waves,
+and Curtis, Falsten, and the boatswain, employ the little energy that
+remains to them in strengthening the joints. Why do they give themselves
+such trouble? Why not let the few frail planks part asunder, and allow
+the ocean to terminate our miserable existence? Certain it seems that
+our sufferings must have reached their utmost limit, and nothing could
+exceed the torture that we are enduring. The sky pours down upon us a
+heat like that of molten lead, and the sweat that saturates the tattered
+clothes that hang about our bodies goes far to aggravate the agonies
+of our thirst. No words of mine can describe this dire distress; these
+sufferings are beyond human estimate.
+
+Even bathing, the only means of refreshment that we possessed, has now
+become impossible, for ever since Jynxstrop’s death the sharks have hung
+about the raft in shoals.
+
+To-day I tried to gain a few drops of fresh water by evaporation, but
+even with the exercise of the greatest patience, it was with the utmost
+difficulty that I obtained enough to moisten a little scrap of linen;
+and the only kettle that we had was so old and battered, that it would
+not bear the fire, so that I was obliged to give up the attempt in
+despair.
+
+Falsten is now almost exhausted, and if he survives us at all, it can
+only be for a few days. Whenever I raised my head I always failed to see
+him, but he was probably lying sheltered somewhere beneath the sails.
+Curtis was the only man who remained on his feet, but with indomitable
+pluck he continued to stand on the front of the raft, waiting, watching,
+hoping. To look at him, with his unflagging energy, almost tempted me to
+imagine that he did well to hope, but I dared nor entertain one sanguine
+thought; and there I lay, waiting, nay, longing for death.
+
+How many hours passed away thus I cannot tell, but after a time a loud
+peal of laughter burst upon my ear Some one else, then, was going mad,
+I thought; but the idea did not rouse me in the least. The laughter was
+repeated with greater vehemence, but I never raised my head. Presently I
+caught a few incoherent words.
+
+“Fields, fields, gardens and trees! Look, there’s an inn under the
+trees! Quick, quick! brandy, gin, water! a guinea a drop! I’ll pay for
+it! I’ve lots of money! lots! lots!”
+
+Poor deluded wretch! I thought again; the wealth of a nation could not
+buy a drop of water here. There was silence for a minute, when all of a
+sudden I heard the shout of “Land! land!”
+
+The words acted upon me like an electric shock, and, with a frantic
+effort, I started to my feet. No land, indeed, was visible, but
+Flaypole, laughing, singing, and gesticulating, was raging up and down
+the raft. Sight, taste and hearing--all were gone; but the cerebral
+derangement supplied their place, and in imagination the maniac was
+conversing with absent friends, inviting them into the George Inn at
+Cardiff, offering them gin, whisky, and, above all water! Stumbling at
+every step, and singing in a cracked, discordant voice, he staggered
+about amongst us like an intoxicated man. With the loss of his senses
+all his sufferings had vanished, and his thirst was appeased. It was
+hard not to wish to be a partaker of his hallucination.
+
+Dowlas, Falsten, and the boatswain, seemed to think that the unfortunate
+wretch would, like Jynxstrop, put an end to himself by leaping into the
+sea; but, determined this time to preserve the body, that it might serve
+a better purpose than merely feeding the sharks, they rose and followed
+the madman everywhere he went, keeping a strict eye upon his every
+movement.
+
+But the matter did not end as they expected. As though he were really
+intoxicated by the stimulants of which he had been raving, Flaypole at
+last sank down in a heap in a corner of the raft, where he lay lost in a
+heavy slumber.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LII.
+
+JANUARY 25th.--Last night was very misty, and for some unaccountable
+reason, one of the hottest that can be imagined. The atmosphere was
+really so stifling, that it seemed as if it only required a spark to set
+it alight. The raft was not only quite stationary, but did not even rise
+and fall with any motion of the waves.
+
+During the night I tried to count how many there were now on board,
+but I was utterly unable to collect my ideas sufficiently to make the
+enumeration. Sometimes I counted ten, sometimes twelve, and although
+I knew that eleven, since Jynxstrop was dead, was the correct number, I
+could never bring my reckoning right. Of one thing I felt quite sure,
+and that was that the number would very soon be ten. I was convinced
+that I could myself last but very little longer. All the events and
+associations of my life passed rapidly through my brain, My country, my
+friends, and my family all appeared as it were in a vision, and seemed
+as though they had come to bid me a last farewell.
+
+Towards morning I woke from my sleep, if the languid stupour into
+which I had fallen was worthy of that name. One fixed idea had taken
+possession of my brain; I would put an end to myself, and I felt a
+sort of pleasure as I gloated over the power that I had to terminate my
+sufferings. I told Curtis, with the utmost composure, of my intention,
+and he received the intelligence as calmly as it was delivered.
+
+“Of course you will do as you please,” he said; “for, my own part, I
+shall not abandon my post. It is my duty to remain here, and unless
+death comes to carry me away, I shall stay where I am to the very last.”
+
+The dull grey fog still hung heavily over the ocean, but the sun was
+evidently shining above the mist, and would, in course of time, dispel
+the vapour. Towards seven o’clock I fancied I heard the cries of birds
+above my head. The sound was repeated three times, and as I went up to
+the captain to ask him about it, I heard him mutter to himself,--
+
+“Birds! why, that looks as if land were not far off.”
+
+But although Curtis might still cling to the hope of reaching land,
+I knew not what it was to have one sanguine thought. For me there was
+neither continent nor island; the world was one fluid sphere,
+uniform, monotonous, as in the most primitive period of its formation.
+Nevertheless it must be owned that it was with a certain amount of
+impatience that I awaited the rising of the mist, for I was anxious to
+shake off the phantom fallacies that Curtis’s words had suggested to my
+mind.
+
+Not till eleven o’clock did the fog begin to break, and as it rolled in
+heavy folds along the surface of the water, I could every now and then
+catch glimpses of a clear blue sky beyond. Fierce sunbeams pierced the
+cloud-rifts, scorching and burning our bodies like red-hot iron; but
+it was only above our heads that there was any sunlight to condense the
+vapour; the horizon was still quite invisible. There was no wind, and
+for half an hour longer the fog hung heavily round the raft; whilst
+Curtis, leaning against the side, strove to penetrate the obscurity. At
+length the sun burst forth in full power, and, sweeping the surface of
+the ocean, dispelled the fog, and left the horizon opened to our eyes.
+
+There, exactly as we had seen it for the last six weeks, was the circle
+that bounded sea and sky, unbroken, definite, distinct as ever! Curtis
+gazed with intensest scrutiny, but did not speak a word. I pitied him
+sincerely, for he alone of us all felt that he had not the right to put
+an end to his misery. For myself I had fully determined that if I
+lived till the following day, I would die by my own hand. Whether my
+companions were still alive, I hardly cared to know; it seemed as though
+days had passed since I had seen them.
+
+Night drew on, but I could not sleep for a moment. Towards two o’clock
+in the morning my thirst was so intense that I was unable to suppress
+loud cries of agony. Was there nothing that would serve to quench the
+fire that was burning within me? What if instead of drinking the blood
+of others I were to drink my own? It would be all unavailing, I was well
+aware, but scarcely had the thought crossed my mind, than I proceeded to
+put it into execution. I unclasped my knife, and, stripping my arm, with
+a steady thrust I opened a small vein. The blood oozed out slowly, drop
+by drop, and as I eagerly swallowed the source of my very life, I felt
+that for a moment my torments were relieved, But only for a moment; all
+energy had failed my pulses, and almost immediately the blood had ceased
+to flow.
+
+How long it seemed before the morning dawned! and when that morning came
+it brought another fog, heavy as before that again shut out the horizon.
+The fog was hot as the burning steam that issues from a boiler. It was
+to be my last day upon earth, and I felt that I would like to press the
+hand of a friend before I died. Curtis was standing near, and crawling
+up to him, I took his hand in my own. He seemed to know that I was
+taking my farewell, and with one last lingering hope he endeavoured to
+restrain me. But all in vain, my mind was finally made up.
+
+I should have like to speak once again to M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss
+Herbey, but my courage failed me. I knew that the young girl would read
+my resolution in my eyes, and that she would speak to me of duty and of
+God, and of eternity, and I dared not meet her gaze; and I would not
+run the risk of being persuaded to wait until a lingering death should
+overtake me. I returned to the back of the raft, and after making
+several efforts, I managed to get on to my feet. I cast one long look at
+the pitiless ocean and the unbroken horizon; if a sail or the outline of
+a coast bad broken on my view, I believe that I should only have deemed
+myself the victim of an illusion; but nothing of the kind appeared, and
+the sea was dreary as a desert.
+
+It was ten o’clock in the morning. The pangs of hunger and the torments
+of thirst were racking me with redoubled vigour. All instinct of
+self-preservation had left me, and I felt that the hour had come when
+I must cease to suffer. Just as I was on the point of casting myself
+headlong into the sea, a voice, which I recognized as Dowlas’s; broke
+upon my ear.
+
+“Captain,” he said, “we are going to draw lots.”
+
+Involuntarily I paused; I did not take my plunge, but returned to my
+place upon the raft.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LIII.
+
+JANUARY 26th.--All heard and understood the proposition; in fact, it had
+been in contemplation for several days, but no one had ventured to put
+the idea into words. However, it was done now; lots were to be drawn,
+and to each would be assigned his share of the body of the one ordained
+by fate to be the victim. For my own part, I profess that I was quite
+resigned for the lot to fall upon myself. I thought I heard Andre
+Letourneur beg for an exception to be made in favour of Miss Herbey, but
+the sailors raised a murmur of dissent. As there were eleven of us on
+board, there were ten chances to one in each one’s favour, a proportion
+which would be diminished if Miss Herbey were excluded, so that the
+young lady was forced to take her chance among the rest.
+
+It was then half-past ten, and the boatswain, who had been roused from
+his lethargy by what the carpenter had said, insisted that the drawing
+should take place immediately. There was no reason for postponing the
+fatal lottery. There was not one of us that clung in the least to life,
+and we knew that at the worst, whoever should be doomed to die, would
+only precede the rest by a few days, or even hours. All that we desired
+was just once to slake our raging thirst and moderate our gnawing
+hunger.
+
+How all the names found their way to the bottom of a hat I cannot
+tell. Very likely Falsten wrote them upon a leaf torn from his
+memorandum-book. But be that as it may, the eleven names were there, and
+it was unanimously agreed that the last name drawn should be the victim.
+
+But who would draw the names? There was hesitation for a moment; then,
+“I will,” said a voice behind me. Turning round, I beheld M. Letourneur
+standing with outstretched hand, and with his long white hair falling
+over his thin livid face that was almost sublime in its calmness. I
+divined at once the reason of this voluntary offer; I knew that it was
+the father’s devotion in self-sacrifice that led him to undertake the
+office.
+
+“As soon as you please,” said the boatswain, and handed him the hat.
+
+M. Letourneur proceeded to draw out the folded strips of paper one by
+one, and after reading out aloud the name upon it, handed it to its
+owner.
+
+The first name called was that of Burke, who uttered a cry of delight;
+then followed Flaypole and the boatswain. What his name really was I
+never could exactly learn. Then came Falsten, Curtis, Sandon. More
+than half had now been called, and my name had not yet been drawn. I
+calculated my remaining chance; it was still four to one in my favour.
+
+M. Letourneur continued his painful task. Since Burke’s first
+exclamation of joy not a sound had escaped our lips, but all were
+listening in breathless silence. The seventh name was Miss Herbey’s, but
+the young girl heard it without a start. Then came mine, yes, mine! and
+the ninth was that of Letourneur.
+
+“Which one?” asked the boatswain.
+
+“Andre,” said M. Letourneur.
+
+With one cry Andre fell back senseless. Only two names now remained in
+the hat; those of Dowlas and of M. Letourneur himself.
+
+“Go on,” almost roared the carpenter, surveying his partner in peril as
+though he could devour him. M. Letourneur almost had a smile upon
+his lips, as he drew forth the last paper but one, and with a firm,
+unfaltering voice, marvelous for his age, unfolded it slowly, and read
+the name of Dowlas. The carpenter gave a yell of relief as he heard the
+word.
+
+M. Letourneur took the last bit of paper from the hat, and without
+looking at it, tore it to pieces. But, unperceived by all but myself,
+one little fragment flew into a corner of the raft. I crawled towards it
+and picked it up. On one side of it was written Andr--; the rest of
+the word was torn away. M. Letourneur saw what I had done, and rushing
+towards me, snatched the paper from my hands, and flung it into the sea.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LIV.
+
+JANUARY 26th.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing
+more to give, had given his life for his son.
+
+M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished
+creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.
+At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of
+hunger returned with redoubled violence. With lips distended, and teeth
+displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack
+their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they
+would not fall upon him while he was still alive. It seemed impossible
+that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any
+weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may
+seem, prevailed.
+
+Just as the boatswain was about to act the part of butcher, and Dowlas
+stood, hatchet in hand, ready to complete the barbarous work, Miss
+Herbey advanced, or rather crawled, towards them.
+
+“My friends,” she pleaded, “will you not wait just one more day? If no
+land or ship is in sight to-morrow, then I suppose our poor companion
+must become your victim. But allow him one more day; in the name of
+mercy I entreat, I implore you.”
+
+My heart bounded as she made her pitiful appeal. It seemed to me as
+though the noble girl had spoken with an inspiration on her lips, and I
+fancied that, perhaps, in super-natural vision she had viewed the coast
+or the ship of which she spoke; and one more day was not much to us who
+had already suffered so long, and endured so much.
+
+Curtis and Falsten agreed with me, and we all united to support Miss
+Herbey’s merciful petition. The sailors did not utter a murmur, and the
+boatswain in a smothered voice said,--
+
+“Very well, we will wait till daybreak tomorrow,” and threw down his
+hatchet.
+
+To-morrow, then, unless land or a sail appear, the horrible sacrifice
+will be accomplished. Stifling their sufferings by a strenuous effort,
+all returned to their places. The sailors crouched beneath the sails,
+caring nothing about scanning the ocean. Food was in store for them
+to-morrow, and that was enough for them.
+
+As soon as Andre Letourneur came to his senses, his first thought was
+for his father, and I saw him count the passengers on the raft. He
+looked puzzled; when he lost consciousness there had been only two
+names left in the hat, those of his father and the carpenter; and yet M.
+Letourneur and Dowlas were both there still. Miss Herbey went up to
+him and told him quietly that the drawing of the lots had not yet been
+finished. Andre asked no further question, but took his father’s
+hand. M. Letourneur’s countenance was calm and serene; he seemed to be
+conscious of nothing except that the life of his son was spared, and as
+the two sat conversing in an undertone at the back of the raft, their
+whole existence seemed bound up in each other.
+
+Meantime, I could not disabuse my mind of the impression caused by Miss
+Herbey’s intervention. Something told me that help was near at hand, and
+that we were approaching the termination of our suspense and misery; the
+chimeras that were floating through my brain resolved themselves into
+realities, so that nothing appeared to me more certain than that either
+land or sail, be they miles away, would be discovered somewhere to
+leeward.
+
+I imparted my convictions to M. Letourneur and his son. Andre was as
+sanguine as myself; poor boy! he little thinks what a loss there is in
+store for him tomorrow. His father listened gravely to all we said,
+and whatever he might think in his own mind, he did not give us any
+discouragement; Heaven, he said, he was sure would still spare the
+survivors of the “Chancellor,” and then he lavished on his son caresses
+which he deemed to be his last.
+
+Some time afterwards, when I was alone with him, M. Letourneur whispered
+in my ear,--
+
+“Mr. Kazallon, I commend my boy to your care, and mark you, he must
+never know--”
+
+His voice was choked with tears, and he could not finish his sentence.
+
+But I was full of hope, and, without a moment’s intermission, I kept my
+eyes fixed upon the unbroken horizon, Curtis, Miss Herbey, Falsten, and
+even the boatswain, were also eagerly scanning the broad expanse of sea.
+
+Night has come on; but I have still a profound conviction that through
+the darkness some ship will approach, and that at daybreak our raft will
+be observed.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LV.
+
+JANUARY 27th.--I did not close my eyes all night, and was keenly alive
+to the faintest sounds, and every ripple of the water, and every murmur
+of the waves, broke distinctly on my ear. One thing I noticed and
+accepted as a happy omen; not a single shark now lingered-round the
+raft. The waning moon rose at a quarter to one, and through the feeble
+glimmer which she cast across the ocean, many and many a time I fancied
+I caught sight of the longed-for sail, lying only a few cables’ lengths
+away.
+
+But when morning came, the sun rose once again upon a desert ocean, and
+my hopes began to fade. Neither ship nor shore had appeared, and as the
+shocking hour of execution drew near, my dreams of deliverance melted
+away; I shuddered in my very soul as I was brought face to face with the
+stern reality. I dared not look upon the victim, and whenever his eyes,
+so full of calmness and resignation, met my own, I turned away my
+head. I felt choked with horror, and my brain reeled as though I were
+intoxicated.
+
+It was now six o’clock, and all hope had vanished from my breast; my
+heart beat rapidly, and a cold sweat of agony broke out all over me.
+Curtis and the boatswain stood by the mast attentively scanning the
+horizon. The boatswain’s countenance was terrible to look upon;
+one could see that although he would not forestall the hour, he was
+determined not to wait a moment after it arrived. As for the captain, it
+was impossible to tell what really passed within his mind; his face was
+livid, and his whole existence seemed concentrated in the exercise of
+his power of vision. The sailors were crawling about the platform, with
+their eyes gleaming, like wild beasts ready to pounce upon their devoted
+prey.
+
+I could no longer keep my place, and glided along to the front of the
+raft. The boatswain was still standing intent on his watch, but all of a
+sudden, in a voice that made me start he shouted,--
+
+“Now then, time’s up!” and followed by Dowlas, Burke, Flaypole, and
+Sandon, ran to the back of the raft. As Dowlas seized the hatchet
+convulsively, Miss Herbey could not suppress a cry of terror. Andre
+started to his feet.
+
+“What are you going to do to my father?” he asked in accents choked with
+emotion.
+
+“My boy,” said M. Letourneur, “the lot has fallen upon me, and I must
+die!”
+
+“Never!” shrieked Andre, throwing his arms about his father, “They shall
+kill me first. It was I who threw Hobart’s body into the sea, and it is
+I who ought to die!”
+
+But the words of the unhappy youth had no other effect than to increase
+the fury of the men who were so staunchly bent upon their bloody
+purpose.
+
+“Come, come, no more fuss,” said Dowlas, as he tore the young man away
+from his father’s embrace.
+
+Andre fell upon his back, in which position two of the sailors held him
+down so tightly that he could not move, whilst Burke and Sandon carried
+off their victim to the front.
+
+All this had taken place much more rapidly than I have been able to
+describe it. I was transfixed with horror, and much as I wished to throw
+myself between M. Letourneur and his executioners, I seemed to be rooted
+to the spot where I was standing.
+
+Meantime the sailors had been taking off some of M. Letourneur’s
+clothes, and his neck and shoulders were already bare.
+
+“Stop a moment!” he said in a tone in which was the ring of indomitable
+courage. “Stop! I don’t want to deprive you of your ration; but I
+suppose you will not require to eat the whole of me today.”
+
+The sailors, taken aback by his suggestion, stared at him with
+amazement.
+
+“There are ten of you,” he went on. “My two arms will give you each a
+meal; cut them off for to-day, and to-morrow you shall have the rest of
+me.”
+
+“Agreed!” cried Dowlas; and as M. Letourneur held out his bare arms,
+quick as lightning the carpenter raised his hatchet.
+
+Curtis and I could bear this scene no longer; whilst we were alive
+to prevent it, this butchery should not be permitted, and we rushed
+forwards simultaneously to snatch the victim from his murderers. A
+furious struggle ensued, and in the midst of the MELEE I was seized by
+one of the sailors, and hurled violently into the sea.
+
+Closing my lips, I tried to die of suffocation in the water; but in
+spite of myself, my mouth opened, and a few drops trickled down my
+throat.
+
+Merciful Heaven! the water was fresh!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LVI.
+
+JANUARY 27th CONTINUED.--A change came over me as if by miracle. No
+longer had I any wish to die, and already Curtis, who had heard my
+cries, was throwing me a rope. I seized it eagerly, and was hauled up on
+to the raft, “Fresh water!” were the first words I uttered.
+
+“Fresh water?” cried Curtis, “why then, my friends, we are not far from
+land!”
+
+It was not too late; the blow had not been struck, and so the victim
+had not yet fallen. Curtis and Andre (who had regained his liberty)
+had fought with the cannibals, and it was just as they were yielding to
+overpowering numbers that my voice had made itself heard.
+
+The struggle came to an end. As soon as the words “Fresh water” had
+escaped my lips, I leaned over the side of the raft and swallowed the
+life-giving liquid in greedy draughts. Miss Herbey was the first to
+follow my example, but soon Curtis, Falsten, and all the rest were on
+their knees and drinking eagerly, The rough sailors seemed as if by a
+magic touch transformed back from ravenous beasts to human beings, and
+I saw several of them raise their hands to heaven in silent gratitude,
+Andre and his father were the last to drink.
+
+“But where are we?” I asked at length.
+
+“The land is there,” said Curtis pointing towards 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 centre 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.
+
+JANUARY 27th 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 onwards 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 lat. 0deg. 12min. N., so that since we
+abandoned the “Chancellor” we had drifted at least fifteen degrees to
+the south-west. 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 honoured 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 so richly she deserves?
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg’s The Survivors of the Chancellor, by Jules Verne
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+
+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en">
+  <head>
+    <title>
+      The Survivors of the Chancellor, by Jules Verne
+    </title>
+    <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve">
+
+    body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify}
+    P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; }
+    H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; }
+    hr  { width: 50%; text-align: center;}
+    .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; }
+    blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;}
+    .mynote    {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;}
+    .toc       { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;}
+    .toc2      { margin-left: 20%;}
+    div.fig    { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; }
+    div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; }
+    .figleft   {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;}
+    .figright  {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;}
+    .pagenum   {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal;
+               margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%;
+               text-align: right;}
+    pre        { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;}
+
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+  <body>
+<pre xml:space="preserve">
+
+Project Gutenberg's The Survivors of the Chancellor, by Jules Verne
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Survivors of the Chancellor
+
+Author: Jules Verne
+
+Release Date: November 20, 2008 [EBook #1652]
+Last Updated: October 13, 2016
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: UTF-8
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SURVIVORS OF THE CHANCELLOR ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer, and David Widger
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+    <p>
+      <br /><br />
+    </p>
+    <h1>
+      THE SURVIVORS OF THE CHANCELLOR.
+    </h1>
+    <h2>
+      DIARY OF J.R.KAZALLON, PASSENGER.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      <br />
+    </p>
+    <h2>
+      By Jules Verne
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br />
+    </p>
+    <hr />
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br />
+    </p>
+    <blockquote>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big>
+      </p>
+      <p>
+        <br />
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER VI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER VIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER IX. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER X. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER XI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER XII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER XIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0014"> CHAPTER XIV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER XV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER XVI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER XVII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0018"> CHAPTER XVIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER XIX. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0020"> CHAPTER XX. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0021"> CHAPTER XXI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0022"> CHAPTER XXII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0023"> CHAPTER XXIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0024"> CHAPTER XXIV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0025"> CHAPTER XXV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0026"> CHAPTER XXVI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0027"> CHAPTER XXVII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0028"> CHAPTER XXVIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0029"> CHAPTER XXIX. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0030"> CHAPTER XXX. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0031"> CHAPTER XXXI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0032"> CHAPTER XXXII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0033"> CHAPTER XXXIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0034"> CHAPTER XXXIV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0035"> CHAPTER XXXV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0036"> CHAPTER XXXVI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0037"> CHAPTER XXXVII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0038"> CHAPTER XXXVIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0039"> CHAPTER XXXIX. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0040"> CHAPTER XL. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0041"> CHAPTER XLI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0042"> CHAPTER XLII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0043"> CHAPTER XLIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0044"> CHAPTER XLIV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0045"> CHAPTER XLV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0046"> CHAPTER XLVI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0047"> CHAPTER XLVII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0048"> CHAPTER XLVIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0049"> CHAPTER XLIX. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0050"> CHAPTER L. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0051"> CHAPTER LI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0052"> CHAPTER LII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0053"> CHAPTER LIII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0054"> CHAPTER LIV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0055"> CHAPTER LV. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0056"> CHAPTER LVI. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p class="toc">
+        <a href="#link2HCH0057"> CHAPTER LVII. </a>
+      </p>
+      <p>
+        <br /> <br />
+      </p>
+    </blockquote>
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br />
+    </p>
+    <hr />
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br /> <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER I.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      CHARLESTON, SEPTEMBER 27th, 1869.&mdash;It is high tide, and three o&rsquo;clock
+      in the afternoon when we leave the Battery-quay; the ebb carries us off
+      shore, and as Captain Huntly has hoisted both main and top sails, the
+      northerly breeze drives the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; briskly across the bay. Fort
+      Sumter ere long is doubled, the sweeping batteries of the mainland on our
+      left are soon passed, and by four o&rsquo;clock the rapid current of the ebbing
+      tide has carried us through the harbour-mouth.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But as yet we have not reached the open sea; we have still to thread our
+      way through the narrow channels which the surge has hollowed out amongst
+      the sand-banks. The captain takes a south-west course, rounding the
+      lighthouse at the corner of the fort; the sails are closely trimmed; the
+      last sandy point is safely coasted, and at length, at seven o&rsquo;clock in the
+      evening; we are out free upon the wide Atlantic.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; is a fine square-rigged three-master, of 900 tons burden,
+      and belongs to the wealthy Liverpool firm of Laird Brothers. She is two
+      years old, is sheathed and secured with copper, her decks being of teak,
+      and the base of all her masts, except the mizzen, with all their fittings,
+      being of iron. She is registered first class A I, and is now on her third
+      voyage between Charleston and Liverpool. As she wended her way through the
+      channels of Charleston harbour, it was the British flag that was lowered
+      from her mast-head; but without colours at all, no sailor could have
+      hesitated for a moment in telling her nationality,&mdash;for English she
+      was, and nothing but English from her water-line upwards to the truck of
+      her masts.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I must now relate how it happens that I have taken my passage on board the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; on her return voyage to England. At present there is no
+      direct steamship service between South Carolina and Great Britain, and all
+      who wish to cross must go either northwards to New York or southwards to
+      New Orleans. It is quite true that if I had chosen to start from New York
+      I might have found plenty of vessels belonging to English, French, or
+      Hamburg lines, any of which would have conveyed me by a rapid voyage to my
+      destination; and it is equally true that if I had selected New Orleans for
+      my embarkation I could readily have reached Europe by one of the vessels
+      of the National Steam Navigation Company, which join the French
+      Transatlantic line of Colon and Aspinwall. But it was fated to be
+      otherwise.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One day, as I was loitering about the Charleston quays, my eye lighted
+      upon this vessel. There was something about the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; that pleased
+      me, and a kind of involuntary impulse took me on board, where I found the
+      internal arrangements perfectly comfortable. Yielding to the idea that a
+      voyage in a sailing vessel had certain charms beyond the transit in a
+      steamer, and reckoning that with wind and wave in my favour there would be
+      little material difference in time; considering, moreover, that in these
+      low latitudes the weather in early autumn is fine and unbroken, I came to
+      my decision, and proceeded forthwith to secure my passage by this route to
+      Europe.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Have I done right or wrong? Whether I shall have reason to regret my
+      determination is a problem to be solved in the future. However, I will
+      begin to record the incidents of our daily experience, dubious as I feel
+      whether the lines of my chronicle will ever find a reader.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER II.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      SEPTEMBER 28th.&mdash;John Silas Huntly, the captain of the &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo;
+       has the reputation of being an experienced navigator of the Atlantic. He
+      is a Scotchman, a native of Dundee, and is about fifty years of age. He is
+      of middle height and slight build, and has a small head, which he has a
+      habit of holding a little over his left shoulder. I do not pretend to be
+      much of a physiognomist, but I am inclined to believe that my few hours&rsquo; 
+      acquaintance with our captain has given me considerable insight into his
+      character. That he is a good seaman and thoroughly understands his duties
+      I could not for a moment venture to deny; but that he is a man of resolute
+      temperament, or that he possesses the amount of courage that would render
+      him, physically or morally, capable of coping with any great emergency, I
+      confess I cannot believe. I observe a certain heaviness and dejection
+      about his whole carriage. His wavering glances, the listless motions of
+      his hands, and his slow, unsteady gait, all seem to me to indicate a weak
+      and sluggish disposition. He does not appear as though he could be
+      energetic enough ever to be stubborn; he never frowns, sets his teeth, or
+      clenches his fist. There is something enigmatical about him; however, I
+      shall study him closely and do what I can to understand the man who, as
+      commander of a vessel, should be to those around him &ldquo;second only to God.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Unless I am greatly mistaken there is another man on board who, if
+      circumstances should require it, would take the more prominent position&mdash;I
+      mean the mate. I have hitherto, however, had such little opportunity of
+      observing his character, that I must defer saying more about him at
+      present.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Besides the captain and this mate, whose name is Robert Curtis, our crew
+      consists of Walter, the lieutenant, the boatswain, and fourteen sailors,
+      all English or Scotch, making eighteen altogether, a number quite
+      sufficient for working a vessel of 900 tons burden. Up to this time my
+      sole experience of their capabilities is, that under the command of the
+      mate, they brought us skillfully enough through the narrow channels of
+      Charleston; and I have no reason to doubt but that they are well up to
+      their work.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      My list of the ship&rsquo;s officials is incomplete unless I mention Hobart, the
+      steward, and Jynxstrop, the negro cook.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In addition to these, the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; carries eight passengers, including
+      myself. Hitherto, the bustle of embarkation, the arrangement of cabins,
+      and all the variety of preparations inseparable from starting on a voyage
+      for at least twenty or five-and-twenty days have precluded the formation
+      of any acquaintanceships; but the monotony of the voyage, the close
+      proximity into which we must be thrown, and the natural curiosity to know
+      something of each other&rsquo;s affairs, will doubtless lead us in due time to
+      an interchange of ideas. Two days have elapsed and I have not even seen
+      all the passengers. Probably sea-sickness has prevented some of them from
+      making their appearance at the common table. One thing, however, I do
+      know; namely, that there are two ladies occupying the stern-cabins, the
+      windows of which are in the aft-board of the vessel.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I have seen the ship&rsquo;s list and subjoin a list of the passengers. They are
+      as follow:&mdash;Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Americans, of Buffalo. Miss Herbey, a
+      young English lady, companion to Mrs. Kear. M. Letourneur and his son
+      Andre, Frenchmen, of Havre. William Falsten, a Manchester engineer. John
+      Ruby, a Cardiff merchant; and myself, J. R. Kazallon, of London.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER III.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      SEPTEMBER 29th.&mdash;Captain Huntly&rsquo;s bill of lading, that is to say, the
+      document that describes the &ldquo;Chancellor&rsquo;s&rdquo; cargo and the conditions of
+      transport, is couched in the following terms:&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;BRONSFIELD AND CO., AGENTS, CHARLESTON.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I, John Silas Huntly, of Dundee, Scotland, commander of the ship
+      &lsquo;Chancellor,&rsquo; of about 900 tons burden, now at Charleston, do purpose, by
+      the blessing of God, at the earliest convenient season, and by the direct
+      route, to sail for the port of Liverpool, where I shall obtain my
+      discharge. I do hereby acknowledge that I have received from you, Messrs.
+      Bronsfield and Co., Commission Agents, Charleston, and have placed the
+      same under the gun-deck of the aforesaid ship, seventeen hundred bales of
+      cotton, of the estimated value of 26,000l., all in good condition, marked
+      and numbered as in the margin; which goods I do undertake to transport to
+      Liverpool, and there to deliver, free from injury (save only such injury
+      as shall have been caused by the chances of the sea), to Messrs. Laird
+      Brothers, or to their order, or to their representative, who shall on due
+      delivery of the said freight pay me the sum of 2000l. inclusive, according
+      to the charter-party and damages in addition, according to the usages and
+      customs of the sea.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;And for the fulfillment of the above covenant, I have pledged and do
+      pledge my person, my property, and my interest in the vessel aforesaid,
+      with all its appurtenances. In witness whereof, I have signed three
+      agreements, all of the same purport; on the condition that when the terms
+      of one are accomplished, the other two shall be absolutely null and void.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Given at Charleston, September 13th, 1869,
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;J. S. HUNTLY.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      From the foregoing document it will be understood that the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; is
+      conveying 1700 bales of cotton to Liverpool; that the shippers are
+      Bronsfield, of Charleston, and the consignees are Laird Brothers, of
+      Liverpool. The ship was constructed with the especial design of carrying
+      cotton, and the entire hold, with the exception of a very limited space
+      reserved for passengers&rsquo; luggage, is closely packed with the bales, The
+      lading was performed with the utmost care, each bale being pressed into
+      its proper place by the aid of screw-jacks, so that the whole freight
+      forms one solid and compact mass; not an inch of space is wasted, and the
+      vessel is thus made capable of carrying her full complement of cargo.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER IV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      SEPTEMBER 30th to OCTOBER 6th.&mdash;The &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; is a rapid sailer,
+      and more than a match for many a vessel of the same dimensions. She scuds
+      along merrily in the freshening breeze, leaving in her wake, far as the
+      eye can reach, a long white line of foam as well defined as a delicate
+      strip of lace stretched upon an azure ground.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The Atlantic is not visited by many gales, and I have every reason to
+      believe that the rolling and pitching of the vessel no longer incommode
+      any of the passengers, who are all more or less accustomed to the sea. A
+      vacant seat at our table is now very rare; we are beginning to know
+      something about each other, and our daily life, in consequence, is
+      becoming somewhat less monotonous.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Letourneur, our French fellow-passenger, often has a chat with me. He
+      is a fine tall man, about fifty years of age, with white hair and a
+      grizzly beard. To say the truth, he looks older than he really is: his
+      drooping head, his dejected manner, and his eye, ever and again suffused
+      with tears, indicate that he is haunted by some deep and abiding sorrow.
+      He never laughs; he rarely even smiles, and then only on his son: his
+      countenance ordinarily bearing a look of bitterness tempered by affection,
+      while his general expression is one of caressing tenderness. It excites an
+      involuntary commiseration to learn that M. Letourneur is consuming himself
+      by exaggerated reproaches on account of the infirmity of an afflicted son.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Andre Letourneur is about twenty years of age, with a gentle, interesting
+      countenance, but, to the irrepressible grief of his father, is a hopeless
+      cripple. His left leg is miserably deformed, and he is quite unable to
+      walk without the assistance of a stick. It is obvious that the father&rsquo;s
+      life is bound up with that of his son; his devotion is unceasing; every
+      thought, every glance is for Andre; he seems to anticipate his most
+      trifling wish, watches his slightest movement, and his arm is ever ready
+      to support or otherwise assist the child whose sufferings he more than
+      shares.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Letourneur seems to have taken a peculiar fancy to myself, and
+      constantly talks about Andre. This morning, in the course of conversation,
+      I said,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;You have a good son, M. Letourneur. I have just been talking to him. He
+      is a most intelligent young man.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; replied M. Letourneur, brightening up into a smile,
+      &ldquo;his afflicted frame contains a noble mind. He is like his mother, who
+      died at his birth.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;He is full of reverence and love for you, sir,&rdquo; I remarked.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Dear boy!&rdquo; muttered the father half to himself. &ldquo;Ah, Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; he
+      continued, &ldquo;you do not know what it is to a father to have a son a
+      cripple, beyond hope of cure.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;M. Letourneur,&rdquo; I answered, &ldquo;you take more than your share of the
+      affliction which has fallen upon you and your son. That M. Andre is
+      entitled to the very greatest commiseration no one can deny; but you
+      should remember, that after all a physical infirmity is not so hard to
+      bear as mental grief. Now, I have watched your son pretty closely, and
+      unless I am much mistaken there is nothing, that troubles him so much as
+      the sight of your own sorrow.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But I never let him see it,&rdquo; he broke in hastily. &ldquo;My sole thought is how
+      to divert him. I have discovered, that in spite of his physical weakness,
+      he delights in travelling; so for the last few years we have been
+      constantly on the move. We first went all over Europe, and are now
+      returning from visiting the principal places in the United States. I never
+      allowed my son to go to college, but instructed him entirely myself, and
+      these travels, I hope, will serve to complete his education. He is very
+      intelligent, and has a lively imagination, and I am sometimes tempted to
+      hope that in contemplating the wonders of nature he forgets his own
+      infirmity.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, sir, of course he does,&rdquo; I assented.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But,&rdquo; continued M. Letourneur, taking my hand, &ldquo;although, perhaps, HE may
+      forget, I can never forget. Ah, sir, do you suppose that Andre can ever
+      forgive his parents for bringing him into the world a cripple?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The remorse of the unhappy father was very distressing, and I was about to
+      say a few kind words of sympathy when Andre himself made his appearance.
+      M. Letourneur hastened toward him and assisted him up the few steep steps
+      that led to the poop.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As soon as Andre was comfortably seated on one of the benches, and his
+      father had taken his place by his side, I joined them, and we fell into
+      conversation upon ordinary topics, discussing the various points of the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo; the probable length of the passage, and the different
+      details of our life on board. I find that M. Letourneur&rsquo;s estimate of
+      Captain Huntly&rsquo;s character very much coincided with my own, and that, like
+      me, he is impressed with the man&rsquo;s undecided manner and sluggish
+      appearance. Like me, too, he has formed a very favourable opinion of
+      Robert Curtis, the mate, a man of about thirty years of age, of great
+      muscular power, with a frame and a will that seem ever ready for action.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Whilst we were still talking of him, Curtis himself came on deck, and as I
+      watched his movements I could not help being struck with his physical
+      development; his erect and easy carriage, his fearless glance and slightly
+      contracted brow all betokened a man of energy, thoroughly endowed with the
+      calmness and courage that are indispensable to the true sailor. He seems a
+      kind-hearted fellow, too, and is always ready to assist and amuse young
+      Letourneur, who evidently enjoys his company. After he had scanned the
+      weather and examined the trim of the sails, he joined our party and
+      proceeded to give us some information about those of our fellow-passengers
+      with whom at present we have made but slight acquaintance.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Mr. Kear, the American, who is accompanied by his wife, has made a large
+      fortune in the petroleum springs in the United States. He is a man of
+      about fifty, a most uninteresting companion, being overwhelmed with a
+      sense of his own wealth and importance, and consequently supremely
+      indifferent to all around him. His hands are always in his pockets, and
+      the chink of money seems to follow him wherever he goes. Vain and
+      conceited, a fool as well as an egotist, he struts about like a peacock
+      showing its plumage, and to borrow the words of the physiognomist
+      Gratiolet, &ldquo;il se flaire, il se savoure, il se goute.&rdquo; Why he should have
+      taken his passage on board a mere merchant vessel instead of enjoying the
+      luxuries of a Transatlantic steamer, I am altogether at a loss to explain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The wife is an insignificant, insipid woman, of about forty years of age.
+      She never reads, never talks, and I believe I am not wrong in saying,
+      never thinks. She seems to look without seeing, and listen without
+      hearing, and her sole occupation consists in giving her orders to her
+      companion, Miss Herbey, a young English girl of about twenty.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Miss Herbey is extremely pretty. Her complexion is fair and her eyes deep
+      blue, whilst her pleasing countenance is altogether free from that
+      insignificance of feature which is not unfrequently alleged to be
+      characteristic of English beauty. Her mouth would be charming if she ever
+      smiled, but exposed as she is to the ridiculous whims and fancies of a
+      capricious mistress, her lips rarely relax from their ordinary grave
+      expression. Yet humiliating as her position must be, she never utters a
+      word of open complaint, but quietly and gracefully performs her duties
+      accepting without a murmur the paltry salary which the bumptious
+      petroleum-merchant condescends to allow her.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The Manchester engineer, William Falsten, looks like a thorough
+      Englishman. He has the management of some extensive hydraulic works in
+      South Carolina, and is now on his way to Europe to obtain some improved
+      apparatus, and more especially to visit the mines worked by centrifugal
+      force, belonging to the firm of Messrs. Cail. He is forty-five years of
+      age, with all his interests so entirely absorbed by his machinery that he
+      seems to have neither a thought nor a care beyond his mechanical
+      calculations. Once let him engage you in conversation, and there is no
+      chance of escape; you have no help for it but to listen as patiently as
+      you can until he has completed the explanation of his designs.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The last of our fellow-passengers, Mr. Ruby, is the type of a vulgar
+      tradesman. Without any originality or magnanimity in his composition, he
+      has spent twenty years of his life in mere buying and selling, and as he
+      has generally contrived to do business at a profit, he has realized a
+      considerable fortune. What he is going to do with the money, he does not
+      seem able to say: his ideas do not go beyond retail trade, his mind having
+      been so long closed to all other impressions that it appears incapable of
+      thought or reflection on any subject besides. Pascal says, &ldquo;L&rsquo;homme est
+      visiblement fait pour penser. C&rsquo;est toute sa dignite et tout-son merite;&rdquo;
+       but to Mr. Ruby the phrase seems altogether inapplicable.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER V.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 7th.&mdash;This is the tenth day since we left Charleston, and I
+      should think our progress has been very rapid. Robert Curtis, the mate,
+      with whom I continue to have many a friendly chat, informed me that we
+      could not be far off Cape Hatteras in the Bermudas; the ship&rsquo;s bearings,
+      he said were lat. 32deg. 20min. N. and long. 64deg. 50min. W., so that he
+      had every reason to believe that we should sight St. George&rsquo;s Island
+      before night.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The Bermudas!&rdquo; I exclaimed. &ldquo;But how is it we are off the Bermudas? I
+      should have thought that a vessel sailing from Charleston to Liverpool,
+      would have kept northwards, and have followed the track of the Gulf
+      Stream.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, indeed; sir,&rdquo; replied Curtis, &ldquo;that is the usual course; but you see
+      that this time the captain hasn&rsquo;t chosen to take it.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But why not?&rdquo; I persisted.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not for me to say, sir; he ordered us eastwards, and eastwards we
+      go.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Haven&rsquo;t you called his attention to it?&rdquo; I inquired.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis acknowledged that he had already pointed out what an unusual route
+      they were taking, but that the captain had said that he was quite aware
+      what he was about. The mate made no further remark; but the knit of his
+      brow, as he passed his hand mechanically across his forehead, made me
+      fancy that he was inclined to speak out more strongly.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;All very well, Curtis,&rdquo; I said, &ldquo;but I don&rsquo;t know what to think about
+      trying new routes. Here we are at the 7th of October, and if we are to
+      reach Europe before the bad weather sets in, I should suppose there is not
+      a day to be lost.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Right, sir, quite right; there is not a day to be lost.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Struck by his manner, I ventured to add, &ldquo;Do you mind, Mr. Curtis giving
+      me your honest opinion of Captain Huntly?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      He hesitated a moment, and then replied shortly, &ldquo;He is my captain, sir.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      This evasive answer of course put an end to any further interrogation on
+      my part, but it only set me thinking the more.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis was not mistaken. At about three o&rsquo;clock the lookout man sung out
+      that there was land to windward, and descried what seemed as if it might
+      be a line of smoke in the north-east horizon. At six, I went on deck with
+      M. Letourneur and his son, and we could then distinctly make out the low
+      group of the Bermudas, encircled by their formidable chain of breakers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;There,&rdquo; said Andre Letourneur to me, as we stood gazing at the distant
+      land, &ldquo;there lies the enchanted Archipelago, sung by your poet Moore. The
+      exile Waller, too, as long ago as 1643, wrote an enthusiastic panegyric on
+      the islands, and I have been told that at one time English ladies would
+      wear no other bonnets than such as were made of the leaves of the Bermuda
+      palm.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; I replied, &ldquo;the Bermudas were all the rage in the seventeenth
+      century, although latterly they have fallen into comparative oblivion.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But let me tell you, M. Andre,&rdquo; interposed Curtis, who had as usual
+      joined our party, &ldquo;that although poets may rave, and be as enthusiastic as
+      they like about these islands, sailors will tell a different tale. The
+      hidden reefs that lie in a semicircle about two or three leagues from
+      shore make the attempt to land a very dangerous piece of business. And
+      another thing, I know. Let the natives boast as they will about their
+      splendid climate, they, are visited by the most frightful hurricanes. They
+      get the fag-end of the storms that rage over the Antilles; and the fag-end
+      of a storm is like the tail of a whale; it&rsquo;s just the strongest bit of it.
+      I don&rsquo;t think you&rsquo;ll find a sailor listening much to your poets,&mdash;your
+      Moores, and your Wallers.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No, doubt you are right, Mr. Curtis,&rdquo; said Andre, smiling, &ldquo;but poets are
+      like proverbs; you can always find one to contradict another. Although
+      Waller and Moore have chosen to sing the praises of the Bermudas, it has
+      been supposed that Shakspeare was depicting them in the terrible scenes
+      that are found in &lsquo;The Tempest.&rsquo;&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The whole vicinity of these islands is beyond a question extremely
+      perilous to mariners. Situated between the Antilles and Nova Scotia, the
+      Bermudas have ever since their discovery belonged to the English, who have
+      mainly used them for a military station. But this little archipelago,
+      comprising some hundred and fifty different isles and islets, is destined
+      to increase, and that, perhaps, on a larger scale than has yet been
+      anticipated. Beneath the waves there are madrepores, in infinity of
+      number, silently but ceaselessly pursuing their labours; and with time,
+      that fundamental element in nature&rsquo;s workings, who shall tell whether
+      these may not gradually build up island after island, which shall unite
+      and form another continent?
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I may mention that there was not another of our fellow-passengers who took
+      the trouble to come on deck and give a glance at this strange cluster of
+      islands. Miss Herbey, it is true, was making an attempt to join us, but
+      she had barely reached the poop, when Mrs. Kear&rsquo;s languid voice was heard
+      recalling her for some trifling service to her side.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER VI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 8th to OCTOBER 13th.&mdash;The wind is blowing hard from the
+      north-east; and the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; under low-reefed top-sail and fore-sail,
+      and labouring against a heavy sea, has been obliged to be brought ahull.
+      The joists and girders all creak again until one&rsquo;s teeth are set on edge.
+      I am the only passenger not remaining below; but I prefer being on deck
+      notwithstanding the driving rain, fine as dust, which penetrates to my
+      very skin. We have been driven along in this fashion for the best part of
+      two days; the &ldquo;stiffish breeze&rdquo; has gradually freshened into &ldquo;a gale;&rdquo; the
+      top-gallants have been lowered, and, as I write, the wind is blowing with
+      a velocity of fifty or sixty miles an hour. Although the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; has
+      many good points, her drift is considerable, and we have been carried far
+      to the south we can only guess at our precise position, as the cloudy
+      atmosphere entirely precludes us from taking the sun&rsquo;s altitude.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      All along throughout this period, my fellow-passengers are totally
+      ignorant of the extraordinary course that we are taking England lies to
+      the NORTH-EAST, yet we are sailing directly SOUTH-EAST, and Robert Curtis
+      owns that he is quite bewildered; he cannot comprehend why the captain,
+      ever since this north-easterly gale has been blowing, should persist in
+      allowing the ship to drive to the south, instead of tacking to the
+      north-west until she gets into better quarters.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I was alone with Curtis to-day upon the poop, and could not help saying to
+      him &ldquo;Curtis, is your captain mad?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Perhaps, sir, I might be allowed to ask what YOU think upon that matter,&rdquo;
+       was his cautious reply.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Well to say the truth,&rdquo; I answered, &ldquo;I can hardly tell; but I confess
+      there is every now and then a wandering in his eye, and an odd look on his
+      face that I do not like. Have you ever sailed with him before?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No; this is our first voyage together. Again last night I spoke to him
+      about the route we were taking, but he only said he knew all about it, and
+      that it was all right.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What do Lieutenant Walter and your boatswain think of it all?&rdquo; I
+      inquired.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Think; why they think just the same as I do,&rdquo; replied the mate; &ldquo;but if
+      the captain chooses to take the ship to China we should obey his orders.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But surely,&rdquo; I exclaimed, &ldquo;there must be some limit to your obedience!
+      Suppose the man is actually mad, what then?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;If he should be mad enough, Mr. Kazallon, to bring the vessel into any
+      real danger, I shall know what to do.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      With this assurance I am forced to be content. Matters, however, have
+      taken a different turn to what I bargained for when I took my passage on
+      board the &ldquo;Chancellor.&rdquo; The weather has become worse and worse. As I have
+      already said, the ship under her large low-reefed top-sail and fore
+      stay-sail has been brought ahull, that is to say, she copes directly with
+      the wind, by presenting her broad bows to the sea; and so we go on still
+      drift, drift, continually to the south.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      How southerly our course has been is very apparent; for upon the night of
+      the 11th we fairly entered upon that portion of the Atlantic which is
+      known as the Sargassos Sea. An extensive tract of water is this, enclosed
+      by the warm current of the Gulf Stream, and thickly covered with the
+      wrack, called by the Spaniards &ldquo;sargasso,&rdquo; the abundance of which so
+      seriously impeded the progress of Columbus&rsquo;s vessels on his first voyage
+      across the ocean.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Each morning at daybreak the Atlantic has presented an aspect so
+      remarkable, that at my solicitation, M. Letourneur and his son have
+      ventured upon deck to witness the unusual spectacle. The squally gusts
+      make the metal shrouds vibrate like harp-strings; and unless we were on
+      our guard to keep our clothes wrapped tightly to us, they would have been
+      torn off our backs in shreds. The scene presented to our eyes is one of
+      strangest interest. The sea, carpeted thickly with masses of prolific
+      fucus, is a vast unbroken plain of vegetation, through which the vessel
+      makes her way as a plough. Long strips of seaweed caught up by the wind
+      become entangled in the rigging, and hang between the masts in festoons of
+      verdure; whilst others, varying from two to three hundred feet in length,
+      twine themselves up to the very mast-heads, from whence they float like
+      streaming pendants. For many hours now, the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; has been
+      contending with this formidable accumulation of algae; her masts are
+      circled with hydrophytes; her rigging is wreathed everywhere with
+      creepers, fantastic as the untrammelled tendrils of a vine, and as she
+      works her arduous course, there are times when I can only compare her to
+      an animated grove of verdure making its mysterious way over some
+      illimitable prairie.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER VII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 14th.&mdash;At last we are free from the sea of vegetation, the
+      boisterous gale has moderated into a steady breeze, the sun is shining
+      brightly, the weather is warm and genial, and thus, two reefs in her
+      top-sails, briskly and merrily sails the &ldquo;Chancellor.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Under conditions so favourable, we have been able to take the ship&rsquo;s
+      bearings: our latitude, we find, is 21deg. 33min. N., our longitude 50deg.
+      17min. W.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Incomprehensible altogether is the conduct of Captain Huntly. Here we are,
+      already more than ten degrees south of the point from which, we started,
+      and yet still we are persistently following a south-easterly course! I
+      cannot bring myself to the conclusion that the man is mad. I have had
+      various conversations with him: he has always spoken rationally and
+      sensibly. He shows no tokens of insanity. Perhaps his case is one of those
+      in which insanity is partial, and where the mania is of a character which
+      extends only to the matters connected with his profession. Yet it is
+      unaccountable.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I can get nothing out of Curtis; he listens coldly whenever I allude to
+      the subject, and only repeats what he has said before, that nothing short
+      of an overt act of madness on the part of the captain could induce him to
+      supersede the captain&rsquo;s authority and that the imminent peril of the ship
+      could alone justify him in taking so decided a measure.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Last evening I went to my cabin about eight o&rsquo;clock, and after an hour&rsquo;s
+      reading by the light of my cabin-lamp, I retired to my berth and was soon
+      asleep. Some hours later I was aroused by an unaccustomed noise on deck.
+      There were heavy footsteps hurrying to and fro, and the voices of the men
+      were loud and eager, as if the crew were agitated by some strange
+      disturbance. My first impression was, that some tacking had been ordered
+      which rendered it needful to fathom the yards; but the vessel continuing
+      to lie to starboard convinced me that this was not the origin of the
+      commotion, I was curious to know the truth, and made all haste I could to
+      go on deck; but before I was ready, the noise had ceased. I heard Captain
+      Huntly return to his cabin, and accordingly I retired again to my own
+      berth. Whatever may have been the meaning of the manoeuvre, I cannot tell;
+      it did not seem to have resulted in any improvement in the ship&rsquo;s pace;
+      still it must be owned there was not much wind to speed us along.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At six o&rsquo;clock this morning I mounted the poop and made as keen a scrutiny
+      as I could of everything on board. Everything appeared as usual. The
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; was running on the larboard tack, and carried low-sails,
+      top-sails, and gallant-sails. Well braced she was; and under a fresh, but
+      not uneasy breeze, was making no less than eleven knots an hour.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Shortly afterwards M. Letourneur and Andre came an deck. The young man
+      enjoyed the early morning air, laden with its briny fragrance, and I
+      assisted him to mount the poop. In answer to my inquiry as to whether they
+      had been disturbed by any bustle in the night, Andre replied that he did
+      not wake at all, and had heard nothing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I am glad, my boy,&rdquo; said his father, &ldquo;that you have slept so soundly. I
+      heard the noise of which Mr. Kazallon speaks. It must have; been about
+      three o&rsquo;clock this morning, and it seemed to me as though they were
+      shouting. I thought I heard them say, &lsquo;Here, quick, look to the hatches!&rsquo; 
+      but as nobody was called up, I presumed that nothing serious was the
+      matter.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      As he spoke I cast my eye at the panel-slides, which fore and aft of the
+      main-mast open into the hold. They seemed to be all close as usual, but I
+      now observed for the first time that they were covered with heavy
+      tarpauling. Wondering; in my own mind what could be the reason for these
+      extra precautions I did not say anything to M. Letourneur, but determined
+      to wait until the mate should come on watch, when he would doubtless give
+      me, I thought, an explanation of the mystery.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The sun rose gloriously, with every promise of a fine dry day. The waning
+      moon was yet above the western horizon, for as it still wants three days
+      to her last quarter she does not set until 10.57 am. On consulting my
+      almanac, I find that there will be a new moon on the 24th, and that on
+      that day, little as it may affect us here in mid ocean, the phenomenon of
+      the high sygyzian tides will take place on the shores of every continent
+      and island.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At the breakfast hour M. Letourneur and Andre went below for a cup of tea,
+      and I remained on the poop alone. As I expected, Curtis appeared, that he
+      might relieve Lieutenant Walter of the watch. I advanced to meet him, but
+      before he even wished me good morning, I saw him cast a quick and
+      searching glance upon the deck, and then, with a slightly contracted brow,
+      proceed to examine the state of the weather and the trim of the sails.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Where is Captain Huntly?&rdquo; he said to Walter.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I have seen nothing of him,&rdquo; answered the lieutenant &ldquo;is there anything
+      fresh up?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Nothing, whatever,&rdquo; was the curt reply.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      They then conversed for a few moments in an undertone, and I could see
+      that Walter by his gesture gave a negative answer to some question which
+      the mate had asked him. &ldquo;Send me the boatswain, Walter,&rdquo; said Curtis aloud
+      as the lieutenant moved away.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The boatswain immediately appeared, and another conversation was carried
+      on in whispers. The man repeatedly shook his head as he replied to
+      Curtis&rsquo;s inquiries, and then, in obedience to orders, called the men who
+      were on watch, and made them plentifully water the tarpauling that covered
+      the great hatchway.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curious to fathom the mystery I went up to Curtis and began to talk to him
+      upon ordinary topics, hoping that he would himself introduce the subject
+      that was uppermost in my mind; finding, however, that he did not allude to
+      it; I asked him point blank.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What was the matter in the night, Curtis?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      He looked at me steadily, but made no reply.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What was it?&rdquo; I repeated. &ldquo;M. Letourneur and myself were both of us
+      disturbed by a very unusual commotion overhead.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Oh, a mere nothing,&rdquo; he said at length; &ldquo;the man at the helm had made a
+      false move, and we had to pipe hands to brace the ship a bit; but it was
+      soon all put to rights. It was nothing, nothing at all.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I said no more; but I cannot resist the impression that Robert Curtis has
+      not acted with me in his usual straightforward manner.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER VIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 15th to OCTOBER 18th.&mdash;The wind is still in the north-east.
+      There is no change in the &ldquo;Chancellor&rsquo;s&rdquo; course, and to an unprejudiced
+      eye all would appear to be going on as usual. But I have an uneasy
+      consciousness that something is not quite right. Why should the hatchways
+      be so hermetically closed as though a mutinous crew was imprisoned between
+      decks? I cannot help thinking too that there is something in the sailors
+      so constantly standing in groups and breaking off their talk so suddenly
+      whenever we approach; and several times I have caught the word &ldquo;hatches&rdquo;
+       which arrested M. Letourneur&rsquo;s attention on the night of the disturbance.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On the 15th, while I was walking on the forecastle, I overheard one of the
+      sailors, a man named Owen say to his mates,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Now I just give you all warning that I am not going to wait until the
+      last minute. Every one for himself, say I.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Why, what do you mean to do?&rdquo; asked Jynxstrop, the cook.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Pshaw!&rdquo; said Owen, &ldquo;do you suppose that longboats were only made for
+      porpoises?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Something at that moment occurred to interrupt the conversation, and I
+      heard no more. It occurred to me whether there was not some conspiracy
+      among the crew, of which probably Curtis had already detected the
+      symptoms. I am quite aware that some sailors are most rebelliously
+      disposed, and require to be ruled with a rod of iron.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Yesterday and to-day I have observed Curtis remonstrating somewhat
+      vehemently with Captain Huntly, but there is no obvious result arising
+      from their interviews; the Captain apparently being bent upon some
+      purpose, of which it is only too manifest that the mate decidedly
+      disapproves.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Captain Huntly is undoubtedly labouring under strong nervous excitement;
+      and M. Letourneur has more than once remarked how silent he has become at
+      meal-times; for although Curtis continually endeavours to start some
+      subject of general interest, yet neither Mr. Falsten, Mr. Kear, nor Mr.
+      Ruby are the men to take it up, and consequently the conversation flags
+      hopelessly, and soon drops. The passengers too are now, with good cause,
+      beginning to murmur at the length of the voyage, and Mr. Kear, who
+      considers that the very elements ought to yield to his convenience, lets
+      the captain know by his consequential and haughty manner that he holds him
+      responsible for the delay.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      During the course of yesterday the mate gave repeated orders for the deck
+      to be watered again and again, and although as a general rule this is a
+      business which is done, once for all, in the early morning, the crew did
+      not utter a word of complaint at the additional work thus imposed upon
+      them. The tarpaulins on the hatches have thus been kept continually wet,
+      so that their close and heavy texture is rendered quite impervious to the
+      air, The &ldquo;Chancellor&rsquo;s&rdquo; pumps afford a copious supply of water, so that I
+      should not suppose that even the daintiest and most luxurious craft
+      belonging to an aristocratic yacht-club was ever subject to a more
+      thorough scouring. I tried to reconcile myself to the belief that it was
+      the high temperature of the tropical regions upon which we are entering,
+      that rendered such extra sousings a necessity, and recalled to my
+      recollection how, during the night of the 13th, I had found the atmosphere
+      below deck so stifling that in spite of the heavy swell I was obliged to
+      open the porthole of my cabin, on the starboard side, to get a breath of
+      air.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      This morning at daybreak I went on deck. The sun had scarcely risen, and
+      the air was fresh and cool, in strange contrast to the heat which below
+      the poop had been quite oppressive. The sailors as usual were washing the
+      deck, A great sheet of water, supplied continuously by the pumps was
+      rolling in tiny wavelets, and escaping now to starboard, now to larboard
+      through the scupper-holes. After watching the men for a while as they ran
+      about bare-footed, I could not resist the desire to join them, so taking
+      off my shoes and stockings I proceeded to dabble in the flowing water.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Great was my amazement to find the deck perfectly hot to my feet! Curtis
+      heard my exclamation of surprise, and before I could put my thoughts into
+      words, said,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes! there is fire on board!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER IX.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 19th.&mdash;Everything, then, is clear. The uneasiness of the
+      crew, their frequent conferences, Owen&rsquo;s mysterious words, the constant
+      scourings of the deck and the oppressive heat of the cabins which had been
+      noticed even by my fellow-passengers, all are explained.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After his grave communication, Curtis remained silent. I shivered with a
+      thrill of horror; a calamity the most terrible that can befall a voyager
+      stared me in the face, and it was some seconds before I could recover
+      sufficient composure to inquire when the fire was first discovered.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Six days ago,&rdquo; replied the mate.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Six days ago!&rdquo; I exclaimed; &ldquo;why, then, it was that night.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; he said, interrupting me; &ldquo;it was the night you heard the
+      disturbance upon deck. The men on watch noticed a slight smoke issuing
+      from the large hatchway and immediately called Captain Huntly and myself.
+      We found beyond all doubt, that the cargo was on fire, and what was worse,
+      that there was no possibility of getting at the seat of the combustion.
+      What could we do? Why; we took the only precaution that was practicable
+      under the circumstances, and resolved most carefully to exclude every
+      breath of air from penetrating into the hold, For some time I hoped that
+      we had been successful. I thought that the fire was stifled; but during
+      the last three days there is every reason to make us know that it has been
+      gaining strength. Do what we will, the deck gets hotter and hotter, and
+      unless it were kept constantly wet, it would be unbearable to the feet.
+      But I am glad, Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; he added; &ldquo;that you have made the discovery.
+      It is better that you should know it.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I listened in silence, I was now fully aroused to the gravity of the
+      situation and thoroughly comprehended how we were in the very face of a
+      calamity which it seemed that no human power could avert.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Do you know what has caused the fire?&rdquo; I presently inquired.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;It probably arose,&rdquo; he answered, &ldquo;from the spontaneous combustion of the
+      cotton. The case is rare, but it is far from unknown. Unless the cotton is
+      perfectly dry when it is shipped, its confinement in a damp or
+      ill-ventilated hold will sometimes cause it to ignite; and I have no doubt
+      it is this that has brought about our misfortune.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But after all,&rdquo; I said, &ldquo;the cause matters very little. Is there no
+      remedy? Is there nothing to be done?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Nothing; Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;As I told you before, we have adopted
+      the only possible measure within our power to check the fire. At one time
+      I thought of knocking a hole in the ship&rsquo;s timbers just on her waterline,
+      and letting in just as much water as the pumps could afterwards get rid of
+      again; but we found the combustion was right in the middle of the cargo
+      and that we should be obliged to flood the entire hold before we could get
+      at the right place. That scheme consequently was no good. During the
+      night, I had the deck bored in various places and water poured down
+      through the holes; but that again seemed all of no use. There is only one
+      thing that can be done; we must persevere in excluding most carefully
+      every breath of outer air, so that perhaps the conflagration deprived of
+      oxygen may smoulder itself out. That is our only hope.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But, you say the fire is increasing?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes; and that shows that in spite of all our care there is some aperture
+      which we have not been able to discover, by which, somehow or other, air
+      gets into the hold.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Have you ever heard of a vessel surviving such circumstances?&rdquo; I asked.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; said Curtis; &ldquo;it is not at all an unusual thing for
+      ships laden with cotton to arrive at Liverpool or Havre with a portion of
+      their cargo consumed; and I have myself known more than one captain run
+      into port with his deck scorching his very feet, and who, to save his
+      vessel and the remainder of his freight has been compelled to unload with
+      the utmost expedition. But, in such cases, of course the fire has been
+      more or less under control throughout the voyage; with us, it is
+      increasing day by day, and I tell you I am convinced there is an aperture
+      somewhere which has escaped our notice.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But would it not be advisable for us to retrace our course, and make for
+      the nearest land?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Perhaps it would,&rdquo; he answered. &ldquo;Walter and I, and the boatswain, are
+      going to talk the matter over seriously with the captain to-day. But,
+      between ourselves, I have taken the responsibility upon myself; I have
+      already changed the tack to the south-west; we are now straight before the
+      wind, and consequently we are sailing towards the coast.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I need hardly ask,&rdquo; I added; &ldquo;whether any of the other passengers are at
+      all aware of the imminent danger in which we are placed.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;None of them,&rdquo; he said; &ldquo;not in the least; and I hope you will not
+      enlighten them. We don&rsquo;t want terrified women and cowardly men to add to
+      our embarrassment; the crew are under orders to keep a strict silence on
+      the subject. Silence is indispensable.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I promised to keep the matter a profound secret, as I fully entered into
+      Curtis&rsquo;s views as to the absolute necessity for concealment.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER X.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 20th AND 21st.&mdash;The &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; is now crowded with all the
+      canvas she can carry, and at times her top-masts threaten to snap with the
+      pressure. But Curtis is ever on the alert; he never leaves his post beside
+      the man at the helm, and without compromising the safety of the vessel, he
+      contrives by tacking to the breeze, to urge her on at her utmost speed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      All day long on the 20th, the passengers were assembled on the poop.
+      Evidently they found the heat of the cabins painfully oppressive, and most
+      of them lay stretched upon benches and quietly enjoyed the gentle rolling
+      of the vessel. The increasing heat of the deck did not reveal itself to
+      their well-shod feet and the constant scouring of the boards did not
+      excite any suspicion in their torpid minds. M. Letourneur, it is true, did
+      express his surprise that the crew of an ordinary merchant vessel should
+      be distinguished by such extraordinary cleanliness, but as I replied to
+      him in a very casual tone, he passed no further remark. I could not help
+      regretting that I had given Curtis my pledge of silence, and longed
+      intensely to communicate the melancholy secret to the energetic Frenchman;
+      for at times when I reflect upon the eight-and-twenty victims who may
+      probably, only too soon, be a prey to the relentless flames, my heart
+      seems ready to burst.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The important consultation between captain, mate, lieutenant, and
+      boatswain has taken place. Curtis has confided the result to me. He says
+      that Huntly, the captain, is completely demoralized; he has lost all power
+      and energy; and practically leaves the command of the ship to him. It is
+      now certain the fire is beyond control, and that sooner or later it will
+      burst out in full violence The temperature of the crew&rsquo;s quarters has
+      already become almost unbearable. One solitary hope remained; it is that
+      we may reach the shore before the final catastrophe occurs. The Lesser
+      Antilles are the nearest land; and although they are some five or six
+      hundred miles away, if the wind remains north-east there is yet a chance
+      of reaching them in time.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Carrying royals and studding-sails, the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; during the last
+      four-and-twenty hours has held a steady course. M. Letourneur is the only
+      one of all the passengers who has remarked the change of tack; Curtis
+      however, has set all speculation on his part to rest by telling him that
+      he wanted to get ahead of the wind, and that he was tacking to the west to
+      catch a favourable current.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day, the 21st, all has gone on as usual; and as far as the observation
+      of the passengers has reached, the ordinary routine has been undisturbed.
+      Curtis indulges the hope even yet that by excluding the air, the fire may
+      be stifled before it ignites the general cargo; he has hermetically closed
+      every accessible aperture, and has even taken the precaution of plugging
+      the orifices of the pumps, under the impression that their suction-tubes,
+      running as they do to the bottom of the hold, may possibly be channels for
+      conveying some molecules of air. Altogether, he considers it a good sign
+      that the combustion has not betrayed itself by some external issue of
+      smoke.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The day would have passed without any incident worth recording if I had
+      not chanced to overhear a fragment of a conversation which demonstrated
+      that our situation hitherto precarious enough, had now become most
+      appalling.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As I was sitting on the poop, two of my fellow-passengers, Falsten, the
+      engineer, and Ruby, the merchant whom I had observed to be often in
+      company, were engaged in conversation almost close to me. What they said
+      was evidently not intended for my hearing, but my attention was directed
+      towards them by some very emphatic gestures of dissatisfaction on the part
+      of Falsten, and I could not forbear listening to what followed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Preposterous! shameful!&rdquo; exclaimed Falsten; &ldquo;nothing could be more
+      imprudent.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Pooh! pooh!&rdquo; replied Ruby; &ldquo;it&rsquo;s all right; it is not the first time I
+      have done it.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But don&rsquo;t you know that any shock at any time might cause an explosion?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Oh, it&rsquo;s all properly secured,&rdquo; said Ruby, &ldquo;tight enough; I have no fears
+      on that score, Mr. Falsten.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But why,&rdquo; asked Falsten, &ldquo;did you not inform the captain?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Just because if I had informed him, he would not have taken the case on
+      board.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The wind dropped for a few seconds; and for a brief interval I could not
+      catch what passed; but I could see that Falsten continued to remonstrate,
+      whilst Ruby answered by shrugging his shoulders. At length I heard Falsten
+      say,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Well, at any rate the captain must be informed of this, and the package
+      shall be thrown overboard. I don&rsquo;t want, to be blown up.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I started. To what could the engineer be alluding? Evidently he had not
+      the remotest suspicion that the cargo was already on fire. In another
+      moment the words &ldquo;picrate of potash&rdquo; brought me to my feet? and with an
+      involuntary impulse I rushed up to Ruby, and seized him by the shoulder.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Is there picrate of potash on board?&rdquo; I almost shrieked.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; said Falsten, &ldquo;a case containing thirty pounds.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Where is it?&rdquo; I cried.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Down in the hold, with the cargo.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      What my feelings were I cannot describe; but it was hardly in terror so
+      much as with a kind of resignation that I made my way to Curtis on the
+      forecastle, and made him aware that the alarming character of our
+      situation was now complete, as there was enough explosive matter on board
+      to blow up a mountain. Curtis received the information as coolly as it was
+      delivered, and after I had made him acquainted with all the particulars
+      said,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Not a word of this must be mentioned to any one else, Mr. Kazallon, where
+      is Ruby now?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;On the poop,&rdquo; I said.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Will you then come with me, sir?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Ruby and Falsten were sitting just as I had left them. Curtis walked
+      straight up to Ruby, and asked him whether what he had been told was true.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, quite true,&rdquo; said Ruby, complacently, thinking that the worst that
+      could befall him would be that he might be convicted of a little
+      smuggling.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I observed that Curtis was obliged for a moment or two to clasp his hands
+      tightly together behind his back to prevent himself from seizing the
+      unfortunate passenger by the throat; but suppressing his indignation, he
+      proceeded quietly, though sternly, to interrogate him about the facts of
+      the case. Ruby only confirmed what I had already told him. With
+      characteristic Anglo-Saxon incautiousness he had brought on board with the
+      rest of his baggage, a case containing no less than thirty pounds of
+      picrate, and had allowed the explosive matter to be stowed in the hold
+      with as little compunction as a Frenchman would feel in smuggling a single
+      bottle of wine. He had not informed the captain of the dangerous nature of
+      the contents of the package, because he was perfectly aware that he would
+      have been refused permission to bring the package on board.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Any way,&rdquo; he said, with a shrug of his shoulders, &ldquo;you can&rsquo;t hang me for
+      it; and if the package gives you so much concern, you are quite at liberty
+      to throw it into the sea. My luggage is insured.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I was beside myself with fury, and not being endowed with Curtis&rsquo;s
+      reticence and self-control, before he could interfere to stop me, I cried
+      out,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;You fool! don&rsquo;t you know that there is fire on board?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      In an instant I regretted my words. Most earnestly I wished them
+      unuttered, But it was too late: their effect upon Ruby was electrical. He
+      was paralyzed with terror his limbs stiffened convulsively; his eye was
+      dilated; he gasped for breath, and was speechless. All of a sudden he
+      threw up his arms and, as though he momentarily expected an explosion, he
+      darted down from the poop, and paced frantically up and down the deck,
+      gesticulating like a madman, and shouting,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Fire on board! Fire! Fire!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      On hearing the outcry, all the crew, supposing that the fire had now in
+      reality broken out, rushed on deck; the rest of the passengers soon joined
+      them, and the scene that ensued was one of the utmost confusion. Mrs. Kear
+      fell down senseless on the deck, and her husband, occupied in looking
+      after himself, left her to the tender mercies of Miss Herbey. Curtis
+      endeavoured to silence Ruby&rsquo;s ravings, whilst I, in as few words as I
+      could, made M. Letourneur aware of the extent to which the cargo was on
+      fire. The father&rsquo;s first thought was for Andre but the young man preserved
+      an admirable composure, and begged his father not to be alarmed, as the
+      danger was not immediate. Meanwhile the sailors had loosened all the
+      tacklings of the long-boat; and were preparing to launch it, when Curtis&rsquo;s
+      voice was heard peremptorily bidding them to desist; he assured them that
+      the fire had made no further progress; that Mr. Ruby had been unduly
+      excited and not conscious of what he had said; and he pledged his word
+      that when the right moment should arrive he would allow them all to leave
+      the ship; but that moment, he said, had not yet come.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At the sound of a voice which they had learned to honour and respect, the
+      crew paused in their operations, and the long-boat remained suspended in
+      its place. Fortunately, even Ruby himself in the midst of his ravings, had
+      not dropped a word about the picrate that had been deposited in the hold;
+      for although the mate had a power over the sailors that Captain Huntly had
+      never possessed, I feel certain that if the true state of the case had
+      been known, nothing on earth would have prevented some of them, in their
+      consternation, from effecting an escape. As it was, only Curtis, Falsten,
+      and myself were cognizant of the terrible secret.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As soon as order was restored, the mate and, I joined Falsten on the poop,
+      where he had remained throughout the panic, and where we found him with
+      folded arms, deep in thought, as it might be, solving some hard mechanical
+      problem. He promised, at my request, that he would reveal nothing of the
+      new danger to which we were exposed through Ruby&rsquo;s imprudence. Curtis
+      himself took the responsibility of informing Captain Huntly of our
+      critical situation.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In order to insure complete secrecy, it was necessary to secure the person
+      of the unhappy Ruby, who, quite beside himself, continued to rave up and
+      down the deck with the incessant cry of &ldquo;Fire! fire!&rdquo; Accordingly Curtis
+      gave orders to some of his men to seize him and gag him; and before he
+      could make any resistance the miserable man was captured and safely lodged
+      in confinement in his own cabin.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 22nd.&mdash;Curtis has told the captain everything; for he
+      persists in ostensibly recognizing him as his superior officer, and
+      refuses to conceal from him our true situation. Captain Huntly received
+      the communication in perfect silence, and merely passing his hand across
+      his forehead as though to, banish some distressing thought, re-entered his
+      cabin without a word.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis, Lieutenant Walter, Falsten, and myself have been discussing the
+      chances of our safety, and I am surprised to find with how much composure
+      we can all survey our anxious predicament.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;There is no doubt&rdquo; said Curtis, &ldquo;that we must abandon all hope of
+      arresting the fire; the heat towards the bow has already become well-nigh
+      unbearable, and the time must come when the flames will find a vent
+      through the deck. If the sea is calm enough for us to make use of the
+      boats, well and good; we shall of course get quit of the ship as quietly
+      as we can; if on the other hand, the weather should be adverse, or the
+      wind be boisterous, we must stick to our place, and contend with the
+      flames to the very last; perhaps, after all, we shall fare better with the
+      fire as a declared enemy than as a hidden one.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Falsten and I agreed with what he said, but I pointed out to him that he
+      had quite overlooked the fact of there being thirty pounds of combustible
+      matter in the hold.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No&rdquo; he gravely replied, &ldquo;I have not forgotten it, but it is a
+      circumstance of which I do not trust myself to think I dare not run the
+      risk of admitting air into the hold by going down to search for the
+      powder, and yet I know not at what moment it may explode. No; it is a
+      matter that I cannot take at all into my reckoning, it must remain in
+      higher hands than mine.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      We bowed our heads in a silence which was solemn. In the present state of
+      the weather, immediate flight was, we knew, impossible.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After a considerable pause, Falsten, as calmly as though he were
+      delivering some philosophic dogma, observed,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The explosion, if I may use the formula of science, is not necessary, but
+      contingent.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But tell me, Mr. Falsten,&rdquo; I asked, &ldquo;is it possible for picrate of potash
+      to ignite without concussion?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Certainly it is,&rdquo; replied the engineer. &ldquo;Under-ordinary circumstances,
+      picrate of potash although not MORE inflammable than common powder, yet
+      possesses the same degree of inflammability.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      We now prepared to go on deck. As we left the saloon, in which we had been
+      sitting, Curtis seized my hand.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Oh, Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; he exclaimed, &ldquo;if you only knew the bitterness of the
+      agony I feel at seeing this fine vessel doomed to be devoured by flames,
+      and at being so powerless to save her.&rdquo; Then quickly recovering himself,
+      he continued, &ldquo;But I am forgetting myself; you, if no other, must know
+      what I am suffering. It is all over now,&rdquo; he said more cheerfully.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Is our condition quite desperate?&rdquo; I asked.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;It is just this,&rdquo; he answered deliberately &ldquo;we are over a mine, and
+      already the match has been applied to the train. How long that train may
+      be, &lsquo;tis not for me to say.&rdquo; And with these words he left me.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The other passengers, in common with the crew, are still in entire
+      ignorance of the extremity of peril to which we are exposed, although they
+      are all aware that there is fire in the hold. As soon as the fact was
+      announced, Mr. Kear, after communicating to Curtis his instructions that
+      he thought he should have the fire immediately extinguished and intimating
+      that he held him responsible for all contingencies that might happen,
+      retired to his cabin, where he has remained ever since, fully occupied in
+      collecting and packing together the more cherished articles of his
+      property and without the semblance of a care or a thought for his
+      unfortunate wife, whose condition, in spite of her ludicrous complaints,
+      was truly pitiable. Miss Herbey, however, is unrelaxing in her attentions,
+      and the unremitted diligence with which she fulfills her offices of duty,
+      commands my highest admiration.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 23rd.&mdash;This morning, Captain Huntly sent for Curtis into his
+      cabin, and the mate has since made me acquainted with what passed between
+      them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Curtis,&rdquo; began the captain, his haggard eye betraying only too plainly
+      some mental derangement, &ldquo;I am a sailor, am I not?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Certainly, captain,&rdquo; was the prompt acquiescence of the mate.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I do not know how it is,&rdquo; continued the captain, &ldquo;but I seem bewildered;
+      I cannot recollect anything. Are we not bound for Liverpool? Ah! yes! of
+      course. And have we kept a north-easterly direction since we left?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No, sir, according to your orders we have been sailing south-east, and
+      here we are in the tropics.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;And what is the name of the ship?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The &lsquo;Chancellor,&rsquo; sir.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, yes, the &lsquo;Chancellor,&rsquo; so it is. Well, Curtis, I really can&rsquo;t take
+      her back to the north. I hate the sea, the very sight of it makes me ill,
+      I would much rather not leave my cabin.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis went on to tell me how he had tried to persuade him that with a
+      little time and care he would soon recover his indisposition, and feel
+      himself again; but the captain had interrupted him by saying,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Well, well; we shall see by-and-by; but for the present you must take
+      this for my positive order; you must, from this time, at once take the
+      command of the ship, and act just as if I were not on board. Under present
+      circumstances, I can do nothing. My brain is all in a whirl, you cannot
+      tell what I am suffering;&rdquo; and the unfortunate man pressed both his hands
+      convulsively against his forehead.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I weighed the matter carefully for a moment,&rdquo; added Curtis, &ldquo;and seeing
+      what his condition too truly was, I acquiesced in all that he required and
+      withdrew, promising him that all his orders should be obeyed.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      After hearing these particulars, I could not help remarking how fortunate
+      it was that the captain had resigned of his own accord, for although he
+      might not be actually insane, it was very evident that his brain was in a
+      very morbid condition.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I succeed him at a very critical moment;&rdquo; said Curtis thoughtfully; &ldquo;but
+      I shall endeavour to do my duty.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      A short time afterwards he sent for the boatswain, and ordered him to
+      assemble the crew at the foot of the main-mast. As soon as the men were
+      together, he addressed them very calmly, but very firmly.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;My men,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;I have to tell you that Captain Huntly, on account of
+      the dangerous situation in which circumstances have placed us, and for
+      other reasons known to myself, has thought right to resign his command to
+      me. From this time forward, I am captain of this vessel.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Thus quietly and simply the change was effected, and we have the
+      satisfaction of knowing that the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; is now under the command of
+      a conscientious, energetic man, who will shirk nothing that he believes to
+      be for our common good. M. Letourneur, Andre, Mr. Falsten, and myself
+      immediately offered him our best wishes, in which Lieutenant Walter and
+      the boatswain most cordially joined.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The ship still holds her course south-west and Curtis crowds on all sail
+      and makes as speedily as possible for the nearest of the Lesser Antilles.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 24th to 29th.&mdash;For the last five days the sea has been very
+      heavy, and although the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; sails with wind and wave in her
+      favour, yet her progress is considerably impeded. Here on board this
+      veritable fireship I cannot help contemplating with a longing eye this
+      vast ocean that surrounds us. The water supply should be all we need.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Why not bore the deck?&rdquo; I said to Curtis. &ldquo;Why not admit the water by
+      tons into the hold? What could be the harm? The fire would be quenched;
+      and what would be easier than to pump the water out again?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I have already told you, Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; said Curtis, &ldquo;that the very
+      moment we admit the air, the flames will rush forth to the very top of the
+      masts. No; we must have courage and patience; we must wait. There is
+      nothing whatever to be done, except to close every aperture.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The fire continued to progress even more rapidly than we had hitherto
+      suspected. The heat gradually drove the passengers nearly all, on deck,
+      and the two stern cabins, lighted, as I said, by their windows in the
+      aft-board were the only quarters below that were inhabitable. Of these
+      Mrs. Kear occupied one, and Curtis reserved the other for Ruby, who, a
+      raving maniac, had to be kept rigidly under restraint. I went down
+      occasionally to see him, but invariably found him in a state of abject
+      terror, uttering horrible shrieks, as though possessed with the idea that
+      he was being scorched by the most excruciating heat.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Once or twice, too, I looked in upon the ex-captain. He was always calm
+      and spoke quite rationally upon any subject except his own profession; but
+      in connexion with that he prated away the merest nonsense. He suffered
+      greatly, but steadily declined all my offers of attention, and
+      pertinaciously refused to leave his cabin.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day, an acrid, nauseating smoke made its way through the panellings
+      that partition off the quarters of the crew. At once Curtis ordered the
+      partition to be enveloped in wet tarpaulin, but the fumes penetrated even
+      this, and filled the whole neighbourhood of the ship&rsquo;s bows with a reeking
+      vapour that was positively stifling. As we listened, too, we could hear a
+      dull rumbling sound, but we were as mystified as ever to comprehend where
+      the air could have entered that was evidently fanning the flames. Only too
+      certainly, it was now becoming a question not of days nor even of hours
+      before we must be prepared for the final catastrophe. The sea was still
+      running high, and escape by the boats was plainly impossible. Fortunately,
+      as I have said, the main-mast and the mizzen are of iron; otherwise the
+      heat at their base would long ago have brought them down and our chances
+      of safety would have been much imperiled; but by crowding on sail the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; in the full north-east wind continued to make her way with
+      undiminished speed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It is now a fortnight since the fire was first discovered, and the proper
+      working of the ship has gradually become a more and more difficult matter.
+      Even with thick shoes any attempt to walk upon deck up to the forecastle
+      was soon impracticable, and the poop, simply because its door is elevated
+      somewhat above the level of the hold, is now the only available
+      standing-place. Water began to lose its effect upon the scorched and
+      shrivelling planks; the resin oozed out from the knots in the wood, the
+      seams burst open, and the tar, melted by the heat, followed the rollings
+      of the vessel, and formed fantastic patterns about the deck.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Then to complete our perplexity, the wind shifted suddenly round to the
+      north-west, whence it blew a perfect hurricane. To no purpose did Curtis
+      do everything in his power to bring the ship ahull; every effort was vain;
+      the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; could not bear her trysail, so there was nothing to be
+      done but to let her go with the wind, and drift further and further from
+      the land for which we are longing so eagerly.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day, the 29th, the tempest seemed to reach its height; the waves
+      appeared to us mountains high, and dashed the spray most violently across
+      the deck. A boat could not live for a moment in such a sea.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Our situation is terrible. We all wait in silence, some few on the
+      forecastle, the great proportion of us on the poop. As for the picrate,
+      for the time we have quite forgotten its existence; indeed it might almost
+      seem as though its explosion would come as a relief, for no catastrophe,
+      however terrible, could far exceed the torture of our suspense.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      While he had still the remaining chance, Curtis rescued from the
+      store-room such few provisions as the heat of the compartment allowed him
+      to obtain; and a lot of cases of salt meat and biscuits, a cask of brandy,
+      some barrels of fresh water, together with some sails and wraps, a compass
+      and other instruments are now lying packed in a mass all ready for prompt
+      removal to the boats whenever we shall be obliged to leave the ship.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      About eight o&rsquo;clock in the evening, a noise is heard, distinct even above
+      the raging of the hurricane. The panels of the deck are upheaved, and
+      volumes of black smoke issue upwards as if from a safety-valve. An
+      universal consternation seizes one and all: we must leave the volcano
+      which is about to burst beneath our feet. The crew run to Curtis for
+      orders. He hesitates; looks first at the huge and threatening waves; looks
+      then at the boats. The long-boat is there, suspended right along the
+      centre of the deck; but it is impossible to approach it now; the yawl,
+      however, hoisted on the starboard side, and the whale-boat suspended aft,
+      are still available. The sailors make frantically for the yawl.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Stop, stop,&rdquo; shouts Curtis; &ldquo;do you mean to cut off our last and only
+      chance of safety? Would you launch a boat in such a sea as this?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      A few of them, with Owen at their head, give no heed to what he says.
+      Rushing to the poop, and seizing a cutlass, Curtis shouts again,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Touch the tackling of the davit, one of you; only touch it, and I&rsquo;ll
+      cleave your skull.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Awed by his determined manner, the men retire, some clambering into the
+      shrouds, whilst others mount to the very top of the masts.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At eleven o&rsquo;clock, several loud reports are heard, caused by the bursting
+      asunder of the partitions of the hold. Clouds of smoke issue from the
+      front, followed by a long tongue of lambent flame that seems to encircle
+      the mizzen-mast. The fire now reaches to the cabin occupied by Mrs. Kear,
+      who, shrieking wildly, is brought on deck by Miss Herbey. A moment more,
+      and Silas Huntly makes his appearance, his face all blackened with the
+      grimy smoke; he bows to Curtis, as he passes, and then proceeds in the
+      calmest manner to mount the aft-shrouds, and installs himself at the very
+      top of the mizzen.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The sight of Huntly recalls to my recollection the prisoner still below,
+      and my first impulse is to rush to the staircase and do what I can to set
+      him free. But the maniac has already eluded his confinement, and with
+      singed hair and his clothes already alight, rushes upon deck. Like a
+      salamander he passes across the burning deck with unscathed feet, and
+      glides through the stifling smoke with unchoked breath. Not a sound
+      escapes his lips.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Another loud report; the long-boat is shivered into fragments; the middle
+      panel bursts the tarpaulin that covered it, and a stream of fire, free at
+      length from the restraint that had held it, rises half-mast high.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The picrate! the picrate!&rdquo; shrieks the madman; &ldquo;we shall all be blown up!
+      the picrate will blow us all up.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      And in an instant, before we can get near him, he has hurled himself,
+      through the open hatchway, down into the fiery furnace below.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XIV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 29th:&mdash;NIGHT.&mdash;The scene, as night came on, was terrible
+      indeed. Notwithstanding the desperateness of our situation, however, there
+      was not one of us so paralyzed by fear, but that we fully realized the
+      horror of it all.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Poor Ruby, indeed, is lost and gone, but his last words were productive of
+      serious consequences. The sailors caught his cry of &ldquo;Picrate, picrate!&rdquo;
+       and being thus for the first time made aware of the true nature of their
+      peril, they resolved at every hazard to accomplish their escape. Beside
+      themselves with terror, they either did not or would not, see that no boat
+      could brave the tremendous waves that were raging around, and accordingly
+      they made a frantic rush towards the yawl. Curtis again made a vigorous
+      endeavour to prevent them, but this time all in vain; Owen urged them on,
+      and already the tackling was loosened, so that the boat was swung over to
+      the ship&rsquo;s side, For a moment it hung suspended in mid-air, and then, with
+      a final effort from the sailors, it was quickly lowered into the sea. But
+      scarcely had it touched the water, when it was caught by an enormous wave
+      which, recoiling with resistless violence, dashed it to atoms against the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rsquo;s&rdquo; side.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The men stood aghast; they were dumbfoundered. Long-boat and yawl both
+      gone, there was nothing now remaining to us but a small whale-boat. Not a
+      word was spoken; not a sound was heard but the hoarse whistling of the
+      wind, and the mournful roaring of the flames. From the centre of the ship,
+      which was hollowed out like a furnace, there issued a column of sooty
+      vapour that ascended to the sky. All the passengers, and several of the
+      crew, took refuge in the aft-quarters of the poop. Mrs. Kear was lying
+      senseless on one of the hen-coops, with Miss Herbey sitting passively at
+      her side; M. Letourneur held his son tightly clasped to his bosom. I saw
+      Falsten calmly consult his watch, and note down the time in his
+      memorandum-book, but I was far from sharing his, composure, for I was
+      overcome by a nervous agitation that I could not suppress.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As far as we knew, Lieutenant Walter, the boatswain, and such of the crew
+      as were not with us, were safe in the bow; but it was impossible to tell
+      how they were faring because the sheet of fire intervened like a curtain,
+      and cut off all communication between stem and stern.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I broke the dismal silence, saying &ldquo;All over now, Curtis.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No, sir, not yet,&rdquo; he replied, &ldquo;now that the panel is open we will set to
+      work, and pour water with all our might down into the furnace, and may be,
+      we shall put it out, even yet.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But how can you work your pumps while the deck is burning? and how can
+      you get at your men beyond that sheet of flame?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      He made no answer to my impetuous questions, and finding that he had
+      nothing more to say, I repeated that it was all over now.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After a pause, he said, &ldquo;As long as a plank of the ship remains to stand
+      on, Mr. Kazallon, I shall not give up my hope.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      But the conflagration raged with redoubled fury, the sea around us was
+      lighted with a crimson glow, and the clouds above shone with a lurid
+      glare. Long jets of fire darted across the hatchways, and we were forced
+      to take refuge on the taffrail at the extreme end of the poop. Mrs. Kear
+      was laid in the whale-boat that hung from the stern, Miss Herbey
+      persisting to the last in retaining her post by her side.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      No pen could adequately portray the horrors of this fearful night. The
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; under bare poles, was driven, like a gigantic fire-ship with
+      frightful velocity across the raging ocean; her very speed as it were,
+      making common cause with the hurricane to fan the fire that was consuming
+      her. Soon there could be no alternative between throwing ourselves into
+      the sea, or perishing in the flames.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But where, all this time, was the picrate? perhaps, after all, Ruby had
+      deceived us and there was no volcano, such as we dreaded, below our feet.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At half-past eleven, when the tempest seems at its very height there is
+      heard a peculiar roar distinguishable even above the crash of the
+      elements. The sailors in an instant recognize its import.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Breakers to starboard!&rdquo; is the cry.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis leaps on to the netting, casts a rapid glance at the snow-white
+      billows, and turning to the helmsman shouts with all his might &ldquo;Starboard
+      the helm!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      But it is too late. There is a sudden shock; the ship is caught up by an
+      enormous wave; she rises upon her beam ends; several times she strikes the
+      ground; the mizzen-mast snaps short off level with the deck, falls into
+      the sea, and the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; is motionless.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      THE NIGHT OF THE 29th CONTINUED.&mdash;It was not yet midnight; the
+      darkness was most profound, and we could see nothing. But was it probable
+      that we had stranded on the coast of America?
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Very shortly after the ship had thus come to a standstill a clanking of
+      chains was heard proceeding from her bows.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;That is well,&rdquo; said Curtis; &ldquo;Walter and the boatswain have cast both the
+      anchors. Let us hope they will hold.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Then, clinging to the netting, he clambered along the starboard side, on
+      which the ship had heeled, as far as the flames would allow him. He clung
+      to the holdfasts of the shrouds, and in spite of the heavy seas that
+      dashed against the vessel he maintained his position for a considerable
+      time, evidently listening to some sound that had caught his ear in the
+      midst of the tempest. In about a quarter of an hour he returned to the
+      poop.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Heaven be praised!&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;the water is coming in, and perhaps may get
+      the better of the fire.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;True,&rdquo; said I, &ldquo;but what then?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;That,&rdquo; he replied, &ldquo;is a question for by-and-by. We can now only think of
+      the present.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Already I fancied that the violence of the flames was somewhat abated, and
+      that the two opposing elements were in fierce contention. Some plank in
+      the ship&rsquo;s side was evidently stove in, admitting free passage for the
+      waves. But how, when the water had mastered the fire, should we be able to
+      master the water? Our natural course would be to use the pumps, but these,
+      in the very midst of the conflagration, were quite unavailable.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      For three long hours, in anxious suspense, we watched and watched, and
+      waited. Where we were we could not tell. One thing alone was certain: the
+      tide was ebbing beneath us, and the waves were relaxing in their violence.
+      Once let the fire be extinguished, and then, perhaps, there would be room
+      to hope that the next high tide would set us afloat.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Towards half-past four in the morning the curtain of fire and smoke, which
+      had shut off communication between the two extremities of the ship, became
+      less dense, and we could faintly distinguish that party of the crew who
+      had taken refuge in the forecastle; and before long, although it was
+      impracticable to step upon the deck, the lieutenant and the boatswain
+      contrived to clamber over the gunwale, along the rails, and joined Curtis
+      on the poop.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Here they held a consultation, to which I was admitted. They were all of
+      opinion that nothing could be done until daylight should give us something
+      of an idea of our actual position. If we then found that we were near the
+      shore, we would, weather permitting, endeavour to land, either in the boat
+      or upon a raft. If, on the other hand, no land were in sight, and the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; were ascertained to be stranded on some isolated reef, all we
+      could do would be to get her afloat, and put her into condition for
+      reaching the nearest coast. Curtis told us that it was long since he had
+      been able to take any observation of altitude, but there was no doubt the
+      north-west wind had driven us far to the south; and he thought, as he was
+      ignorant of the existence of any reef in this part of the Atlantic, that
+      it was just possible that we had been driven on to the coast of some
+      portion of South America.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I reminded him that we were in momentary expectation of an explosion, and
+      suggested that it would be advisable to abandon the ship and take refuge
+      on the reef. But he would not hear of such a proceeding, said that the
+      reef would probably be covered at high tide, and persisted in the original
+      resolution, that no decided action could be taken before the daylight
+      appeared.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I immediately reported this decision of the captain to my fellow
+      passengers. None of them seem to realize the new danger to which the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; may be exposed by being cast upon an unknown reef, hundreds
+      of miles it may be from land. All are for the time possessed with one
+      idea, one hope; and that is, that the fire may now be quenched and the
+      explosion averted.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And certainly their hopes seem in a fair way of being fulfilled. Already
+      the raging flames that poured forth from the hatches have given place to
+      dense black smoke, and although occasionally some fiery streaks dart
+      across the dusky fumes, yet they are instantly extinguished. The waves are
+      doing what pumps and buckets could never have effected; by their
+      inundation they are steadily stifling the fire which was as steadily
+      spreading to the whole bulk of the 1700 bales of cotton.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XVI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 30th.&mdash;At the first gleam of daylight we eagerly scanned the
+      southern and western horizons, but the morning mists limited our view.
+      Land was nowhere to be seen. The tide was now almost at its lowest ebb,
+      and the colour of the few peaks of rock that jutted up around us showed
+      that the reef on which we had stranded was of basaltic formation. There
+      were now only about six feet of water around the &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo; though with
+      a full freight she draws about fifteen. It was remarkable how far she had
+      been carried on to the shelf of rock, but the number of times that she had
+      touched the bottom before she finally ran aground left us no doubt that
+      she had been lifted up and borne along on the top of an enormous wave. She
+      now lies with her stern considerably higher than her bows, a position
+      which renders walking upon the deck anything but an easy matter; moreover
+      as the tide-receded she heeled over so much to larboard that at one time
+      Curtis feared she would altogether capsize; that fear, however, since the
+      tide has reached its lowest mark, has happily proved groundless.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At six o&rsquo;clock some violent blows were felt against the ship&rsquo;s side, and
+      at the same time a voice was distinguished, shouting loudly, &ldquo;Curtis!
+      Curtis!&rdquo; Following the direction of the cries we saw that the broken
+      mizzen-mast was being washed against the vessel, and in the dusky morning
+      twilight we could make out the figure of a man clinging to the rigging.
+      Curtis, at the peril of his life, hastened to bring the man on board, It
+      proved to be none other than Silas Huntly, who, after being carried
+      overboard with the mast, had thus, almost by a miracle, escaped a watery
+      grave. Without a word of thanks to his deliverer, the ex-captain, passive,
+      like an automaton, passed on and took his seat in the most secluded corner
+      of the poop. The broken mizzen may, perhaps, be of service to us at some
+      future time, and with that idea it has been rescued from the waves and
+      lashed securely to the stern.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      By this time it was light enough to see for a distance of three miles
+      round; but as yet nothing could be discerned to make us think that we were
+      near a coast. The line of breakers ran for about a mile from south-west to
+      north-east, and two hundred fathoms to the north of the ship an irregular
+      mass of rocks formed a small islet. This islet rose about fifty feet above
+      the sea, and was consequently above the level of the highest tides; whilst
+      a sort of causeway, available at low water, would enable us to reach the
+      island, if necessity required. But there the reef ended; beyond it the sea
+      again resumed its sombre hue, betokening deep water. In all probability,
+      then, this was a solitary shoal, unattached to a shore, and the gloom of a
+      bitter disappointment began to weigh upon our spirits.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In another hour the mists had totally disappeared, and it was broad
+      daylight. I and M. Letourneur stood watching Curtis as he continued
+      eagerly to scan the western horizon. Astonishment was written on his
+      countenance; to him it appeared perfectly incredible that, after our
+      course for so long had been due south from the Bermudas, no land should be
+      in sight. But not a speck, however minute, broke the clearly-defined line
+      that joined sea and sky. After a time Curtis made his way along the
+      netting to the shrouds, and swung himself quickly up to the top of the
+      mainmast. For several minutes he remained there examining the open space
+      around, then seizing one of the backstays he glided down and rejoined us
+      on the poop.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No land in sight,&rdquo; he said, in answer to our eager looks of inquiry.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At this point Mr. Kear interposed, and in a gruff, ill-tempered tone,
+      asked Curtis where we were. Curtis replied that he did not know.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t know, sir? Then all I can say is that you ought to know!&rdquo;
+       exclaimed the petroleum merchant.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;That may be, sir; but at present I am as ignorant of our whereabouts as
+      you are yourself,&rdquo; said Curtis.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Well,&rdquo; said Mr. Kear, &ldquo;just please to know that I don&rsquo;t want to stay for
+      ever on your everlasting ship, so I beg you will make haste and start off
+      again.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis condescended to make no other reply than a shrug of the shoulders,
+      and turning away he informed M. Letourneur and myself that if the sun came
+      out he intended to take its altitude and find out to what part of the
+      ocean we had been driven. His next care was to distribute preserved meat
+      and biscuit amongst the passengers and crew already half fainting with
+      hunger and fatigue, and then he set to work to devise measures for setting
+      the ship afloat.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The conflagration was greatly abated; no flames now appeared, and although
+      some black smoke still issued from the interior, yet its volume was far
+      less than before. The first step was to discover how much water had
+      entered the hold. The deck was still too hot to walk upon; but after two
+      hours&rsquo; irrigation the boards became sufficiently cool for the boatswain to
+      proceed to take some soundings, and he shortly afterwards announced that
+      there were five feet of water below. This the captain determined should
+      not be pumped out at present, as he wanted it thoroughly to do its duty
+      before he got rid of it.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The next subject for consideration was whether it would be advisable to
+      abandon the vessel, and to take refuge on the reef. Curtis thought not;
+      and the lieutenant and the boatswain agreed with him. The chances of an
+      explosion were greatly diminished, as it had been ascertained that the
+      water had reached that part of the hold in which Ruby&rsquo;s luggage had been
+      deposited; while, on the other hand, in the event of rough weather, our
+      position even upon the most elevated points of rock might be very
+      critical. It was accordingly resolved that both passengers and crew were
+      safest on board.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Acting upon this decision we proceeded to make a kind of encampment on the
+      poop, and the few mattresses that were rescued uninjured have been given
+      up for the use of the two ladies. Such of the crew as had saved their
+      hammocks have been told to place them under the forecastle where they
+      would have to stow themselves as best they could, their ordinary quarters
+      being absolutely uninhabitable.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Fortunately, although the store-room has been considerably exposed to the
+      heat, its contents are not very seriously damaged, and all the barrels of
+      water and the greater part of the provisions are quite intact. The stack
+      of spare sails, which had been packed away in front, is also free from
+      injury. The wind has dropped considerably since the early morning, and the
+      swell in the sea is far less heavy. On the whole our spirits are reviving,
+      and we begin to think we may yet find a way out of our troubles.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Letourneur, his son, and I, have just had a long conversation about the
+      ship&rsquo;s officers. We consider their conduct, under the late trying
+      circumstances, to have been most exemplary, and their courage, energy, and
+      endurance to have been beyond all praise. Lieutenant Walter, the
+      boatswain, and Dowlas the carpenter have all alike distinguished
+      themselves, and made us feel that they are men to be relied on. As for
+      Curtis, words can scarcely be found to express our admiration of his
+      character; he is the same as he has ever been, the very life of his crew,
+      cheering them on by word or gesture; finding an expedient for every
+      difficulty, and always foremost in every action.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The tide turned at seven this morning, and by eleven all the rocks were
+      submerged, none of them being visible except the cluster of those which
+      formed the rim of a small and almost circular basin from 250 to 300 feet
+      in diameter, in the north angle of which the ship is lying. As the tide
+      rose the white breakers disappeared, and the sea, fortunately for the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo; was pretty calm; otherwise the dashing of the waves against
+      her sides, as she lies motionless, might have been attended by serious
+      consequences.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As might be supposed, the height of the water in the hold increased with
+      the tide from five feet to nine; but this was rather a matter for
+      congratulation, inasmuch as it sufficed to inundate another layer of
+      cotton.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At half-past eleven the sun, which had been behind the clouds since ten
+      o&rsquo;clock, broke forth brightly. The captain, who had already in the morning
+      been able to calculate an horary angle, now prepared to take the meridian
+      altitude, and succeeded at midday in making his observation most
+      satisfactorily. After retiring for a short time to calculate the result;
+      he returned to the poop and announced that we are in lat; 18deg. 5min. N.
+      and long. 45deg. 53min. W., but that the reef on which we are aground is
+      not marked upon the charts. The only explanation that can be given for the
+      omission is that the islet must be of recent formation, and has been
+      caused by some subterranean volcanic disturbance. But whatever may be the
+      solution of the mystery, here we are 800 miles from land; for such, on
+      consulting the map, we find to be the actual distance to the coast of
+      Guiana, which is the nearest shore. Such is the position to which we have
+      been brought, in the first place, by Huntly&rsquo;s senseless obstinacy, and,
+      secondly, by the furious north-west gale.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Yet, after all, the captain&rsquo;s communication does not dishearten us. As I
+      said before, our spirits are reviving. We have escaped the peril of fire;
+      the fear of explosion is past and gone; and oblivious of the fact that the
+      ship with a hold full of water is only too likely to founder when she puts
+      out to sea, we feel a confidence in the future that forbids us to despond.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meanwhile Curtis prepares to do all that common sense demands. He
+      proposes, when the fire is quite extinguished, to throw overboard the
+      whole, or the greater portion of the cargo, including of course, the
+      picrate; he will next plug up the leak, and then, with a lightened ship,
+      he will take advantage of the first high tide to quit the reef as speedily
+      as possible.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XVII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 30th.&mdash;Once again I talked to M. Letourneur about our
+      situation, and endeavoured to animate him with the hope that we should not
+      be detained for long in our present predicament; but he could not be
+      brought to take a very sanguine view of our prospects.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But surely,&rdquo; I protested, &ldquo;it will not be difficult to throw overboard a
+      few hundred bales of cotton; two or three days at most will suffice for
+      that.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Likely enough,&rdquo; he replied, &ldquo;when the business is once begun; but you
+      must remember, Mr. Kazallon, that the very heart of the cargo is still
+      smouldering, and that it will still be several days before any one will be
+      able to venture into the hold. Then the leak, too, that has to be caulked;
+      and, unless it is stopped up very effectually, we shall be only doomed
+      most certainly to perish at sea. Don&rsquo;t, then, be deceiving yourself; it
+      must be three weeks at least before you can expect to put out to sea. I
+      can only hope meanwhile that the weather will continue propitious; it
+      wouldn&rsquo;t take many storms to knock the &lsquo;Chancellor,&rsquo; shattered as she is,
+      completely into pieces.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Here, then, was the suggestion of a new danger to which we were to be
+      exposed; the fire might be extinguished, the water might be got rid of by
+      the pumps, but, after all, we must be at the mercy of the wind and waves;
+      and, although the rocky island might afford a temporary refuge from the
+      tempest, what was to become of passengers and crew if the vessel should be
+      reduced to a total wreck? I made no remonstrance, however, to this view of
+      our case, but merely asked M. Letourneur if he had confidence in Robert
+      Curtis?
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Perfect confidence,&rdquo; he answered; &ldquo;and I acknowledge it most gratefully,
+      as a providential circumstance, that Captain Huntly had given him the
+      command in time. Whatever man can do I know that Curtis will not leave
+      undone to extricate us from our dilemma.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Prompted by this conversation with M. Letourneur I took the first
+      opportunity of trying to ascertain from Curtis himself, how long he
+      reckoned we should be obliged to remain upon the reef; but he merely
+      replied, that it must depend upon circumstances, and that he hoped the
+      weather would continue favourable. Fortunately the barometer is rising
+      steadily, and there is every sign of a prolonged calm.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meantime Curtis is taking active measures for totally extinguishing the
+      fire. He is at no great pains to spare the cargo, and as the bales that
+      lie just above the level of the water are still a-light he has resorted to
+      the expedient of thoroughly saturating the upper layers of the cotton, in
+      order that the combustion may be stifled between the moisture descending
+      from above and that ascending from below. This scheme has brought the
+      pumps once more into requisition. At present the crew are adequate to the
+      task of working them, but I and some of our fellow passengers are ready to
+      offer our assistance whenever it shall be necessary.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      With no immediate demand upon our labour, we are thrown upon our own
+      resources for passing our time. Letourneur, Andre and myself, have
+      frequent conversations; I also devote an hour or two to my diary. Falsten
+      holds little communication with any of us, but remains absorbed in his
+      calculations, and amuses himself by tracing mechanical diagrams with
+      ground-plan, section, elevation, all complete. It would be a happy
+      inspiration if he could invent some mighty engine that could set us all
+      afloat again. Mr. and Mrs. Kear, too, hold themselves aloof from their
+      fellow passengers, and we are not sorry to be relieved from the necessity
+      of listening to their incessant grumbling; unfortunately, however, they
+      carry off Miss Herbey with them, so that we enjoy little or nothing of the
+      young lady&rsquo;s society. As for Silas Huntly, he has become a complete
+      nonentity; he exists, it is true, but merely, it would seem, to vegetate.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Hobart, the steward, an obsequious, sly sort of fellow, goes through his
+      routine of duties just as though the vessel were pursuing her ordinary
+      course; and, as usual, is continually falling out with Jynxstrop, the
+      cook, an impudent, ill-favoured negro, who interferes with the other
+      sailors in a manner which, I think, ought not to be allowed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Since it appears likely that we shall have abundance of time on our hands,
+      I have proposed to M. Letourneur and his son that we shall together
+      explore the reef on which we are stranded. It is not very probable that we
+      shall be able to discover much about the origin of this strange
+      accumulation of rock, yet the attempt will at least occupy us for some
+      hours, and will relieve us from the monotony of our confinement on board.
+      Besides, as the reef is not marked in any of the maps, I could not but
+      believe that it would be rendering a service to hydrography if we were to
+      take an accurate plan of the rocks, of which Curtis could afterwards
+      verify the true position by a second observation made with a closer
+      precision than the one he has already taken.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Letourneur agrees to my proposal, Curtis has promised to let us have
+      the boat and some sounding-lines, and to allow one of the sailors to
+      accompany us; so to-morrow morning, we hope to make our little voyage of
+      investigation.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XVIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      OCTOBER 31st to NOVEMBER 5th.&mdash;Our first proceeding on the morning of
+      the 31st was to make the proposed tour of the reef, which is about a
+      quarter of a mile long. With the aid of our sounding-lines we found that
+      the water was deep, right up to the very rocks, and that no shelving
+      shores prevented us coasting along them. There was not a shadow of doubt
+      as to the rock being of purely volcanic origin, upheaved by some mighty
+      subterranean convulsion. It is formed of blocks of basalt, arranged in
+      perfect order, of which the regular prisms give the whole mass the effect
+      of being one gigantic crystal; and the remarkable transparency of the sea
+      enabled us plainly to observe the curious shafts of the prismatic columns
+      that support the marvelous substructure.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;This is indeed a singular island,&rdquo; said M. Letourneur; &ldquo;evidently it is
+      of quite a recent origin.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, father,&rdquo; said Andre, &ldquo;and I should think it has been caused by a
+      phenomenon similar to those which produced the Julia Island, off the coast
+      of Sicily, or the group of the Santorini, in the Grecian Archipelago. One
+      could almost fancy that it had been created expressly for the &lsquo;Chancellor&rsquo; 
+      to stand upon.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;It is very certain,&rdquo; I observed, &ldquo;that some upheaving has lately taken
+      place. This is by no means an unfrequented part of the Atlantic, so that
+      it is not at all likely that it could have escaped the notice of sailors
+      if it had been always in existence; yet it is not marked even in the most
+      modern charts. We must try and explore it thoroughly and give future
+      navigators the benefit of our observations.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But, perhaps, it will disappear as it came,&rdquo; said Andre. &ldquo;You are no
+      doubt aware, Mr. Kazallon, that these volcanic islands sometimes have a
+      very transitory existence. Not impossibly, by the time it gets marked upon
+      the maps it may no longer be here.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Never mind, my boy,&rdquo; answered his father, &ldquo;it is better to give warning
+      of a danger that does not exist than overlook one that does. I daresay the
+      sailors will not grumble much, if they don&rsquo;t find a reef where we have
+      marked one.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No, I daresay not, father,&rdquo; said Andre &ldquo;and after all this island is very
+      likely as firm as a continent. However, if it is to disappear, I expect
+      Captain Curtis would be glad to see it take its departure as soon as
+      possible after he has finished his repairs; it would save him a world of
+      trouble in getting his ship afloat.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Why, what a fellow you are Andre!&rdquo; I said, laughing, &ldquo;I believe you would
+      like to rule Nature with a magic wand; first of all, you would call up a
+      reef from the depth of the ocean to give the &lsquo;Chancellor&rsquo; time to
+      extinguish her flames, and then you would make it disappear just that the
+      ship might be free again.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Andre smiled; then, in a more serious tone, he expressed his gratitude for
+      the timely help that had been vouchsafed us in our hour of need.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The more we examined the rocks that formed the base of the little island,
+      the more we became convinced that its formation was quite recent, Not a
+      mollusk, not a tuft of seaweed was found clinging to the sides of the
+      rocks; not a germ had the wind carried to its surface, not a bird had
+      taken refuge amidst the crags upon its summits. To a lover of natural
+      history, the spot did not yield a single point of interest; the geologist
+      alone would find subject of study in the basaltic mass.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      When we reached the southern point of the island I proposed that we should
+      disembark. My companions readily assented, young Letourneur jocosely
+      observing that if the little island was destined to vanish, it was quite
+      right that it should first be visited by human beings. The boat was
+      accordingly brought alongside, and we set, foot upon the reef, and began
+      to ascend the gradual slope that leads to its highest elevation.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The walking was not very rough, and as Andre could get along tolerably
+      well without the assistance of an arm, he led the way, his father and I
+      following close behind. A quarter of an hour sufficed to bring us to the
+      loftiest point in the islet, when we seated ourselves on the basaltic
+      prism that crowned its summit.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Andre took a sketch-book from his pocket, and proceeded to make a drawing
+      of the reef. Scarcely had he completed the outline when his father
+      exclaimed,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Why, Andre, you have drawn a ham!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Something uncommonly like it, I confess,&rdquo; replied Andre. &ldquo;I think we had
+      better ask Captain Curtis to let us call our island Ham Rock.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Good,&rdquo; said I; &ldquo;though sailors will need to keep it at a respectful
+      distance, for they will scarcely find that their teeth are strong enough
+      to tackle with it.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Letourneur was quite correct; the outline of the reef as it stood
+      clearly defined against the deep green water resembled nothing so much, as
+      a fine York ham, of which the little creek, where the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; had
+      been stranded, corresponded to the hollow place above the knuckle. The
+      tide at this time was low, and the ship now lay heeled over very much to
+      the starboard side, the few points of rock that emerged in the extreme
+      south of the reef plainly marking the narrow passage through which she had
+      been forced before she finally ran aground.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As soon as Andre had finished his sketch we descended by a slope as
+      gradual as that by which we had come up, and made our way towards the
+      west. We had not gone very far when a beautiful grotto, perfect as an
+      architectural structure, arrested our attention, M. Letourneur and Andre
+      who have visited the Hebrides, pronounced it to be a Fingal&rsquo;s cave in
+      miniature; a Gothic chapel that might form a fit vestibule for the
+      cathedral cave of Staffa. The basaltic rocks had cooled down into the same
+      regular concentric prisms; there was the same dark canopied roof with its
+      interstices filled up with its yellow lutings; the same precision of
+      outline in the prismatic angles, sharp as though chiselled by a sculptor&rsquo;s
+      hand; the same sonorous vibration of the air across the basaltic rocks, of
+      which the Gaelic poets have feigned that the harps of the Fingal
+      minstrelsy were made. But whereas at Staffa the floor of the cave is
+      always covered with a sheet of water, here the grotto was beyond the reach
+      of all but the highest waves, whilst the prismatic shafts themselves
+      formed quite a solid pavement.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After remaining nearly an hour in our newly-discovered grotto we returned
+      to the &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo; and communicated the result of our explorations to
+      Curtis, who entered the island upon his chart by the name that Andre
+      Letourneur had proposed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Since its discovery we have not permitted a day to pass without spending
+      some time in our Ham Rock grotto. Curtis has taken an opportunity of
+      visiting it, but he is too preoccupied with other matters to have much
+      interest to spare for the wonders of nature. Falsten, too, came once and
+      examined the character of the rocks, knocking and chipping them about with
+      all the mercilessness of a geologist. Mr. Kear would not trouble himself
+      to leave the ship; and although I asked his wife to join us in one of our
+      excursions she declined, upon the plea that the fatigue, as well as the
+      inconvenience of embarking in the boat, would be more than she could bear.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Miss Herbey, only too thankful to escape even for an hour from her
+      capricious mistress, eagerly accepted M. Letourneur&rsquo;s invitation to pay a
+      visit to the reef but to her great disappointment Mrs. Kear at first
+      refused point-blank to allow her to leave the ship. I felt intensely
+      annoyed, and resolved to intercede in Miss Herbey&rsquo;s favour; and as I had
+      already rendered that self-indulgent lady sundry services which she
+      thought she might probably be glad again to accept, I gained my point, and
+      Miss Herbey has several times been permitted to accompany us across the
+      rocks, where the young girl&rsquo;s delight at her freedom has been a pleasure
+      to behold.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Sometimes we fish along the shore, and, then enjoy a luncheon in the
+      grotto, whilst the basalt columns vibrate like harps to the breeze. This
+      arid reef, little as it is, compared with the cramped limits of the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rsquo;s&rdquo; deck is like some vast domain; soon there will be scarcely
+      a stone with which we are not familiar, scarcely a portion of its surface
+      which we have not merrily trodden, and I am sure that when the hour of
+      departure arrives we shall leave it with regret.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the course of conversation, Andre Letourneur one day happened to say
+      that he believed the island of Staffa belonged to the Macdonald family,
+      who let it for the small sum of 12 pounds a year.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I suppose then,&rdquo; said Miss Herbey, &ldquo;that we should hardly get more than
+      half-a-crown a year for our pet little island.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think you would get a penny for it, Miss Herbey; but are you
+      thinking of taking a lease?&rdquo; I said, laughing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Not at present,&rdquo; she said; then added, with a half-suppressed sigh, &ldquo;and
+      yet it is a place where I have seemed to know what it is to be really
+      happy.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Andre murmured some expression of assent, and we all felt that there was
+      something touching in the words of the orphaned, friendless girl who had
+      found her long-lost sense of happiness on a lonely rock in the Atlantic.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XIX.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      NOVEMBER 6th to NOVEMBER 15th.&mdash;For the first five days after the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; had run aground, there was a dense black smoke continually
+      rising from the hold; but it gradually diminished until the 6th of
+      November, when we might consider that the fire was extinguished. Curtis,
+      nevertheless, deemed it prudent to persevere in working the pumps, which
+      he did until the entire hull of the ship, right up to the deck, had been
+      completely inundated.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The rapidity, however, with which the water, at every retreat of the tide,
+      drained off to the level of the sea, was an indication that the leak must
+      be of considerable magnitude; and such, on investigation, proved to be the
+      case. One of the sailors, named Flaypole, dived one day at low water to
+      examine the extent of the damage, and found that the hole was not much
+      less than four feet square, and was situated thirty feet fore of the helm,
+      and two feet above the rider of the keel; three planks had been stoved in
+      by a sharp point of rock, and it was only a wonder that the violence with
+      which the heavily-laden vessel had been thrown ashore did not result in
+      the smashing in of many parts besides.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As it would be a couple of days or more before the hold would be in a
+      condition for the bales of cotton to be removed for the carpenter to
+      examine the damage from the interior of the ship, Curtis employed the
+      interval in having the broken mizzen-mast repaired. Dowlas the carpenter,
+      with considerable skill, contrived to mortice it into its former stump,
+      and made the junction thoroughly secure by strong iron-belts and bolts.
+      The shrouds, the stays and backstays, were then carefully refitted, some
+      of the sails were changed, and the whole of the running rigging was
+      renewed. Injury, to some extent, had been done to the poop and to the
+      crew&rsquo;s lockers, in the front; but time and labour were all that were
+      wanted to make them good; and with such a will, did every one set to work
+      that it was not long before all the cabins were again available for use.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On the 8th the unlading of the ship commenced. Pulleys and tackling were
+      put over the hatches, and passengers and crew together proceeded to haul
+      up the heavy bales which had been deluged so frequently by water that the
+      cotton was all but spoiled. One by one the sodden bales were placed in the
+      boat to be transported to the reef. After the first layer of cotton had
+      been removed it became necessary to drain off part of the water that
+      filled the hold. For this purpose the leak in the side had somehow or
+      other to be stopped, and this was an operation which was cleverly
+      accomplished by Dowlas and Flaypole, who contrived to dive at low tide and
+      nail a sheet of copper over the entire hole. This, however, of itself
+      would have been utterly inadequate to sustain the pressure that would
+      arise from the action of the pumps; so Curtis ordered that a number of the
+      bales should be piled up inside against the broken planks. The scheme
+      succeeded very well, and as the water got lower and lower in the hold the
+      men were enabled to resume their task of unlading.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis thinks it quite probable that the leaks may be mended from the
+      interior. By far the best way of repairing the damage would be to careen
+      the ship, and to shift the planking, but the appliances are wanting for
+      such an undertaking; moreover, any bad weather which might occur while the
+      ship was on her flank would only too certainly be fatal to her altogether.
+      But the captain has very little doubt that by some device or other he
+      shall manage to patch up the hole in such a way as will insure our
+      reaching land in safety.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After two days&rsquo; toil the water was entirely reduced and without further
+      difficulty the unlading was completed. All of us, including even Andre
+      Letourneur, have been taking our turn at the pumps, for the work is so
+      extremely fatiguing that the crew require some occasional respite; arms
+      and back soon become strained and weary with the incessant swing of the
+      handles, and I can well understand the dislike which sailors always
+      express to the labour.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One thing there is which is much in our favour; the ship lies on a firm
+      and solid bottom, and we have the satisfaction of knowing that we are not
+      contending with a flood that encroaches faster than it can be resisted.
+      Heaven grant that we may not be called to make like efforts, and to make
+      them hopelessly, for a foundering ship!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0020" id="link2HCH0020">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XX.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      NOVEMBER 15th to 20th.&mdash;The examination of the hold has at last been
+      made. Amongst the first things that were found was the case of picrate,
+      perfectly intact; having neither been injured by the water, nor of course
+      reached by the flames. Why it was not at once pitched into the sea I
+      cannot say; but it was merely conveyed to the extremity of the island, and
+      there it remains.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      While they were below, Curtis and Dowlas made themselves acquainted with
+      the full extent of the mischief that had been done by the conflagration.
+      They found that the deck and the cross-beams that supported it had been
+      much less injured than they expected, and the thick, heavy planks had only
+      been scorched very superficially. But the action of the fire on the flanks
+      of the ship had been of a much more serious character; a long portion of
+      the inside boarding had been burnt away, and the very ribs of the vessel
+      were considerably damaged; the oakum caulkings had all started away from
+      the butt-ends and seams; so much so that it was little short of a miracle
+      that the whole ship had not long since gaped completely open.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The captain and the carpenter returned to the deck with anxious faces.
+      Curtis lost no time in assembling passengers and crew, and announcing to
+      them the facts of the case.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;My friends,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;I am here to tell you that the &lsquo;Chancellor&rsquo; has
+      sustained far greater injuries than we suspected, and that her hull is
+      very seriously damaged. If we had been stranded anywhere else than on a
+      barren reef, that may at any time be overwhelmed by a tempestuous sea I
+      should not have hesitated to take the ship to pieces, and construct a
+      smaller vessel that might have carried us safely to land; but I dare not
+      run the risk of remaining here. We are now 800 miles from the coast of
+      Paramaribo, the nearest portion of Dutch Guiana, and in ten or twelve
+      days, if the weather should be favourable, I believe we could reach the
+      shore. What I now propose to do is to stop the leak by the best means we
+      can command, and make at once for the nearest port.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      As no better plan seemed to suggest itself, Curtis&rsquo;s proposal was
+      unanimously accepted Dowlas and his assistants immediately set to work to
+      repair the charred frame-work of the ribs, and to stop the leak; they took
+      care thoroughly to caulk from the outside all the seams that were above
+      low water mark; lower than that they were unable to work, and had to
+      content themselves with such repairs as they could effect in the interior.
+      But after all the pains there is no doubt the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; is not fit for
+      a long voyage, and would be condemned as unseaworthy at any port at which
+      we might put in.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day, the 20th, Curtis having done all that human power could do to
+      repair his ship, determined to put her to sea.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Ever since the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; had been relieved of her cargo, and of the
+      water in her hold, she had been able to float in the little natural basin
+      into which she had been driven. The basin was enclosed on either hand by
+      rocks that remained uncovered even at high water, but was sufficiently
+      wide to allow the vessel to turn quite round at its broadest part, and by
+      means of hawsers fastened on the reef to be brought with her bows towards
+      the south; while, to prevent her being carried back on to the reef, she
+      has been anchored fore and aft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To all appearance, then, it seemed as though it would be an easy matter to
+      put the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; to sea; if the wind were favourable the sails would
+      be hoisted, if otherwise, she would have to be towed through the narrow
+      passage. All seemed simple. But unlooked-for difficulties had yet to be
+      surmounted.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The mouth of the passage is guarded by a kind of ridge of basalt, which at
+      high tide we knew was barely covered with sufficient water to float the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo; even when entirely unfreighted. To be sure she had been
+      carried over the obstacle once before, but then, as I have already said,
+      she had been caught up by an enormous wave, and might have been said to be
+      LIFTED over the barrier into her present position. Besides, on that
+      ever-memorable night, there had not only been the ordinary spring-tide,
+      but an equinoctial tide, such a one as could not be expected to occur
+      again for many months. Waiting was out of the question; so Curtis
+      determined to run the risk, and to take advantage of the spring-tide,
+      which would occur to-day, to make an attempt to get the ship, lightened as
+      she was, over the bar; after which, he might ballast her sufficiently to
+      sail.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The wind was blowing from the north-west, and consequently right in the
+      direction of the passage. The captain, however, after a consultation,
+      preferred to tow the ship over the ridge, as he considered it was scarcely
+      safe to allow a vessel of doubtful stability at full sail to charge an
+      obstacle that would probably bring her to a dead lock. Before the
+      operation was commenced, Curtis took the precaution of having an anchor
+      ready in the stern, for, in the event of the attempt being unsuccessful,
+      it would be necessary to bring the ship back to her present moorings. Two
+      more anchors were next carried outside the passage, which was not more
+      than two hundred feet in length. The chains were attached to the windlass,
+      the sailors worked away at the handspikes, and at four o&rsquo;clock in the
+      afternoon the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; was in motion.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      High tide would be at twenty minutes past four, and at ten minutes before
+      that time the ship had been hauled as far as her sea-range would allow;
+      her keel grazed the ridge, and her progress was arrested. When the lowest
+      part of her stern, however, just cleared the obstruction, Curtis deemed
+      that there was no longer any reason why the mechanical action of the wind
+      should not be brought to bear and contribute its assistance. Without
+      delay, all sails were unfurled and trimmed to the wind. The tide was
+      exactly at its height, passengers and crew together were at the windlass,
+      M. Letourneur, Andre, Falsten, and myself being at the starboard bar.
+      Curtis stood upon the poop, giving his chief attention to the sails; the
+      lieutenant was on the forecastle; the boatswain by the helm. The sea
+      seemed propitiously calm and, as it swelled gently to and fro, lifted the
+      ship several times.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Now, my boys,&rdquo; said Curtis in his calm clear voice, &ldquo;all together! Off!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Round went the windlass; click, click, clanked the chains as link by link
+      they were forced through the hawse-holes.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The breeze freshened, and the masts gave to the pressure of the sails, but
+      round and round we went, keeping time in regular monotony to the sing-song
+      tune hummed by one of the sailors.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We had gained about twenty feet, and were redoubling our efforts when the
+      ship grounded again.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And now no effort would avail; all was in vain; the tide began to turn;
+      and the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; would not advance an inch. Was there time to go back?
+      She would inevitably go to pieces if left balanced upon the ridge. In an
+      instant the captain has ordered the sails to be furled, and the anchor
+      dropped from the stern.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One moment of terrible anxiety, and all is well.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; tacks to stern, and glides back into the basin, which is
+      once more her prison.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Well, captain,&rdquo; says the boatswain, &ldquo;what&rsquo;s to be done now?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know&rdquo; said Curtis, &ldquo;but we shall get across somehow.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0021" id="link2HCH0021">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      NOVEMBER 21st to 24th.&mdash;There was assuredly no time to be lost before
+      we ought to leave Ham Rock reef. The barometer had been falling ever since
+      the morning, the sea was getting rougher, and there was every symptom that
+      the weather, hitherto so favourable, was on the point of breaking; and in
+      the event of a gale the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; must inevitably be dashed to pieces
+      on the rocks.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the evening, when the tide was quite low, and the rocks uncovered,
+      Curtis, the boatswain, and Dowlas went to examine the ridge which had
+      proved so serious an obstruction, Falsten and I accompanied them. We came
+      to the conclusion that the only way of effecting a passage was by cutting
+      away the rocks with pikes over a surface measuring ten feet by six. An
+      extra depth of nine or ten inches would give a sufficient gauge, and the
+      channel might be accurately marked out by buoys; in this way it was
+      conjectured the ship might be got over the ridge and so reach the deep
+      water beyond.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But this basalt is as hard as granite,&rdquo; said the boatswain; &ldquo;besides, we
+      can only get at it at low water, and consequently could only work at it
+      for two hours out of the twenty-four.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;All the more reason why we should begin at once, boatswain,&rdquo; said Curtis.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But if it is to take us a month, captain, perhaps by that time the ship
+      may be knocked to atoms. Couldn&rsquo;t we manage to blow up the rock? we have
+      got some powder on board.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Not enough for that;&rdquo; said the boatswain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;You have something better than powder,&rdquo; said Falsten.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What&rsquo;s that?&rdquo; asked the captain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Picrate of potash,&rdquo; was the reply.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And so the explosive substance with which poor Ruby had so grievously
+      imperilled the vessel was now to serve her in good stead, and I now saw
+      what a lucky thing it was that the case had been deposited safely on the
+      reef, instead of being thrown into the sea.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Picric acid is a crystalline bitter product extracted from coal-tar, and
+      forming, in combination with potash, a yellow salt known as picrate of
+      potash. The explosive power of this substance is inferior to that of
+      gun-cotton or of dynamite, but far greater than that of ordinary
+      gunpowder; one grain of picric powder producing an effect equal to that of
+      thirteen grains of common powder. Picrate is easily ignited by any sharp
+      or violent shock, and some gun-priming which we had in our possession
+      would answer the purpose of setting it alight.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The sailors went off at once for their pikes, and Dowlas and his
+      assistants, under the direction of Falsten, who, as an engineer,
+      understood such matters, proceeded to hollow out a mine wherein to deposit
+      the powder. At first we hoped that everything would be ready for the
+      blasting to take place on the following morning, but when daylight
+      appeared we found that the men, although they had laboured with a will,
+      had only been able to work for an hour at low water and that four tides
+      must ebb before the mine had been sunk to the required depth.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Not until eight o&rsquo;clock on the morning of the 23rd was the work complete.
+      The hole was bored obliquely in the rock, and was large enough to contain
+      about ten pounds of explosive matter. Just as the picrate was being
+      introduced into the aperture, Falsten interposed:&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Stop,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;I think it will be best to mix the picrate with common
+      powder, as that will allow us to fire the mine with a match instead of the
+      gun-priming which would be necessary to produce a shock. Besides, it is an
+      understood thing that the addition of gunpowder renders picrate far more
+      effective in blasting such rocks as this, as then the violence of the
+      picrate prepares the way for the powder which, slower in its action, will
+      complete the disseverment of the basalt.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Falsten is not a great talker, but what he does say is always very much to
+      the point. His good advice was immediately followed; the two substances
+      were mixed together, and after a match had been introduced the compound
+      was rammed closely into the hole.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Notwithstanding that the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; was at a distance from the rocks
+      that insured her from any danger of being injured by the explosion, it was
+      thought advisable that the passengers and crew should take refuge in the
+      grotto at the extremity of the reef, and even Mr. Kear, in spite of his
+      many objections, was forced to leave the ship. Falsten, as soon as he had
+      set fire to the match, joined us in our retreat.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The train was to burn for ten minutes, and at the end of that time the
+      explosion took place; the report, on account of the depth of the mine,
+      being muffled, and much less noisy than we had expected. But the operation
+      had been perfectly successful. Before we reached the ridge we could see
+      that the basalt had been literally reduced to powder, and that a little
+      channel, already being filled by the rising tide, had been cut right
+      through the obstacle. A loud hurrah rang through the air; our prison-doors
+      were opened, and we were prisoners no more!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At high tide the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; weighed anchor and floated out into the open
+      sea, but she was not in a condition to sail until she had been ballasted;
+      and for the next twenty-four hours the crew were busily employed in taking
+      up blocks of stone, and such of the bales of cotton as had sustained the
+      least amount of injury.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the course of the day, M. Letourneur, Andre, Miss Herbey, and I took a
+      farewell walk round the reef, and Andre with artistic skill, carved on the
+      wall of the grotto the word &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo;&mdash;the designation Ham Rock,
+      which we had given to the reef,&mdash;and the date of our running aground.
+      Then we bade adieu to the scene of our three week&rsquo;s sojourn, where we had
+      passed days that to some at least of our party will be reckoned as far
+      from being the least happy of their lives.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At high tide this morning, the 24th, with low, top, and gallant sails all
+      set, the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; started on her onward way, and two hours later the
+      last peak of Ham Rock had vanished below the horizon.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0022" id="link2HCH0022">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      NOVEMBER 24th to DECEMBER 1st.&mdash;Here we were then once more at sea,
+      and although on board a ship of which the stability was very questionable,
+      we had hopes, if the wind continued favourable, of reaching the coast of
+      Guiana in the course of a few days.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Our way was south-west and consequently with the wind, and although Curtis
+      would not crowd on all sail lest the extra speed should have a tendency to
+      spring the leak afresh, the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; made a progress that was quite
+      satisfactory. Life on board began to fall back into its former routine;
+      the feeling of insecurity and the consciousness that we were merely
+      retracing our path doing much, however, to destroy the animated
+      intercourse that would otherwise go on between passenger and passenger.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The first few days passed without any incident worth recording, then on
+      the 29th, the wind shifted to the north, and it became necessary to brace
+      the yards, trim the sails, and take a starboard tack. This made the ship
+      lurch very much on one side, and as Curtis felt that she was labouring far
+      too heavily, he clued up the top-gallants, prudently reckoning that, under
+      the circumstances, caution was far more important than speed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The night came on dark and foggy. The breeze freshened considerably, and,
+      unfortunately for us, hailed from the north-west. Although we carried no
+      top-sails at all, the ship seemed to heel over more than ever. Most of the
+      passengers had retired to their cabins, but all the crew remained on deck,
+      whilst Curtis never quitted his post upon the poop.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Towards two o&rsquo;clock in the morning I was myself preparing to go to my
+      cabin, when Burke, one of the sailors who had been down into the hold,
+      came on deck with the ominous cry,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Two feet of water below.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      In an instant Curtis and the boatswain had descended the ladder. The
+      startling news was only too true; the sea-water was entering the hold, but
+      whether the leak had sprung afresh, or whether the caulking in some of the
+      seams was insufficient, it was then impossible to determine; all that
+      could be done was to let the ship go with the wind and wait for day.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At daybreak they sounded again:&mdash;&ldquo;Three feet of water!&rdquo; was the
+      report, I glanced at Curtis, his lips were white, but he had not lost his
+      self-possession. He quietly informed such of the passengers as were
+      already on deck of the new danger that threatened us; it was better that
+      they should know the worst, and the fact could not be long concealed. I
+      told M. Letourneur that I could not help hoping that there might yet be
+      time to reach the land before the last crisis came. Falsten was about to
+      give vent to an expression of despair, but he was soon silenced by Miss
+      Herbey asserting her confidence that all would yet be well.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis at once divided the crew into two sets, and made them work
+      incessantly, turn and turn about at the pumps. The men applied themselves
+      to their task with resignation rather than with ardour; the labour was
+      hard and scarcely repaid them; the pumps were constantly getting out of
+      order, the valves being choked up by the ashes and bits of cotton that
+      were floating about in the hold, while every moment that was spent in
+      cleaning or repairing them was so much time lost.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Slowly, but surely, the water continued to rise, and on the following
+      morning the soundings gave five feet for its depth, I noticed that
+      Curtis&rsquo;s brow contracted each time that the boatswain or the lieutenant
+      brought him their report. There was no doubt it was only a question of
+      time, and not for an instant must the efforts for keeping down the level
+      be relaxed. Already the ship had sunk a foot lower in the water, and as
+      her weight increased she no longer rose buoyantly with the waves, but
+      pitched and rolled considerably.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      All yesterday, and last night, the pumping continued; but still the sea
+      gained upon us. The crew are weary and discouraged, but the second officer
+      and the boatswain set them a fine example of endurance, and the passengers
+      have now begun to take their turn at the pumps.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But all are conscious of toiling almost against hope; we are no longer
+      secured firmly to the solid soil of the Ham Rock reef, but we are floating
+      over an abyss which daily, nay hourly, threatens to swallow us into its
+      depths.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0023" id="link2HCH0023">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 2nd and 3rd.&mdash;For four hours we have succeeded in keeping
+      the water in the hold to one level; now, however, it is very evident that
+      the time cannot be far distant when the pumps will be quite unequal to
+      their task.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Yesterday Curtis, who does not allow himself a minute&rsquo;s rest, made a
+      personal inspection of the hold. I, with the boatswain and carpenter,
+      accompanied him. After dislodging some of the bales of cotton we could
+      hear a splashing, or rather gurgling sound; but whether the water was
+      entering at the original aperture, or whether it found its way in through
+      a general dislocation of the seams, we were unable to discover. But
+      whichever might be the case, Curtis determined to try a plan which, by
+      cutting off communication between the interior and exterior of the vessel,
+      might, if only for a few hours, render her hull more watertight. For this
+      purpose he had some strong, well-tarred sails drawn upwards by ropes from
+      below the keel, as high as the previous leaking-place, and then fastened
+      closely and securely to the side of the hull. The scheme was dubious, and
+      the operation difficult, but for a time it was effectual, and at the close
+      of the day the level of the water had actually been reduced by several
+      inches. The diminution was small enough, but the consciousness that more
+      water was escaping through the scupper-holes than was finding its way into
+      the hold gave us fresh courage to persevere with our work.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The night was dark, but the captain carried all the sail he could, eager
+      to take every possible advantage of the wind, which was freshening
+      considerably. If he could have sighted a ship he would have made signals
+      of distress, and would not have hesitated to transfer the passengers, and
+      even have allowed the crew to follow, if they were ready to forsake him;
+      for himself his mind was made up, he should remain on board the
+      &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; until she foundered beneath his feet. No sail, however, hove
+      in sight; consequently escape by such means was out of our power.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      During the night the canvas covering yielded to the pressure of the waves,
+      and this morning, after taking the sounding, the boatswain could not
+      suppress an oath when he announced &ldquo;Six feet of water in the hold!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The ship, then, was filling once again, and already had sunk considerably
+      below her previous water-line. With aching arms and bleeding hands we
+      worked harder than ever at the pumps, and Curtis makes those who are not
+      pumping form a line and pass buckets, with all the speed they can, from
+      hand to hand.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But all in vain! At half-past eight more water is reported in the hold,
+      and some of the sailors, overcome by despair, refuse to work one minute
+      longer.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The first to abandon his post was Owen, a man whom I have mentioned
+      before, as exhibiting something of a mutinous spirit, He is about forty
+      years of age, and altogether unprepossessing in appearance; his face is
+      bare, with the exception of a reddish beard, which terminates in a point;
+      his forehead is furrowed with sinister-looking wrinkles, his lips curl
+      inwards, and his ears protrude, whilst his bleared and bloodshot eyes are
+      encircled with thick red rings.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Amongst the five or six other men who had struck work, I noticed Jynxstrop
+      the cook, who evidently shared all Owen&rsquo;s ill feelings.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Twice did Curtis order the men back to the pumps, and twice did Owen,
+      acting as spokesman for the rest, refuse; and when Curtis made a step
+      forward as though to approach him, he said savagely,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I advise you not to touch me,&rdquo; and walked away to the forecastle.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis descended to his cabin, and almost immediately returned with a
+      loaded revolver in his hand.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      For a moment Owen surveyed the captain with a frown of defiance; but at a
+      sign from Jynxstrop he seemed to recollect himself; and, with the
+      remainder of the men, he returned to his work.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0024" id="link2HCH0024">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXIV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 4th.&mdash;The first attempt at mutiny being thus happily
+      suppressed, it is to be hoped that Curtis will succeed as well in future.
+      An insubordinate crew would render us powerless indeed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Throughout the night the pumps were kept, without respite, steadily at
+      work, but without producing the least sensible benefit. The ship became so
+      water-logged and heavy that she hardly rose at all to the waves, which
+      consequently often washed over the deck and contributed their part towards
+      aggravating our case. Our situation was rapidly becoming as terrible as it
+      had been when the fire was raging in the midst of us; and the prospect of
+      being swallowed by the devouring billows was no less formidable than that
+      of perishing in the flames.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis kept the men up to the mark, and, willing or unwilling, they had no
+      alternative but to work on as best they might; but, in spite of all their
+      efforts, the water perpetually rose, till, at length, the men in the hold
+      who were passing the buckets found themselves immersed up to their waists
+      and were obliged to come on deck.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      This morning, after a somewhat protracted consultation with Walter and the
+      boatswain, Curtis resolved to abandon the ship. The only remaining boat
+      was far too small to hold us all, and it would therefore be necessary to
+      construct a raft that should carry those who could not find room in her.
+      Dowlas the carpenter, Mr. Falsten, and ten sailors were told off to put
+      the raft in hand, the rest of the crew being ordered to continue their
+      work assiduously at the pumps, until the time came and everything was
+      ready for embarkation.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Hatchet or saw in hand, the carpenter and his assistants made a beginning
+      without delay by cutting and trimming the spare yards and extra spars to a
+      proper length. These were then lowered into the sea, which was
+      propitiously calm, so as to favour the operation (which otherwise would
+      have been very difficult) of lashing them together into a firm framework,
+      about forty feet long and twenty-five feet wide, upon which the platform
+      was to be supported.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I kept my own place steadily at the pumps, and Andre Letourneur worked at
+      my side; I often noticed his father glance at him sorrowfully, as though
+      he wondered what would become of him if he had to struggle with waves to
+      which even the strongest man could hardly fail to succumb. But come what
+      may, his father will never forsake him, and I myself shall not be wanting
+      in rendering him whatever assistance I can.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Mrs. Kear, who had been for some time in a state of drowsy
+      unconsciousness, was not informed of the immediate danger, but when Miss
+      Herbey, looking somewhat pale with fatigue, paid one of her flying visits
+      to the deck, I warned her to take every precaution for herself and to be
+      ready for any emergency.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Thank you, doctor, I am always ready,&rdquo; she cheerfully replied, and
+      returned to her duties below. I saw Andre follow the young girl with his
+      eyes, and a look of melancholy interest passed over his countenance.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Towards eight o&rsquo;clock in the evening the framework for the raft was almost
+      complete, and the men were lowering empty barrels, which had first been
+      securely bunged, and were lashing them to the wood-work to insure its
+      floating.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Two hours later and suddenly there arose the startling cry, &ldquo;We are
+      sinking! we are sinking!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Up to the poop rushed Mr. Kear, followed immediately by Falsten and Miss
+      Herbey, who were bearing the inanimate form of Mrs. Kear. Curtis ran to
+      his cabin, instantly returning with a chart; a sextant, and a compass in
+      his hand.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The scene that followed will ever be engraven in my memory; the cries of
+      distress, the general confusion, the frantic rush of the sailors towards
+      the raft that was not yet ready to support them, can never be forgotten.
+      The whole period of my life seemed to be concentrated into that terrible
+      moment when the planks bent below my feet and the ocean yawned beneath me.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Some of the sailors had taken their delusive refuge in the shrouds, and I
+      was preparing to follow them when a hand was laid upon my shoulder.
+      Turning round I beheld M. Letourneur, with tears in his eyes, pointing
+      towards his son. &ldquo;Yes, my friend,&rdquo; I said, pressing his hand, &ldquo;we will
+      save him, if possible.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      But Curtis had already caught hold of the young man, and was hurrying him
+      to the main-mast shrouds, when the &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo; which had been scudding
+      along rapidly with the wind, stopped suddenly, with a violent shock, and
+      began to settle, The sea rose over my ankles and almost instinctively I
+      clutched at the nearest rope. All at once, when it seemed all over, the
+      ship ceased to sink, and hung motionless in mid-ocean.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0025" id="link2HCH0025">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      NIGHT OF DECEMBER 4th.&mdash;Curtis caught young Letourneur again in his
+      arms, and running with him across the flooded deck deposited him safely in
+      the starboard shrouds, whither his father and I climbed up beside him.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I now had time to look about me. The night was not very dark, and I could
+      see that Curtis had returned to his post upon the poop; whilst in the
+      extreme aft near the taffrail, which was still above water, I could
+      distinguish the forms of Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Miss Herbey, and Mr. Falsten
+      The lieutenant and the boatswain were on the far end of the forecastle;
+      the remainder of the crew in the shrouds and top-masts.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      By the assistance of his father, who carefully guided his feet up the
+      rigging, Andre was hoisted into the main-top. Mrs. Kear could not be
+      induced to join him in his elevated position, in spite of being told that
+      if the wind were to freshen she would inevitably be washed overboard by
+      the waves; nothing could induce her to listen to remonstrance, and she
+      insisted upon remaining on the poop, Miss Herbey, of course, staying by
+      her side.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As soon as the captain saw the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; was no longer sinking, he set
+      to work to take down all the sails, yards and all, and the top-gallants,
+      in the hope that by removing everything that could compromise the
+      equilibrium of the ship he might diminish the chance of her capsizing
+      altogether.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But may she not founder at any moment?&rdquo; I said to Curtis, when I had
+      joined him for a while upon the poop.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Everything depends upon the weather,&rdquo; he replied, in his calmest manner;
+      &ldquo;that, of course, may change at any hour. One thing, however, is certain,
+      the &lsquo;Chancellor&rsquo; preserves her equilibrium for the present.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But do you mean to say,&rdquo; I further asked, &ldquo;that she can sail with two
+      feet of water over her deck?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No, Mr. Kazallon, she can&rsquo;t sail, but she can drift with the wind, and if
+      the wind remains in its present quarter, in the course of a few days we
+      might possibly sight the coast. Besides, we shall have our raft as a last
+      resource; in a few hours it will be ready, and at daybreak we can embark.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;You have not then,&rdquo; I added, &ldquo;abandoned all hope even yet?&rdquo; I marvelled
+      at his composure.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;While there&rsquo;s life there&rsquo;s hope, you know Mr. Kazallon; out of a hundred
+      chances, ninety-nine may be against us, but perhaps the odd one may be in
+      our favour. Besides, I believe that our case is not without precedent. In
+      the year 1795 a three-master, the &lsquo;Juno,&rsquo; was precisely in the same
+      half-sunk, water-logged condition as ourselves; and yet with her
+      passengers and crew clinging to her top-masts she drifted for twenty days,
+      until she came in sight of land, when those who had survived the
+      deprivation and fatigue were saved. So let us not despair; let us hold on
+      to the hope that the survivors of the &lsquo;Chancellor&rsquo; may be equally
+      fortunate.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I was only too conscious that there was not much to be said in support of
+      Curtis&rsquo;s sanguine view of things, and that the force of reason pointed all
+      the other way; but I said nothing, deriving what comfort I could from the
+      fact that the captain did not yet despond of an ultimate rescue.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As it was necessary to be prepared to abandon the ship almost at a
+      moment&rsquo;s notice, Dowlas was making every exertion to hurry on the
+      construction of the raft. A little before midnight he was on the point of
+      conveying some planks for this purpose, when, to his astonishment and
+      horror, he found that the framework had totally disappeared. The ropes
+      that had attached it to the vessel had snapped as she became vertically
+      displaced, and probably it had been adrift for more than an hour.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The crew were frantic at this new misfortune, and shouting &ldquo;Overboard with
+      the masts!&rdquo; they began to cut down the rigging preparatory to taking
+      possession of the masts for a new raft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But here Curtis interposed:&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Back to your places, my men; back to your places. The ship will not sink
+      yet, so don&rsquo;t touch a rope until I give you leave.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The firmness of the captain&rsquo;s voice brought the men to their senses, and
+      although some of them could ill disguise their reluctance, all returned to
+      their posts.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      When daylight had sufficiently advanced Curtis mounted the mast, and
+      looked around for the missing raft; but it was nowhere to be seen. The sea
+      was far too rough for the men to venture to take out the whaleboat in
+      search of it, and there was no choice but to set to work and to construct
+      a new raft immediately.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Since the sea has become so much rougher, Mrs. Kear has been induced to
+      leave the poop, and has managed to join M. Letourneur and his son on the
+      main-top, where she lies in a state of complete prostration. I need hardly
+      add that Miss Herbey continues in her unwearied attendance. The space to
+      which these four people are limited is necessarily very small, nowhere
+      measuring twelve feet across; to prevent them losing their balance some
+      spars have been lashed from shroud to shroud, and for the convenience of
+      the two ladies Curtis has contrived to make a temporary awning of a sail.
+      Mr. Kear has installed himself with Silas Huntly on the foretop.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A few cases of preserved meat and biscuit and some barrels of water, that
+      floated between the masts after the submersion of the deck, have been
+      hoisted to the top-masts and fastened firmly to the stays. These are now
+      our only provisions.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0026" id="link2HCH0026">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXVI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 5th.&mdash;The day was very hot. December in latitude 16deg. N.
+      is a summer month, and unless a breeze should rise to temper the burning
+      sun, we might expect to suffer from an oppressive heat.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The sea still remained very rough, and as the heavy waves broke over the
+      ship as though she were a reef, the foam flew up to the very top-masts,
+      and our clothes were perpetually drenched by the spray.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The &ldquo;Chancellor&rsquo;s&rdquo; hull is three-fourths immerged; besides the three masts
+      and the bowsprit, to which the 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&rsquo;s sides. Communication between the top-masts is extremely
+      difficult, and would be absolutely precluded, were it not that the
+      sailors, with practised 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.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meanwhile, the crew worked away with all their remaining vigour 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.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Of all the number, there was but one, an Irishman, named O&rsquo;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 towards the poop, he came up to me and began talking.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;And why, bedad, I&rsquo;d like to know, why is it that they&rsquo;ll all be afther
+      lavin&rsquo; of the ship?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      He turned his quid with the most serene composure, and continued,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;And isn&rsquo;t it me myself that&rsquo;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&rsquo;s
+      stick to her, says I.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Having thus unburdened his mind he relapsed, into silence, and soon went
+      away.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      About three o&rsquo;clock I noticed that Mr. Kear and Silas Huntly were holding
+      an animated conversation in the fore top. 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 afterwards I
+      saw Huntly let himself down by the forestays and clamber along to the
+      forecastle where he joined the group of sailors, and I lost sight of him.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I attached little importance to the incident, and shortly afterwards
+      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&rsquo; 
+      afforded by the sail-tent, would have been unbearable. At five o&rsquo;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 afterwards I heard him hail some of
+      the sailors on the forecastle and ask them to help him down from the
+      foretop, I began to think that the selfish fellow was coming to join his
+      wife.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At first the sailors took no notice of his request, but on his repeating
+      it with the promise of paying them handsomely for their services, two of
+      them, Burke and Sandon, swung themselves along the netting into the
+      shrouds, and were soon at his side.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A long discussion ensued. The men evidently were asking more than Mr. Kear
+      was inclined to give, and at one time if seemed as though the negotiation
+      would fall through altogether. But at length the bargain was struck, and I
+      saw Mr. Kear take a bundle of paper dollars from his waistcoat pocket, and
+      hand a number of them over to one of the men, The man counted them
+      carefully, and from the time it took him, I should think that he could not
+      have pocketed anything less than a hundred dollars.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The next business was to get Mr. Kear down from the foretop, and Burke and
+      Sandon proceeded to tie a rope round his waist, which they afterwards
+      fastened to the forestay; then, in a way which provoked shouts of laughter
+      from their mates, they gave the unfortunate man a shove, and sent him
+      rolling down like a bundle of dirty clothes on to the forecastle.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I was quite mistaken as to his object. Mr. Kear had no intention of
+      looking after his wife, but remained by the side of Silas Huntly until the
+      gathering darkness hid them both from view.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As night drew on, the wind grew calmer, but the sea remained very rough.
+      The moon had been up ever since four in the afternoon, though she only
+      appeared at rare intervals between the clouds. Some long lines of vapour
+      on the horizon were tinged with a rosy glare that foreboded a strong
+      breeze for the morrow, and all felt anxious to know from which quarter the
+      breeze would come, for any but a north-easter would bear the frail raft on
+      which we were to embark far away from land.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      About eight o&rsquo;clock in the evening Curtis mounted to the main-top but he
+      seemed preoccupied and anxious, and did not speak to any one. He remained
+      for a quarter of an hour, then after silently pressing my hand, he
+      returned to his old post.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I laid myself down in the narrow space at my disposal, and tried to sleep;
+      but my mind was filled with strange forebodings, and sleep was impossible.
+      The very calmness of the atmosphere was oppressive; scarcely a breath of
+      air vibrated through the metal rigging, and yet the sea rose with a heavy
+      swell as though it felt the warnings of a coming tempest.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      All at once, at about eleven o&rsquo;clock, the moon burst brightly forth
+      through a rift in the clouds, and the waves sparkled again as if illumined
+      by a submarine glimmer. I start up and look around me. Is it merely
+      imagination? or do I really see a black speck floating on the dazzling
+      whiteness of the waters, a speck that cannot be a rock; because it rises
+      and falls with the heaving motion of the billows? But the moon once again
+      becomes overclouded; the sea, is darkened, and I return to my uneasy couch
+      close to the larboard shrouds.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0027" id="link2HCH0027">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXVII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 6th.&mdash;I must have fallen asleep for a few hours, when at
+      four o&rsquo;clock in the morning, I was rudely aroused by the roaring of the
+      wind, and could distinguish Curtis&rsquo;s voice as he shouted in the brief
+      intervals between the heavy gusts.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I got up, and holding tightly to the purlin&mdash;for the waves made the
+      masts tremble with their violence&mdash;I tried to look around and below
+      me. The sea was literally raging beneath, and great masses of
+      livid-looking foam were dashing between the masts, which were oscillating
+      terrifically. It was still dark, and I could only faintly distinguish two
+      figures on the stern, whom, by the sound of their voices, that I caught
+      occasionally above the tumult, I made out to be Curtis and the boatswain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Just at that moment a sailor, who had mounted to the main-top to do
+      something to the rigging, passed close behind me.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What&rsquo;s the matter?&rdquo; I asked,
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The wind has changed,&rdquo; he answered, adding something which I could not
+      hear distinctly, but which sounded like &ldquo;dead against us.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Dead against us! then, thought I, the wind had shifted to the south-west,
+      and my last night&rsquo;s forebodings had been correct.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      When daylight at length appeared, I found the wind although not blowing
+      actually from the south-west, had veered round to the north-west, a change
+      which was equally disastrous to us, inasmuch as it was carrying us away
+      from land. Moreover, the ship had sunk considerably during the night, and
+      there were now five feet of water above deck; the side netting had
+      completely disappeared, and the forecastle and the poop were now all but
+      on a level with the sea, which washed over them incessantly. With all
+      possible expedition Curtis and his crew were labouring away at their raft,
+      but the violence of the swell materially impeded their operations, and it
+      became a matter of doubt as to whether the woodwork would not fall asunder
+      before it could be properly fastened together.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As I watched the men at their work M. Letourneur, with one arm supporting
+      his son, came and stood by my side.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t you think this main-top will soon give way?&rdquo; he said, as the narrow
+      platform on which we stood creaked and groaned with the swaying of the
+      masts.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Miss Herbey heard his words, and pointing towards Mrs. Kear, who was lying
+      prostrate at her feet, asked what we thought ought to be done.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;We can do nothing but stay where we are,&rdquo; I replied.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No;&rdquo; said Andre &ldquo;this is our best refuge; I hope you are not afraid.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Not for myself,&rdquo; said the young girl quietly &ldquo;only for those to whom life
+      is precious.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      At a quarter to eight we heard the boatswain calling to the sailors in the
+      bows.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Ay, ay, sir,&rdquo; said one of the men&mdash;O&rsquo;Ready, I think.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Where&rsquo;s the whale boat?&rdquo; shouted the boatswain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know, sir. Not with us,&rdquo; was the reply.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;She&rsquo;s gone adrift, then!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      And sure enough the whale-boat was no longer hanging from the bowsprit;
+      and in a moment the discovery was made that Mr. Kear, Silas Huntly, and
+      three sailors,&mdash;a Scotchman and two Englishmen,&mdash;were missing.
+      Afraid that the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; would founder before the completion of the
+      raft, Kear and Huntly had plotted together to effect their escape, and had
+      bribed the three sailors to seize the only remaining boat.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      This, then, was the black speck that I had seen during the night. The
+      miserable husband had deserted his wife, the faithless captain had
+      abandoned the ship that had once been under his command.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;There are five saved, then,&rdquo; said the boatswain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Faith, an it&rsquo;s five lost ye&rsquo;ll be maning,&rdquo; said O&rsquo;Ready; and the state of
+      the sea fully justified his opinion.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The crew were furious when they heard of the surreptitious flight, and
+      loaded the fugitives with all the invectives they could lay their tongues
+      to. So enraged were they at the dastardly trick of which they had been
+      made the dupes, that if chance should bring the deserters again on board I
+      should be sorry to answer for the consequences.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In accordance with my advice, Mrs. Kear has not been informed of her
+      husband&rsquo;s disappearance. The unhappy lady is wasting away with a fever for
+      which we are powerless to supply a remedy, for the medicine chest was lost
+      when the ship began to sink. Nevertheless, I do not think we have anything
+      to regret on that score, feeling as I do, that in a case like Mrs. Kear&rsquo;s,
+      drugs would be of no avail.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0028" id="link2HCH0028">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXVIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 6th CONTINUED.&mdash;The &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; no longer maintained her
+      equilibrium; we felt that she was gradually going down, and her hull was
+      probably breaking up. The main-top was already only ten feet above the
+      water, whilst the bowsprit, with the exception of the extreme end, that
+      rose obliquely from the waves, was entirely covered.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The &ldquo;Chancellor&rsquo;s&rdquo; last day, we felt, had come.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Fortunately the raft was all but finished, and unless Curtis preferred to
+      wait till morning we should be able to embark in the evening.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The raft is a very solid structure. The spars that form the framework are
+      crossed one above another and lashed together with stout ropes, so that
+      the whole pile rises a couple of feet above the water. The upper platform
+      is constructed from the planks that were broken from the ship&rsquo;s sides by
+      the violence of the waves, and which had not drifted away. The afternoon
+      has been employed in charging the raft with such provisions, sails, tools,
+      and instruments as we have been able to save.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And how can I attempt to give any idea of the feelings with which, one and
+      all, we now contemplated the fate before us? For my own part I was
+      possessed rather by a benumbed indifference than by any sense of genuine
+      resignation. M. Letourneur was entirely absorbed in his son, who, in his
+      turn, thought only of his father; at the same time exhibiting a calm
+      Christian fortitude, which was shown by no one else of the party except
+      Miss Herbey, who faced her danger with the same brave composure.
+      Incredible as it may seem, Falsten remained the same as ever, occupying
+      himself with writing down figures and memoranda in his pocket-book. Mrs.
+      Kear, in spite of all that Miss Herbey could do for her, was evidently
+      dying.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      With regard to the sailors, two or three of them were calm enough, but the
+      rest had well-nigh lost their wits. Some of the more ill-disposed amongst
+      them seemed inclined to run into excesses; and their conduct, under the
+      bad influence of Owen and Jynxstrop, made it doubtful whether they would
+      submit to control when once we were limited to the narrow dimensions of
+      the raft. Lieutenant Walter, although his courage never failed him, was
+      worn out with bodily fatigue, and obliged to give up all active labour;
+      but Curtis and the boatswain were resolute, energetic and firm as ever. To
+      borrow an expression from the language of metallurgic art, they were men
+      &ldquo;at the highest degree of hardness.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      At five o&rsquo;clock one of our companions in misfortune was released from her
+      sufferings. Mrs. Kear, after a most distressing illness, through which her
+      young companion tended her with the most devoted care, has breathed her
+      last. A few deep sighs and all was over, and I doubt whether the sufferer
+      was ever conscious of the peril of, her situation.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The night passed on without further incident. Towards morning I touched
+      the dead woman&rsquo;s hand, and it was cold and stiff. The corpse could not
+      remain any longer on the main-top, and after Miss Herbey and I had
+      carefully wrapped the garments about it, with a few short prayers the body
+      of the first victim of our miseries was committed to the deep.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As the sea closed over the body I heard one of the men in the shrouds say,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;There goes a carcass that we shall be sorry we have thrown away!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I looked round sharply. It was Owen who had spoken, But horrible as were
+      his words, the conviction was forced upon my mind that the day could not
+      be far distant when we must want for food.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0029" id="link2HCH0029">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXIX.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 7th.&mdash;The ship was sinking rapidly; the water had risen to
+      the fore-top; the poop and forecastle were completely submerged; the top
+      of the bowsprit had disappeared, and only the three mast-tops projected
+      from the waves.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But all was ready on the raft; an erection had been made on the fore to
+      hold a mast, which was supported by shrouds fastened to the sides of the
+      platform; this mast carried a large royal.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Perhaps, after all, these few frail planks will carry us to the shore
+      which the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; has failed to reach; at any rate, we cannot yet
+      resign all hope.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We were just on the point of embarking at 7 a.m. when the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; all
+      at once began to sink so rapidly that the carpenter and men who were on
+      the raft were obliged with all speed to cut the ropes that secured it to
+      the vessel to prevent it from being swallowed up in the eddying waters.
+      Anxiety, the most intense, took possession of us all. At the very moment
+      when the ship was descending into the fathomless abyss, the raft, our only
+      hope of safety, was drifting off before our eyes. Two of the sailors and
+      an apprentice, beside themselves with terror, threw themselves headlong
+      into the sea; but it was evident from the very first that they were quite
+      powerless to combat the winds and waves. Escape was impossible; they could
+      neither reach the raft, nor return to the ship. Curtis tied a rope round
+      his waist and tried to swim to their assistance; but long before he could
+      reach them the unfortunate men, after a vain struggle for life, sank below
+      the waves and were seen no more. Curtis, bruised and beaten with the surf
+      that raged about the mast-heads, was hauled back to the ship.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meantime, Dowlas and his men, by means of some spars which they used as
+      oars, were exerting themselves to bring back the raft, which had drifted
+      about two cables-lengths away; but, in spite of all their efforts, it was
+      fully an hour,&mdash;an hour which seemed to us, waiting as we were with
+      the water up to the level of the top-masts, like an eternity&mdash;before
+      they succeeded in bringing the raft alongside, and lashing it once again
+      to the &ldquo;Chancellor&rsquo;s&rdquo; main-mast.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Not a moment was then to be lost. The waves were eddying like a whirlpool
+      around the submerged vessel, and numbers of enormous air-bubbles were
+      rising to the surface of the water.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The time was come. At Curtis&rsquo;s word &ldquo;Embark!&rdquo; we all hurried to the raft.
+      Andre who insisted upon seeing Miss Herbey go first, was helped safely on
+      to the platform, where his father immediately joined him. In a very few
+      minutes all except Curtis and old O&rsquo;Ready had left the &ldquo;Chancellor.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis remained standing on the main-top, deeming it not only his duty,
+      but his right, to be the last to leave the vessel he had loved so well,
+      and the loss of which he so much deplored.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Now then, old fellow off of this!&rdquo; cried the captain to the old Irishman,
+      who did not move.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;And is it quite sure ye are that she&rsquo;s sinkin?&rdquo; he said.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Ay, ay! sure enough, my man; and you&rsquo;d better look sharp.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Faith, then, and I think I will;&rdquo; and not a moment too soon (for the
+      water was up to his waist) he jumped on to the raft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Having cast one last, lingering look around him, Curtis then left the
+      ship; the rope was cut and we went slowly adrift.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      All eyes were fixed upon the spot where the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; lay foundering.
+      The top of the mizzen was the first to disappear, then followed the
+      main-top; and soon, of what had been a noble vessel, not a vestige was to
+      be seen.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0030" id="link2HCH0030">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXX.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      Will this frail float, forty feet by twenty, bear us in safety? Sink it
+      cannot; the material of which it is composed is of a kind that must
+      surmount the waves. But it is questionable whether it will hold together.
+      The cords that bind it will have a tremendous strain to bear in resisting
+      the violence of the sea. The most sanguine amongst us trembles to face the
+      future; the most confident dares to think only of the present. After the
+      manifold perils of the last seventy-two days&rsquo; voyage all are too agitated
+      to look forward without dismay to what in all human probability must be a
+      time of the direst distress.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Vain as the task may seem, I will not pause in my work of registering the
+      events of our drama, as scene after scene they are unfolded before our
+      eyes.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Of the twenty-eight persons who left Charleston in the &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo; only
+      eighteen are left to huddle together upon this narrow raft; this number
+      includes the five passengers, namely M. Letourneur, Andre, Miss Herbey,
+      Falsten, and myself; the ship&rsquo;s officers, Captain Curtis, Lieutenant
+      Walter, the boatswain, Hobart the steward, Jynxstrop the cook, and Dowlas
+      the carpenter; and seven sailors, Austin, Owen, Wilson, O&rsquo;Ready, Burke,
+      Sandon, and Flaypole.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Such are the passengers on the raft; it is but a brief task to enumerate
+      their resources.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The greater part of the provisions in the store-room were destroyed at the
+      time when the ship&rsquo;s deck was submerged, and the small quantity that
+      Curtis has been able to save will be very inadequate to supply the wants
+      of eighteen people, who too probably have many days to wait ere they sight
+      either land or a passing vessel. One cask of biscuit, another of preserved
+      meat, a small keg of brandy, and two barrels of water complete our store,
+      so that the utmost frugality in the distribution of our daily rations
+      becomes absolutely necessary.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Of spare clothes we have positively none; a few sails will serve for
+      shelter by day, and covering by night. Dowlas has his carpenter&rsquo;s tools,
+      we have each a pocket-knife, and O&rsquo;Ready an old tin pot; of which he takes
+      the most tender care; in addition to these, we are in possession of a
+      sextant, a compass, a chart, and a metal tea-kettle, everything else that
+      was placed on deck in readiness for the first raft having been lost in the
+      partial submersion of the vessel.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Such then is our situation; critical indeed, but after all perhaps not
+      desperate. We have one great fear; some there are amongst us whose
+      courage, moral as well as physical, may give way, and over failing spirits
+      such as these we may have no control.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0031" id="link2HCH0031">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXXI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 7th CONTINUED.&mdash;Our first day on the raft has passed without
+      any special incident. At eight o&rsquo;clock this morning Curtis asked our
+      attention for a moment.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;My friends,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;listen to me. Here on this raft, just as when we
+      were on board the &lsquo;Chancellor,&rsquo; I consider myself your captain; and as
+      your captain, I expect that all of you will strictly obey my orders. Let
+      me beg of you, one and all, to think solely of our common welfare; let us
+      work with one heart and with one soul, and may Heaven protect us!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      After delivering these few words with an emotion that evidenced their
+      earnestness, the captain consulted his compass, and found that the
+      freshening breeze was blowing from the north. This was fortunate for us,
+      and no time was to be lost in taking advantage of it to speed us on our
+      dubious way. Dowlas was occupied in fixing the mast into the socket that
+      had already been prepared for its reception, and in order to support it
+      more firmly he placed spurs of wood, forming arched buttresses, on either
+      side. While he was thus employed the boatswain and the other seamen were
+      stretching the large royal sail on the yard that had been reserved for
+      that purpose.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      By half-past nine the mast was hoisted, and held firmly in its place by
+      some shrouds attached securely to the sides of the raft; then the sail was
+      run up and trimmed to the wind, and the raft began to make a perceptible
+      progress under the brisk breeze.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As soon as we had once started, the carpenter set to work to contrive some
+      sort of a rudder, that would enable us to maintain our desired direction.
+      Curtis and Falsten assisted him with some serviceable suggestions, and in
+      a couple of hours&rsquo; time he had made and fixed to the back of the raft a
+      kind of paddle, very similar to those used by the Malays.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At noon, after the necessary preliminary observations, Curtis took the
+      altitude of the sun. The result gave lat. 15deg. 7min. N. by long. 49deg.
+      35min. W. as our position, which, on consulting the chart, proved to be
+      about 650 miles north-east of the coast of Paramaribo in Dutch Guiana.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Now even under the most favourable circumstances, with trade-winds and
+      weather always in our favour, we cannot by any chance hope to make more
+      than ten or twelve miles a day, so that the voyage cannot possibly be
+      performed under a period of two months. To be sure there is the hope to be
+      indulged that we may fall in with a passing vessel, but as the part of the
+      Atlantic into which we have been driven is intermediate between the tracks
+      of the French and English Transatlantic steamers either from the Antilles
+      or the Brazils, we cannot reckon at all upon such a contingency happening
+      in our favour; whilst if a calm should set in, or worse still, if the wind
+      were to blow from the east, not only two months, but twice, nay, three
+      times that length of time will be required to accomplish the passage.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At best, however, our provisions, even though used with the greatest care,
+      will barely last three months. Curtis has called us into consultation, and
+      as the working of the raft does not require such labour as to exhaust our
+      physical strength, all have agreed to submit to a regimen which, although
+      it will suffice to keep us alive, will certainly not fully satisfy the
+      cravings of hunger and thirst.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As far as we can estimate, we have somewhere about 500 lbs. of meat and
+      about the same quantity of biscuit. To make this last for three months we
+      ought not to consume very much more than 5 lbs. a day of each, which, when
+      divided among eighteen people, will make the daily ration 5 oz. of meat
+      and 5 oz. of biscuit for each person. Of water we have certainly not more
+      than 200 gallons, but by reducing each person&rsquo;s allowance to a pint a day,
+      we hope to eke out that, too, over the space of three months.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It is arranged that the food shall be distributed under the boatswain&rsquo;s
+      superintendence every morning at ten o&rsquo;clock. Each person will then
+      receive his allowance of meat and biscuit, which may be eaten when and how
+      he pleases. The water will be given out twice a day&mdash;at ten in the
+      morning and six in the evening; but as the only drinking-vessels in our
+      possession are the tea-kettle and the old Irishman&rsquo;s tin pot, the water
+      has to be consumed immediately on distribution. As for the brandy, of
+      which there are only five gallons, it will be doled out with the strictest
+      limitation, and no one will be allowed to touch it except with the
+      captain&rsquo;s express permission.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I should not forget that there are two sources from which we may hope to
+      increase our store. First, any rain that may fall will add to our supply
+      of water, and two empty barrels have been placed ready to receive it;
+      secondly, we hope to do something in the way of fishing, and the sailors
+      have already begun to prepare some lines.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      All have mutually agreed to abide by the rules that have been laid down,
+      for all are fully aware that by nothing but the most precise regimen can
+      we hope to avert the horrors of famine, and forewarned by the fate, of
+      many who in similar circumstances have miserably perished, we are
+      determined to do all that prudence can suggest for husbanding our stores.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0032" id="link2HCH0032">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXXII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 8th to 17th.&mdash;When night came we wrapped ourselves in our
+      sails. For my own part, worn out with the fatigue of the long watch in the
+      top-mast, I slept for several hours; M. Letourneur and Andre did the same,
+      and Miss Herbey obtained sufficient rest to relieve the tired expression
+      that her countenance had lately been wearing. The night passed quietly. As
+      the raft was not very heavily laden the waves did not break over it at
+      all, and we were consequently able to keep ourselves perfectly dry. To say
+      the truth, it was far better for us that the sea should remain somewhat
+      boisterous, for any diminution in the swell of the waves would indicate
+      that; the wind had dropped, and it was with a feeling of regret that when
+      the morning came I had to note down &ldquo;weather calm&rdquo; in my journal.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In these low latitudes the heat in the day-time is so intense, and the sun
+      burns with such an incessant glare, that the entire atmosphere becomes
+      pervaded with a glowing vapour. The wind, too, blows only in fitful gusts
+      and through long intervals of perfect calm the sails flap idly and
+      uselessly against the mast. Curtis and the boatswain, however, are of
+      opinion that we are not entirely dependent on the wind. Certain
+      indications, which a sailor&rsquo;s eye alone could detect, make them almost
+      sure that we are being carried along by a westerly current, that flows at
+      the rate of three or four miles an hour. If they are not mistaken, this is
+      a circumstance that may materially assist our progress, and at which we
+      can hardly fail to rejoice, for the high temperature often makes our
+      scanty allowance of water quite inadequate to allay our thirst.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But with all our hardships I must confess that our condition is far
+      preferable to what it was when we were still clinging to the &ldquo;Chancellor.&rdquo;
+       Here at least we have a comparatively solid platform beneath our feet, and
+      we are relieved from the incessant dread of being carried down with a
+      foundering vessel. In the day-time we can move about with a certain amount
+      of freedom, discuss the weather, watch the sea, and examine our
+      fishing-lines; whilst at night we can rest securely under the shelter of
+      our sails.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I really think, Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; said Andre Letourneur to me a few days
+      after we had embarked, &ldquo;that our time on board the raft passes as
+      pleasantly as it did upon Ham Rock; and the raft has one advantage even
+      over the reef, for it is capable of motion.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, Andre,&rdquo; replied, &ldquo;as long as the wind continues favourable the raft
+      has decidedly the advantage; but supposing the wind shifts, what then?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Oh, we mustn&rsquo;t think about that,&rdquo; he said; &ldquo;let us keep up our courage
+      while we can.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I felt that he was right, and that the dangers we had escaped should make
+      us more hopeful for the future; and I think that nearly all of us are
+      inclined to share his opinion.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Whether the captain is equally sanguine I am unable to say. He holds
+      himself very much aloof, and as he evidently feels that he has the great
+      responsibility of saving other lives than his own, we are reluctant to
+      disturb his silent meditations.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Such of the crew as are not on watch spend the greater portion of their
+      time in dozing on the fore part of the raft. The aft, by the captain&rsquo;s
+      orders, has been reserved for the use of us passengers, and by erecting
+      some uprights we have contrived to make a sort of tent, which affords some
+      shelter from the burning sun. On the whole our bill of health is tolerably
+      satisfactory. Lieutenant Walter is the only invalid, and he, in spite of
+      all our careful nursing, seems to get weaker every day.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Andre Letourneur is the life of our party, and I have never appreciated
+      the young man so well. His originality of perception makes his
+      conversation both lively and entertaining and as he talks, his wan and
+      suffering countenance lights up with an intelligent animation. His father
+      seems to become more devoted to him than ever, and I have seen him sit for
+      an hour at a time, with his hand resting on his son&rsquo;s, listening eagerly
+      to his every word.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Miss Herbey occasionally joins in our conversation, but although we all do
+      our best to make her forget that she has lost those who should have been
+      her natural protectors, M. Letourneur is the only one amongst us to whom
+      she speaks without a certain reserve. To him, whose age gives him
+      something of the authority of a father, she has told the history of her
+      life&mdash;a life of patience and self-denial such as not unfrequently
+      falls to the lot of orphans. She had been, she said, two years with Mrs.
+      Kear, and although now left alone in the world, homeless and without
+      resources, hope for the future does not fail her. The young lady&rsquo;s modest
+      deportment and energy of character command the respect of all on board,
+      and I do not think that even the coarsest of the sailors has either by
+      word or gesture acted towards her in a way that she could deem offensive.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The 12th, 13th, and 14th of December passed away without any change in our
+      condition. The wind continued to blow in irregular gusts, but always in
+      the same direction, and the helm, or rather the paddle at the back of the
+      raft has never once required shifting; and the watch, who are posted on
+      the fore, under orders to examine the sea with the most scrupulous
+      attention, have had no change of any kind to report.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At the end of a week we found ourselves growing accustomed to our limited
+      diet, and as we had no manual exertion, and no wear and tear of our
+      physical constitution, we managed very well. Our greatest deprivation was
+      the short supply of water, for, as I said before, the unmitigated heat
+      made our thirst at times very painful.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On the 15th we held high festival. A shoal of fish, of the sparus tribe,
+      swarmed round the raft, and although our tackle consisted merely of long
+      cords baited with morsels of dried meat stuck upon bent nails, the fish
+      were so voracious that in the course of a couple of days we had caught as
+      many as weighed almost 200lbs., some of which were grilled, and others
+      boiled in sea-water over a fire made on the fore part of the raft. This
+      marvelous haul was doubly welcome, inasmuch as it not only afforded us a
+      change of diet, but enabled us to economize our stores; if only some rain
+      had fallen at the same time we should have been more than satisfied.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Unfortunately the shoal of fish did not remain long in our vicinity. On
+      the 17th they all disappeared, and some sharks, not less than twelve or
+      fifteen feet long, belonging to the species of spotted dog-fish, took
+      their place. These horrible creatures have black backs and fins, covered
+      with white spots and stripes. Here, on our low raft, we seem almost on a
+      level with them, and more than once their tails have struck the spars with
+      terrible violence. The sailors manage to keep them at a distance by means
+      of handspikes, but I shall not be surprised if they persist in following
+      us, instinctively intelligent that we are destined to become their prey.
+      For myself, I confess that they give me a feeling of uneasiness; they seem
+      to me like monsters of ill-omen.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0033" id="link2HCH0033">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXXIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 18th to 20th.&mdash;On the 18th the wind freshened a little, but
+      as it blew from the same favourable quarter we did not complain, and only
+      took the precaution of putting an extra support to the mast, so that it
+      should not snap with the tension of the sail. This done, the raft was
+      carried along with something more than its ordinary speed, and left a long
+      line of foam in its wake.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the afternoon the sky became slightly overclouded, and the heat
+      consequently somewhat less oppressive. The swell made it more difficult
+      for the raft to keep its balance, and we shipped two or three heavy seas;
+      but the carpenter managed to make with some planks a kind of wall about a
+      couple of feet high, which protected us from the direct action of the
+      waves. Our casks of food and water were secured to the raft with double
+      ropes, for we dared not run the risk of their being carried overboard, an
+      accident that would at once have reduced us to the direst distress.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the course of the day the sailors gathered some of the marine plants
+      known by the name of sargassos, very similar to those we saw in such
+      profusion between the Bermudas and Ham Rock. I advised my companions to
+      chew the laminary tangles, which they would find contained a saccharine
+      juice, affording considerable relief to their parched lips and throats.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The remainder of the day passed without incident. I should not, however,
+      omit to mention that the frequent conferences held amongst the sailors,
+      especially between Owen, Burke, Flaypole, Wilson, and Jynxstrop, the
+      negro, aroused some uneasy suspicions in my mind. What was the subject of
+      their conversation I could not discover, for they became silent
+      immediately that a passenger or one of the officers approached them. When
+      I mentioned the matter to Curtis I found he had already noticed these
+      secret interviews, and that they had given him enough concern to make him
+      determined to keep a strict eye upon Jynxstrop and Owen, who, rascals as
+      they were themselves, were evidently trying to disaffect their mates.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On the 19th the heat was again excessive. The sky was cloudless, and as
+      there was not enough wind to fill the sail the raft lay motionless upon
+      the surface of the water. Some of the sailors found a transient
+      alleviation for their thirst by plunging into the sea, but as we were
+      fully aware that the water all round was infested with sharks, none of us
+      was rash enough to follow their example, though if, as seems likely, we
+      remain long becalmed, we shall probably in time overcome our fears, and
+      feel constrained to indulge ourselves with a bath.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The health of Lieutenant Walter continues to cause us grave anxiety, the
+      young man being weakened by attacks of intermittent fever. Except for the
+      loss of the medicine-chest we might have temporarily reduced this by
+      quinine; but it is only too evident that the poor fellow is consumptive,
+      and that that hopeless malady is making ravages upon him that no medicine
+      could permanently arrest. His sharp dry cough, his short breathing, his
+      profuse perspirations, more especially in the morning; the pinched-in
+      nose, the hollow cheeks, of which the general pallour is only relieved by
+      a hectic flush, the contracted lips, the too brilliant eye and wasted form&mdash;all
+      bear witness to a slow but sure decay.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day, the 20th, the temperature is as high as ever, and the raft still
+      motionless. The rays of the sun penetrate even through the shelter of our
+      tent, where we sit literally gasping with the heat. The impatience with
+      which we awaited the moment when the boatswain should dole out our meagre
+      allowance of water, and the eagerness with which those lukewarm drops were
+      swallowed, can only be realized by those who for themselves have endured
+      the agonies of thirst.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Lieutenant Walter suffers more than any of us from the scarcity of water,
+      and I noticed that Miss Herbey reserved almost the whole of her own share
+      for his use. Kind and compassionate as ever, the young girl does all that
+      lies in her power to relieve the poor fellow&rsquo;s sufferings.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; she said to me this morning, &ldquo;that young man gets
+      manifestly weaker every day.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, Miss Herbey,&rdquo; I replied, &ldquo;and how sorrowful it is that we can do
+      nothing for him, absolutely nothing.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Hush!&rdquo; she said, with her wonted consideration, &ldquo;perhaps he will hear
+      what we are saying.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      And then she sat down near the edge of the raft, where, with her head
+      resting on her hands, she remained lost in thought.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      An incident sufficiently unpleasant occurred to-day. For nearly an hour
+      Owen, Flaypole, Burke, and Jynxstrop had been engaged in close
+      conversation and, although their voices were low, their gestures had
+      betrayed that they were animated by some strong excitement. At the
+      conclusion of the colloquy Owen got up and walked deliberately to the
+      quarter of the raft that has been reserved for the use of the passengers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Where are you off to now, Owen?&rdquo; said the boatswain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;That&rsquo;s my business,&rdquo; said the man insolently, and pursued his course.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The boatswain was about to stop him, but before he could interfere Curtis
+      was standing and looking Owen steadily in the face.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Ah, captain, I&rsquo;ve got a word from my mates to say to you,&rdquo; he said, with
+      all the effrontery imaginable.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Say on, then,&rdquo; said the captain coolly.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;We should like to know about that little keg of brandy. Is it being kept
+      for the porpoises or the officers?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Finding that he obtained no reply, he went on,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Look here, captain, what we want is to have our grog served out every
+      morning as usual.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Then you certainly will not,&rdquo; said the captain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What! what!&rdquo; exclaimed Owen, &ldquo;don&rsquo;t you mean to let us have our grog?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Once and for all, no.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      For a moment, with a malicious grin upon his lips, Owen stood confronting
+      the captain; then, as though thinking better of himself, he turned round
+      and rejoined his companions, who were still talking together in an
+      undertone.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      When I was afterwards discussing the matter with Curtis I asked him
+      whether he was sure he had done right in refusing the brandy.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Right!&rdquo; he cried, &ldquo;to be sure I have. Allow those men to have brandy! I
+      would throw it all overboard first.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0034" id="link2HCH0034">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXXIV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 21st.&mdash;No further disturbance has taken place amongst the
+      men. For a few hours the fish appeared again, and we caught a great many
+      of them, and stored them away in an empty barrel. This addition to our
+      stock of provisions makes us hope that food, at least, will not fail us.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Usually the nights in the tropics are cool, but to-day, as evening drew
+      on, the wonted freshness did not return, but the air remained stifling and
+      oppressive, whilst heavy masses of vapour hung over the water.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      There was no moonlight; there would be a new moon at half-past one in the
+      morning, but the night was singularly dark, except for dazzling flashes of
+      summer lightning that from time to time illumined the horizon far and
+      wide. There was, however, no answering roll of thunder, and the silence of
+      the atmosphere seemed almost awful, For a couple of hours, in the vain
+      hope of catching a breath of air, Miss Herbey, Andre Letourneur, and I,
+      sat watching the imposing struggle of the electric vapours. The clouds
+      appeared like embattled turrets crested with flame, and the very sailors,
+      coarse-minded men as they were, seemed struck with the grandeur of the
+      spectacle, and regarded attentively, though with an anxious eye, the
+      preliminary tokens of a coming storm. Until midnight we kept our seats
+      upon the stern of the raft, whilst the lightning ever and again shed
+      around us a livid glare similar to that produced by adding salt to lighted
+      alcohol.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Are you afraid of a storm, Miss Herbey?&rdquo; said Andre to the girl.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No, Mr. Andre, my feelings are always rather those of awe than of fear,&rdquo;
+       she replied. &ldquo;I consider a storm one of the sublimest phenomena that we
+      can behold&mdash;don&rsquo;t you think so too?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, and especially when the thunder is pealing,&rdquo; he said; &ldquo;that majestic
+      rolling, far different to the sharp crash of artillery, rises and falls
+      like the long-drawn notes of the grandest music, and I can safely say that
+      the tones of the most accomplished ARTISTE have never moved me like that
+      incomparable voice of nature.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Rather a deep bass, though,&rdquo; I said, laughing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;That may be,&rdquo; he answered; &ldquo;but I wish we might hear it now, for this
+      silent lightning is somewhat unexpressive.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Never mind that, Andre&rdquo; I said; &ldquo;enjoy a storm when it comes, if you
+      like, but pray don&rsquo;t wish for it.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;And why not?&rdquo; said he; &ldquo;a storm will bring us wind, you know.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;And water, too,&rdquo; added Miss Herbey, &ldquo;the water of which we are so
+      seriously in need.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The young people evidently wished to regard the storm from their own point
+      of view, and although I could have opposed plenty of common sense to their
+      poetical sentiments, I said no more, but let them talk on as they pleased
+      for fully an hour.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meantime the sky was becoming quite overclouded, and after the zodiacal
+      constellations had disappeared in the mists that hung round the horizon,
+      one by one the stars above our heads were veiled in dark rolling masses of
+      vapour, from which every instant there issued forth sheets of electricity
+      that formed a vivid background to the dark grey fragments of cloud that
+      floated beneath.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As the reservoir of electricity was confined to the higher strata of the
+      atmosphere, the lightning was still unaccompanied by thunder; but the
+      dryness of the air made it a weak conductor. Evidently the fluid could
+      only escape by terrible shocks, and the storm must ere long burst forth
+      with fearful violence.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      This was the opinion of Curtis and the boatswain. The boatswain is only
+      weather-wise from his experience as a sailor; but Curtis, in addition to
+      his experience, has some scientific knowledge, and he pointed out to me an
+      appearance in the sky known to meteorologists as a &ldquo;cloud-ring,&rdquo; and
+      scarcely ever seen beyond the regions of the torrid zone, which are
+      impregnated by damp vapours brought from all quarters of the ocean by the
+      action of the trade-winds.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes, Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; said Curtis, &ldquo;our raft has been driven into the
+      region of storms, of which it has been justly remarked that any one
+      endowed with very sensitive organs can at any moment distinguish the
+      growlings of thunder.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Hark!&rdquo; I said, as I strained my ears to listen, &ldquo;I think I can hear it
+      now.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;You can,&rdquo; he answered; &ldquo;yet what you hear is but the first warning of the
+      storm which, in a couple of hours, will burst upon us with all its fury.
+      But never mind, we must be ready for it.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Sleep, even if we wished it, would have been impossible in that stifling
+      temperature. The lightning increased in brilliancy, and appeared from all
+      quarters of the horizon, each flash covering large arcs, varying from
+      100deg. to 150deg., leaving the atmosphere pervaded by one incessant
+      phosphorescent glow.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The thunder became at length more and more distinct, the reports, if I may
+      use the expression, being &ldquo;round,&rdquo; rather than rolling. It seemed almost
+      as though the sky were padded with heavy clouds of which the elasticity
+      muffled the sound of the electric bursts.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Hitherto, the sea had been calm, almost stagnant as a pond. Now, however,
+      long undulations took place, which the sailors recognized, all too well,
+      as being the rebound produced by a distant tempest. A ship, in such a
+      case, would have been instantly brought ahull, but no manoeuvring could be
+      applied to our raft, which could only drift before the blast.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At one o&rsquo;clock in the morning one vivid flash, followed, after the
+      interval of a few seconds, by a loud report of thunder, announced that the
+      storm was rapidly approaching. Suddenly the horizon was enveloped in a
+      vapourous fog, and seemed to contract until it was close around us. At the
+      same instant the voice of one of the sailors was heard shouting,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;A squall! a squall!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0035" id="link2HCH0035">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXXV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 21st, NIGHT.&mdash;The boatswain rushed to the halliards that
+      supported the sail, and instantly lowered the yard; and not a moment too
+      soon, for with the speed of an arrow the squall was upon us, and if it had
+      not been for the sailor&rsquo;s timely warning we must all have been knocked
+      down and probably precipitated into the sea; as it was, our tent on the
+      back of the raft was carried away.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The raft itself, however, being so nearly level with the water, had little
+      peril to encounter from the actual wind; but from the mighty waves now
+      raised by the hurricane we had everything to dread. At first the waves had
+      been crushed and flattened as it were by the pressure of the air, but now,
+      as though strengthened by the reaction, they rose with the utmost fury.
+      The raft followed the motions of the increasing swell, and was tossed up
+      and down, to and fro, and from side to side with the most violent
+      oscillations &ldquo;Lash yourselves tight,&rdquo; cried the boatswain, as he threw us
+      some ropes; and in a few moments, with Curtis&rsquo;s assistance, M. Letourneur,
+      Andre, Falsten, and myself were fastened so firmly to the raft, that
+      nothing but its total disruption could carry us away. Miss Herbey was
+      bound by a rope passed round her waist to one of the uprights that had
+      supported our tent, and by the glare of the lightning I could see that her
+      countenance was as serene and composed as ever.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Then the storm began to rage indeed. Flash followed flash, peal followed
+      peal in quick succession. Our eyes were blinded, our ears deafened, with
+      the roar and glare. The clouds above, the ocean beneath, seemed verily to
+      have taken fire, and several times I saw forked lightnings dart upwards
+      from the crest of the waves, and mingle with those that radiated from the
+      fiery vault above. A strong odour of sulphur pervaded the air, but though
+      thunderbolts fell thick around us, not one had touched our raft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      By two o&rsquo;clock the storm had reached its height. The hurricane had
+      increased, and the heavy waves, heated to a strange heat by the general
+      temperature, dashed over us until we were drenched to the skin. Curtis,
+      Dowlas, the boatswain, and the sailors did what they could to strengthen
+      the raft with additional ropes. M. Letourneur placed himself in front of
+      Andre to shelter him from the waves. Miss Herbey stood upright and
+      motionless as a statue.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Soon dense masses of lurid clouds came rolling up, and a crackling, like
+      the rattle of musketry, resounded through the air. This was produced by a
+      series of electrical concussions, in which volleys of hailstones were
+      discharged from the cloud-batteries above. In fact, as the storm-sheet
+      came in contact with a current of cold air, hail was formed with great
+      rapidity, and hailstones, large as nuts, came pelting down, making the
+      platform of the raft re-echo with a metallic ring.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      For about half an hour the meteoric shower continued to descend, and
+      during that time the wind slightly abated in violence; but after having
+      shifted from quarter to quarter, it once more blew with all its former
+      fury. The shrouds were broken, but happily the mast, already bending
+      almost double, was removed by the men from its socket before it should be
+      snapped short off. One gust caught away the tiller, which went adrift
+      beyond all power of recovery, and the same blast blew down several of the
+      planks that formed the low parapet on the larboard side, so that the waves
+      dashed in without hindrance through the breach.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The carpenter and his mates tried to repair the damage, but, tossed from
+      wave to wave, the raft was inclined to an angle of more than forty-five
+      degrees, making it impossible for them to keep their footing, and rolling
+      one over another, they were thrown down by the violent shocks. Why they
+      were not altogether carried away, why we were not all hurled into the sea,
+      was to me a mystery. Even if the cords that bound us should retain their
+      hold, it seemed perfectly incredible that the raft itself should not be
+      overturned, so that we should be carried down and stifled in the seething
+      waters.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At last, towards three in the morning, when the hurricane seemed to be
+      raging more fiercely than ever, the raft, caught up on the crest of an
+      enormous wave, stood literally perpendicularly on its edge. For an
+      instant, by the illumination of the lightning, we beheld ourselves raised
+      to an incomprehensible height above the foaming breakers. Cries of terror
+      escaped our lips. All must be over now! But no; another moment, and the
+      raft had resumed its horizontal position. Safe, indeed, we were, but the
+      tremendous upheaval was not without its melancholy consequences. The cords
+      that secured the cases of provisions had burst asunder. One case rolled
+      overboard, and the side of one of the water-barrels was staved in, so that
+      the water which it contained was rapidly escaping. Two of the sailors
+      rushed forward to rescue the case of preserved meat; but one of them
+      caught his foot between the planks of the platform, and, unable to
+      disengage it, the poor fellow stood uttering-cries of distress.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I tried to go to his assistance, and had already untied the cord that was
+      round me; but I was too late. Another heavy sea dashed over us, and by the
+      light of a dazzling flash I saw the unhappy man, although he had managed
+      without assistance to disengage his foot, washed overboard before it was
+      in my power to get near him. His companion had also disappeared.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The same ponderous wave laid me prostrate on the platform, and as my head
+      came in collision with the corner of a spar, for a time I lost all
+      consciousness.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0036" id="link2HCH0036">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXXVI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 22nd.&mdash;Daylight came at length, and the sun broke through
+      and dispersed the clouds that the storm had left behind. The struggle of
+      the elements, while it lasted, had been terrific, but the swoon into which
+      I was thrown by my fall, prevented me from observing the final incidents
+      of the visitation. All that I know is, that shortly after we had shipped
+      the heavy sea that I have mentioned, a shower of rain had the effect of
+      calming the severity of the hurricane, and tended to diminish the electric
+      tension of the atmosphere.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Thanks to the kind care of M. Letourneur and Miss Herbey, I recovered
+      consciousness, but I believe that it is to Robert Curtis that I owe my
+      real deliverance, for he it was that prevented me from being carried away
+      by a second heavy wave.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The tempest, fierce as it was, did not last more than a few hours; but
+      even in that short space of time what an irreparable loss we have
+      sustained, and what a load of misery seems stored up for us in the future!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Of the two sailors who perished in the storm, one was Austin, a fine
+      active young man of about eight-and-twenty; the other was old O&rsquo;Ready, the
+      survivor of so many ship wrecks. Our party is thus reduced to sixteen
+      souls, leaving a total barely exceeding half the number of those who
+      embarked on board the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; at Charleston.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis&rsquo;s first care had been to take a strict account of the remnant of
+      our provisions. Of all the torrents of rain that fell in the night we were
+      unhappily unable to catch a single drop; but water will not fail us yet,
+      for about fourteen gallons still remain in the bottom of the broken
+      barrel, whilst the second barrel has not yet been touched. But of food we
+      have next to nothing. The cases containing the dried meat, and the fish
+      that we had preserved, have both been washed away, and all that now
+      remains to us is about sixty pounds of biscuit. Sixty pounds of biscuit
+      between sixteen persons! Eight days, with half a pound a day apiece, will
+      consume it all.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The day has passed away in silence. A general depression has fallen upon
+      all: the spectre of famine has appeared amongst us, and each has remained
+      wrapped in his own gloomy meditations, though each has doubtless but one
+      idea dominant in his mind.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Once, as I passed near the group of sailors lying on the fore part of the
+      raft, I heard Flaypole say with a sneer,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Those who are going to die had better make haste about it.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; said Owen, &ldquo;leave their share of food to others.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      At the regular hour each person received his half-pound of biscuit. Some,
+      I noticed, swallowed it ravenously, others reserved it for another time.
+      Falsten divided his ration into several portions, corresponding, I
+      believe, to the number of meals to which he was ordinarily accustomed.
+      What prudence he shows! If any one survives this misery, I think it will
+      be he.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0037" id="link2HCH0037">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXXVII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      DECEMBER 23rd to 30th&mdash;After the storm the wind settled back into its
+      old quarter, blowing pretty briskly from the north-east. As the breeze was
+      all in our favour it was important to make the most of it, and after
+      Dowlas had carefully readjusted the mast, the sail was once more hoisted,
+      and we were carried along at the rate of two or two and a half knots an
+      hour. A new rudder, formed of a spar and a good-sized plank, has been
+      fitted in the place of the one we lost, but with the wind in its present
+      quarter it is in little requisition. The platform of the raft has been
+      repaired, the disjointed planks have been closed by means of ropes and
+      wedges, and that portion of the parapet that was washed away has been
+      replaced, so that we are no longer wetted by the waves. In fact, nothing
+      has been left undone to insure the solidity of our raft, and to render it
+      capable of resisting the wear and tear of the wind and waves. But the
+      dangers of wind and waves are not those which we have most to dread.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Together with the unclouded sky came a return of the tropical heat, which
+      during the preceding days had caused us such serious inconvenience;
+      fortunately on the 23rd the excessive warmth was somewhat tempered by the
+      breeze, and as the tent was once again put up, we were able to find
+      shelter under it by turns.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But the want of food was beginning to tell upon us sadly, and our sunken
+      cheeks and wasted forms were visible tokens of what we were enduring. With
+      most of us hunger seemed to attack the entire nervous system, and the
+      constriction of the stomach produced an acute sensation of pain. A
+      narcotic, such as opium or tobacco, might have availed to soothe, if not
+      to cure, the gnawing agony; but of sedatives we had none, so the pain must
+      be endured.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One alone there was amongst us who did not feel the pangs of hunger.
+      Lieutenant Walter seemed as it were to feed upon the fever that raged
+      within him; but then he was the victim of the most torturing thirst, Miss
+      Herbey, besides reserving for him a portion of her own insufficient
+      allowance, obtained from the captain a small extra supply of water, with
+      which every quarter of an hour she moistened the parched lips of the young
+      man, who almost too weak to speak, could only express his thanks by a
+      grateful smile. Poor fellow! all our care cannot avail to save him now; he
+      is doomed, most surely doomed to die.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On the 23rd he seemed to be conscious of his condition, for he made a sign
+      to me to sit down by his side, and then summoning up all his strength to
+      speak, he asked me in a few broken words how long I thought he had to
+      live? Slight as my hesitation was, Walter noticed it immediately.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The truth,&rdquo; he said; &ldquo;tell me the plain truth.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;My dear fellow, I am not a doctor, you know,&rdquo; I began, &ldquo;and I can
+      scarcely judge&mdash;&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Never mind,&rdquo; he interrupted, &ldquo;tell me just what you think.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I looked at him attentively for some moments, then laid my ear against his
+      chest. In the last few days his malady had made fearfully rapid strides,
+      and it was only too evident that one lung had already ceased to act,
+      whilst the other was scarcely capable of performing the work of
+      respiration. The young man was now suffering from the fever which is the
+      sure symptom of the approaching end in all tuberculous complaints.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The lieutenant kept his eye fixed upon me with a look of eager inquiry. I
+      knew not what to say, and sought to evade his question.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;My dear boy,&rdquo; I said, &ldquo;in our present circumstances not one of us can
+      tell how long he has to live. Not one of us knows what may happen in the
+      course of the next eight days.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The next eight days,&rdquo; he murmured, as he looked eagerly into my face.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And then, turning away his head, he seemed to fall into a sort of doze.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The 24th, 25th, and 26th passed without any alteration in our
+      circumstances, and strange, nay, incredible as it may sound, we began to
+      get accustomed to our condition of starvation. Often, when reading the
+      histories of shipwrecks, I have suspected the accounts to be greatly
+      exaggerated; but now I fully realize their truth, and marvel when I find
+      on how little nutriment it is possible to exist for so long a time. To our
+      daily half-pound of biscuit the captain has thought to add a few drops of
+      brandy, and the stimulant helps considerably to sustain our strength. If
+      we had the same provisions for two months, or even for one, there might be
+      room for hope; but our supplies diminish rapidly, and the time is fast
+      approaching when of food and drink there will be none.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The sea had furnished us with food once, and, difficult as the task of
+      fishing had now become, at all hazards the attempt must be made again.
+      Accordingly the carpenter and the boatswain set to work and made lines out
+      of some untwisted hemp, to which they fixed some nails that they pulled
+      out of the flooring of the raft, and bent into proper shape. The boatswain
+      regarded his device with evident satisfaction.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t mean to say,&rdquo; said he to me, &ldquo;that these nails are first-rate
+      fish-hooks; but one thing I do know, and that is, with proper bait they
+      will act as well as the best. But this biscuit is no good at all. Let me
+      but just get hold of one fish, and I shall know fast enough how to use it
+      to catch some more.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      And the true difficulty was how to catch the first fish. It was evident
+      that fish were not abundant in these waters, nevertheless the lines were
+      cast. But the biscuit with which they were baited dissolved at once in the
+      water, and we did not get a single bite. For two days the attempt was made
+      in vain, and as it only involved what seemed a lavish waste of our only
+      means of subsistence, it was given up in despair.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day, the 30th, as a last resource, the boatswain tried what a piece of
+      coloured rag might do by way of attracting some voracious fish, and having
+      obtained from Miss Herbey a little piece of the red shawl she wears, he
+      fastened it to his hook. But still no success; for when, after several
+      hours, he examined his lines, the crimson shred was still hanging intact
+      as he had fixed it. The man was quite discouraged at his failure.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But there will be plenty of bait before long,&rdquo; he said to me in a solemn
+      undertone.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What do you mean?&rdquo; said I, struck by his significant manner.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;You&rsquo;ll know soon enough,&rdquo; he answered.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      What did he insinuate? The words, coming from a man usually so reserved,
+      have haunted me all night.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0038" id="link2HCH0038">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXXVIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 1st to 5th.&mdash;More than three months had elapsed since we left
+      Charleston in the &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo; and for no less than twenty days had we
+      now been borne along on our raft at the mercy of the wind and waves.
+      Whether we were approaching the American coast, or whether we were
+      drifting farther and farther to sea, it was now impossible to determine,
+      for, in addition to the other disasters caused by the hurricane, the
+      captain&rsquo;s instruments had been hopelessly smashed, and Curtis had no
+      longer any compass by which to direct his course, nor a sextant by which
+      he might make an observation.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Desperate, however, as our condition might be judged, hope did not
+      entirely abandon our hearts, and day after day, hour after hour were our
+      eyes strained towards the horizon, and many and many a time did our
+      imagination shape out the distant land. But ever and again the illusion
+      vanished; a cloud, a mist, perhaps even a wave, was all that had deceived
+      us; no land, no sail ever broke the grey line that united sea and sky, and
+      our raft remained the centre of the wide and dreary waste.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On the 1st of January we swallowed our last morsel of biscuit. The 1st of
+      January! New Year&rsquo;s Day! What a rush of sorrowful recollections
+      overwhelmed our minds! Had we not always associated the opening of another
+      year with new hopes, new plans, and coming joys? And now, where were we?
+      Could we dare to look at one another, and breathe a new year&rsquo;s greeting?
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The boatswain approached me with a peculiar look on his countenance.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;You are surely not going to wish me a happy new year?&rdquo; I said.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No indeed, sir,&rdquo; he replied, &ldquo;I was only going to wish you well through
+      the first day of it; and that is pretty good assurance on my part, for we
+      have not another crumb to eat.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      True as it was, we scarcely realized the fact of there being actually
+      nothing until on the following morning the hour came round for the
+      distribution of the scanty ration, and then, indeed, the truth was forced
+      upon us in a new and startling light. Towards evening I was seized with
+      violent pains in the stomach, accompanied by a constant desire to yawn and
+      gape that was most distressing; but in a couple of hours the extreme agony
+      passed away, and on the 3rd I was surprised to find that I did not suffer
+      more. I felt, it is true, that there was some great void within myself,
+      but the sensation was quite as much moral as physical. My head was so
+      heavy that I could not hold it up; it was swimming with giddiness, as
+      though I were looking over a precipice.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      My symptoms were not shared by all my companions, some of whom endured the
+      most frightful tortures. Dowlas and the boatswain especially, who were
+      naturally large eaters, uttered involuntary cries of agony, and were
+      obliged to gird themselves tightly with ropes to subdue the excruciating
+      pain that was gnawing their very vitals.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And this was only the second day of our misery! what would we not have
+      given for half, nay, for a quarter of the meagre ration which a few days
+      back we had deemed so inadequate to supply our wants, and which now, eked
+      out crumb by crumb, might, perhaps, serve for several days? In the streets
+      of a besieged city, dire as the distress may be, some gutter, some
+      rubbish-heap, some corner may yet be found that will furnish a dry bone or
+      a scrap of refuse that may for a moment allay the pangs of hunger; but
+      these bare planks, so many times washed clean by the relentless waves,
+      offer nothing to our eager search, and after every fragment of food that
+      the wind carried into their interstices has been scraped out devoured, our
+      resources are literally at an end.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The nights seem even longer than the days. Sleep, when it comes, brings no
+      relief; it is rather a feverish stupour, broken and disturbed by frightful
+      nightmares. Last night, however, overcome by fatigue, I managed to rest
+      for several hours.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At six o&rsquo;clock this morning I was roused by the sound of angry voices,
+      and, starting up, I saw Owen and Jynxstrop, with Flaypole, Wilson, Burke,
+      and Sandon, standing in a threatening attitude. They had taken possession
+      of the carpenter&rsquo;s tools, and now, armed with hatchets, chisels, and
+      hammers, they were preparing to attack the captain, the boatswain, and
+      Dowlas. I attached myself in a moment to Curtis&rsquo;s party. Falsten followed
+      my example, and although our knives were the only weapons at our disposal,
+      we were ready to defend ourselves to the very last extremity.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Owen and his men advanced towards us. The miserable wretches were all
+      drunk, for during the night they had knocked a hole in the brandy-barrel,
+      and had recklessly swallowed its contents. What they wanted they scarcely
+      seemed to know, but Owen and Jynxstrop, not quite so much intoxicated as
+      the rest; seemed to be urging them on to massacre the captain and the
+      officers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Down with the captain! Overboard with Curtis! Owen shall take the
+      command!&rdquo; they shouted from time to time in their drunken fury; and, armed
+      as they were, they appeared completely masters of the situation.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Now, then, down with your arms!&rdquo; said Curtis sternly, as he advanced to
+      meet them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Overboard with the captain!&rdquo; howled Owen, as by word and gesture he urged
+      on his accomplices.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis&rsquo; pushed aside the excited rascals, and, walking straight up to
+      Owen, asked him what he wanted.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What do we want? Why, we want no more captains; we are all equals now.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Poor stupid fool! as though misery and privation had not already reduced
+      us all to the same level.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Owen,&rdquo; said the captain once, again, &ldquo;down with your arms!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Come on, all of you,&rdquo; shouted Owen to his companions, without giving the
+      slightest heed to Curtis&rsquo;s words.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A regular struggle ensued. Owen and Wilson attacked Curtis, who defended
+      himself with a piece of a spar; Burke and Flaypole rushed upon Falsten and
+      the boatswain, whilst I was left to confront the negro Jynxstrop, who
+      attempted to strike me with the hammer which he brandished in his hand. I
+      endeavoured to paralyze his movements by pinioning his arms, but the
+      rascal was my superior in muscular strength. After wrestling for a few
+      moments, I felt that he was getting the mastery over me when all of a
+      sudden he rolled over on to the platform, dragging me with him. Andre
+      Letourneur had caught hold of one of his legs, and thus saved my life.
+      Jynxstrop dropped his weapon in his fall; I seized it instantly, and was
+      about to cleave the fellow&rsquo;s skull, when I was myself arrested by Andre&rsquo;s
+      hand upon my arm.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      By this time the mutineers had been driven back to the forepart of the
+      raft, and Curtis, who had managed to parry the blows which had been aimed
+      at him, had caught hold of a hatchet, with which he was preparing to
+      strike at Owen. But Owen made a sidelong movement to avoid the blow, and
+      the weapon caught Wilson full in the chest. The unfortunate man rolled
+      over the side of the raft and instantly disappeared.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Save him! save him!&rdquo; shouted the boatswain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;It&rsquo;s too late; he&rsquo;s dead!&rdquo; said Dowlas.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Ah, well! he&rsquo;ll do for&mdash;&rdquo; began the boatswain; but he did not finish
+      his sentence.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Wilson&rsquo;s death, however, put an end to the fray. Flaypole and Burke were
+      lying prostrate in a drunken stupour, and Jynxstrop was soon overpowered,
+      and lashed tightly to the foot of the mast. The carpenter and the
+      boatswain seized hold of Owen.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Now then,&rdquo; said Curtis, as he raised his blood-stained hatchet, &ldquo;make
+      your peace with God, for you have not a moment to live.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Oh, you want to eat me, do you?&rdquo; sneered Owen, with the most hardened
+      effrontery.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But the audacious reply saved his life; Curtis turned as pale as death,
+      the hatchet dropped from his hand, and he went and seated himself moodily
+      on the farthest corner of the raft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0039" id="link2HCH0039">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XXXIX.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 5th and 6th.&mdash;The whole scene made a deep impression on our
+      minds, and Owen&rsquo;s speech coming as a sort of climax, brought before us our
+      misery with a force that was well-nigh overwhelming.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As soon as I recovered my composure, I did not forget to thank Andre
+      Letourneur for the act of intervention that had saved my life.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Do you thank me for that; Mr. Kazallon?&rdquo; he said; &ldquo;it has only served to
+      prolong your misery.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Never mind, M. Letourneur,&rdquo; said Miss Herbey; &ldquo;you did your duty.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Enfeebled and emaciated as the young girl is, her sense of duty never
+      deserts her, and although her torn and bedraggled garments float
+      dejectedly about her body, she never utters a word of complaint, and never
+      loses courage.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; she said to me, &ldquo;do you think we are fated to die of
+      hunger?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes; Miss Herbey, I do,&rdquo; I replied in a hard, cold tone.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;How long do you suppose we have to live?&rdquo; she asked again.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I cannot say; perhaps we shall linger on longer than we imagine.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The strongest constitutions suffer the most, do they not?&rdquo; she said.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes; but they have one consolation; they die the soonest;&rdquo; I replied
+      coldly.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Had every spark of humanity died out of my breast that I thus brought the
+      girl face to face with the terrible truth without a word of hope or
+      comfort? The eyes of Andre and his father, dilated with hunger, were fixed
+      upon me, and I saw reproach and astonishment written in their faces.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Afterwards, when we were quite alone, Miss Herbey asked me if I would
+      grant her a favour.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Certainly, Miss Herbey; anything you like to ask,&rdquo; I replied; and this
+      time my manner was kinder and more genial.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;I am weaker than you, and shall probably die
+      first. Promise me that, if I do, you will throw my body into the sea.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Oh, Miss Herbey,&rdquo; I began, &ldquo;it was very wrong of me to speak to you as I
+      did!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No, no,&rdquo; she replied, half smiling; &ldquo;you were quite right. But it is a
+      weakness of mine; I don&rsquo;t mind what they do with me as long as I am alive,
+      but when I am dead&mdash;&rdquo; she stopped and shuddered. &ldquo;Oh, promise me that
+      you will throw me into, the sea!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I gave her the melancholy promise, which she acknowledged by pressing my
+      hand feebly with her emaciated fingers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Another night passed away. At times my sufferings were so intense that
+      cries of agony involuntarily escaped my lips; then I became calmer, and
+      sank into a kind of lethargy. When I awoke, I was surprised to find my
+      companions still alive.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The one of our party who seems to bear his privations the best is Hobart
+      the steward, a man with whom hitherto I have had very little to do. He is
+      small, with a fawning expression remarkable for its indecision, and has a
+      smile which is incessantly playing round his lips; he goes about with his
+      eyes half-closed, as though he wished to conceal his thoughts, and there
+      is something altogether false and hypocritical about his whole demeanour.
+      I cannot say that he bears his privations without a murmur, for he sighs
+      and moans incessantly; but, with it all, I cannot but think that there is
+      a want of genuineness in his manner, and that the privation has not really
+      told upon him as much as it has upon the rest of us. I have my suspicions
+      about the man, and intend to watch him carefully. To-day, the 6th, M.
+      Letourneur drew me aside to the stern of the raft, saying that he had a
+      secret to communicate, but that he wished neither to be seen nor heard
+      speaking to me. I withdrew with him to the larboard corner of the raft;
+      and, as it was growing dusk, nobody observed what we were doing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; M. Letourneur began in a low voice, &ldquo;Andre is dying of
+      hunger: he is growing weaker and weaker, and oh! I cannot, will not see
+      him die!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      He spoke passionately, almost fiercely, and I fully understood his
+      feelings. Taking his hand, I tried to reassure him.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;We will not despair yet,&rdquo; I said, &ldquo;perhaps some passing ship&mdash;&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Ship!&rdquo; he cried impatiently, &ldquo;don&rsquo;t try to console me with empty
+      commonplaces; you know as well as I do that there is no chance of falling
+      in with a passing ship.&rdquo; Then, breaking off suddenly, he asked,&mdash;&ldquo;How
+      long is it since my son and all of you have had anything to eat?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Astonished at his question, I replied that it was now four days since the
+      biscuit had failed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Four days,&rdquo; he repeated; &ldquo;well, then, it is eight since I have tasted
+      anything. I have been saving my share for my son.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Tears rushed to my eyes; for a few moments I was unable to speak, and
+      could only once more grasp his hand in silence.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What do you want me to do?&rdquo; I asked at length.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Hush! not so loud; some one will hear us,&rdquo; he said, lowering his voice,
+      &ldquo;I want you to offer it to Andre as though it came from yourself. He would
+      not accept it from me; he would think I had been depriving myself for him.
+      Let me implore you to do me this service and for your trouble,&rdquo; and here
+      he gently stroked my hand, &ldquo;for your trouble you shall have a morsel for
+      yourself.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I trembled like a child as I listened to the poor father&rsquo;s words, and my
+      heart was ready to burst when I felt a tiny piece of biscuit slipped into
+      my hand.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Give it him,&rdquo; M. Letourneur went on under his breath, &ldquo;give it him; but
+      do not let any one see you; the monsters would murder you if they knew it.
+      This is only for to-day; I will give you some more to-morrow.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The poor fellow did not trust me, and well he might not, for I had the
+      greatest difficulty to withstand the temptation to carry the biscuit to my
+      mouth, But I resisted the impulse, and those alone who have suffered like
+      me can know what the effort was.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Night came on with the rapidity peculiar to these low latitudes, and I
+      glided gently up to Andre and slipped the piece of biscuit into his hand
+      as &ldquo;a present from myself.&rdquo; The young man clutched at it eagerly.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But my father?&rdquo; he said inquiringly.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I assured him that his father and I had each had our share, and that he
+      must eat this now, and, perhaps, I should be able to bring him some more
+      another time. Andre asked no more questions, and eagerly devoured the
+      morsel of food.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      So this evening at least, notwithstanding M. Letourneur&rsquo;s offer, I have
+      tasted nothing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0040" id="link2HCH0040">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XL.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 7th.&mdash;During the last few days since the wind has freshened,
+      the salt water constantly dashing over the raft has terribly punished the
+      feet and legs of some of the sailors. Owen, whom the boatswain ever since
+      the revolt kept bound to the mast, is in a deplorable state, and at our
+      request has been released from his restraint. Sandon and Burke are also
+      suffering from the severe smarting caused in this way, and it is only
+      owing to our more sheltered position on the aft-part of the raft, that we
+      have not; all shared the same inconvenience.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Today the boatswain, maddened by starvation, laid hands upon everything
+      that met his voracious eyes, and I could hear the grating of his teeth as
+      he gnawed at fragments of sails and bits of wood, instinctively
+      endeavouring to fill his stomach by putting the mucus&rsquo; into circulation at
+      length, by dint of an eager search, he came upon a piece of leather
+      hanging to one of the spars that supported the platform. He snatched it
+      off and devoured it greedily, and as it was animal matter, it really
+      seemed as though the absorption of the substance afforded him some
+      temporary relief. Instantly we all followed his example; a leather hat,
+      the rims of caps, in short, anything that contained any animal matter at
+      all, were gnawed and sucked with the utmost avidity. Never shall I forget
+      the scene. We were no longer human, the impulses and instincts of brute
+      beasts seemed to actuate our every movement.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      For a moment the pangs of hunger were somewhat allayed; but some of us
+      revolted against the loathsome food, and were seized either with violent
+      nausea or absolute sickness. I must be pardoned for giving these
+      distressing details, but how otherwise can I depict the misery, moral and
+      physical, which we are enduring? And with it all, I dare not venture to
+      hope that we have reached the climax of our sufferings.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The conduct of Hobart during the scene that I have just described has only
+      served to confirm my previous suspicions of him. He took no part in the
+      almost fiendish energy with which we gnawed at our scraps of leather, and
+      although by his conduct and perpetual groanings, he might be considered to
+      be dying of inanition, yet to me he has the appearance of being singularly
+      exempt from the tortures which we are all enduring. But whether the
+      hypocrite is being sustained, by some secret store of food, I have been
+      unable to discover.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Whenever the breeze drops the heat is overpowering; but although our
+      allowance of water is very meagre, at present the pangs of hunger far
+      exceed the pain of thirst. It has often been remarked that extreme thirst
+      is far less endurable than extreme hunger. Is it possible that still
+      greater agonies are in store for us? I cannot, dare not, believe it.
+      Fortunately, the broken barrel still contains a few pints of water, and
+      the other one has not yet been opened. But I am glad to say that
+      notwithstanding our diminished numbers, and in spite of some opposition,
+      the captain has thought right to reduce the daily allowance to half a pint
+      for each person. As for the brandy, of which there is only a quart now
+      left, it has been stowed away safely in the stern of the raft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      This evening has ended the sufferings of another of our companions, making
+      our number now only fourteen. My attentions and Miss Herbey&rsquo;s nursing
+      could do nothing for Lieutenant Walter, and about half-past seven he
+      expired in my arms.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Before he died, in a few broken words he thanked Miss Herbey and myself
+      for the kindness we had shown him. A crumpled letter fell from his hand,
+      and in a voice that was scarcely audible from weakness, he said,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;It is my mother&rsquo;s letter: the last I had from her&mdash;she was expecting
+      me home; but she will never see me more. Oh, put it to my lips&mdash;let
+      me kiss it before I die. Mother! mother! Oh my God!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I placed the letter in his cold hand, and raised it to his lips; his eye
+      lighted for a moment; we heard the faint sound of a kiss, and all was
+      over!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0041" id="link2HCH0041">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XLI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 8th.&mdash;All night I remained by the side of the poor fellow&rsquo;s
+      corpse, and several times Miss Herbey joined me in my mournful watch.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Before daylight dawned the body was quite cold, and as I knew there must
+      be no delay in throwing it overboard, I asked Curtis to assist me in the
+      sad office. The body was frightfully emaciated, and I had every hope that
+      it would not float.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As soon as it was quite light, taking every precaution that no one should
+      see what we were about, Curtis and I proceeded to our melancholy task. We
+      took a few articles from the lieutenant&rsquo;s pockets, which we purposed, if
+      either of us should survive, to remit to his mother. But as we wrapped him
+      in his tattered garments that would have to suffice for his winding-sheet,
+      I started back with a thrill of horror. The right foot had gone, leaving
+      the leg a bleeding stump!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      No doubt that, overcome by fatigue, I must have fallen asleep for an
+      interval during the night, and some one had taken advantage of my slumber
+      to mutilate the corpse. But who could have been guilty of so foul a deed!
+      Curtis looked around with anger flashing In his eye; but all seemed as
+      usual, and the silence was only broken by a few groans of agony.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But there was no time to be lost; perhaps we were already observed, and
+      more horrible scenes might be likely to occur. Curtis said a few short
+      prayers, and we cast the body into the sea. It sank immediately.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;They are feeding the sharks well, and no mistake,&rdquo; said a voice behind
+      me.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I turned round quickly, and found that it was Jynxstrop who had spoken.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As the boatswain now approached, I asked him whether he thought it
+      possible that any of the wretched men could have taken the dead man&rsquo;s
+      foot.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Oh yes, I dare say,&rdquo; he replied, in a significant tone &ldquo;and perhaps they
+      thought they were right.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Right! what do you mean?&rdquo; I exclaimed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Well, sir,&rdquo; he said coldly, &ldquo;isn&rsquo;t it better to eat a dead man than a
+      living one?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I was at a loss to comprehend him, and, turning away, laid myself down at
+      the end of the raft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Towards eleven o&rsquo;clock, a most suspicious incident occurred. The
+      boatswain, who had cast his lines early in the morning, caught three large
+      cod, each more than thirty inches long, of the species which, when dried,
+      is known by the name of stock-fish. Scarcely had he hauled them on board,
+      when the sailors made a dash at them, and it was with the utmost
+      difficulty that Curtis, Falsten, and myself could restore order, so that
+      we might divide the fish into equal portions. Three cod were not much
+      amongst fourteen starving persons, but, small as the quantity was, it was
+      allotted in strictly equal shares. Most of us devoured the food raw,
+      almost I might say, alive; only Curtis, Andre and Miss Herbey having the
+      patience to wait until their allowance had been boiled at a fire which
+      they made with a few scraps of wood. For myself, I confess that I
+      swallowed my portion of fish just as it was,&mdash;raw and bleeding. M.
+      Letourneur followed my example; the poor man devoured his food like a
+      famished wolf, and it is only a wonder to me how, after his lengthened
+      fast, he came to be alive at all.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The boatswain&rsquo;s delight at his success was, excessive, and amounted almost
+      to delirium. I went up to him, and encouraged him to repeat his attempt.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Oh, yes,&rdquo; he said; &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll try again. I&rsquo;ll try again.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;And why not try at once,&rdquo; I asked.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Not now,&rdquo; he said evasively; &ldquo;the night is the best time for catching
+      large fish. Besides, I must manage to get some bait, for we have been
+      improvident enough not to save a single scrap.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But you have succeeded once without bait; why may you not succeed again?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Oh! I had some very good bait last night,&rdquo; he said. I stared at him in
+      amazement. He steadily returned my gaze, but said nothing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Have you none left?&rdquo; at last I asked.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes!&rdquo; he almost whispered and left me without another word.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Our meal, meagre as it had been, served to rally our shattered energies;
+      our hopes were slightly raised; there was no reason why the boatswain
+      should not have the same good luck again.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One evidence of the degree to which our spirits were revived was that our
+      minds were no longer fixed upon the miserable present and hopeless future,
+      but we began to recall and discuss the past; and M. Letourneur, Andre Mr.
+      Falsten, and I held a long conversation with the captain about the various
+      incidents of our eventful voyage, speaking of our lost companions, of the
+      fire, of the stranding of the ship, of our sojourn on Ham Rock, of the
+      springing of the leak, of our terrible voyage in the top-masts, of the
+      construction of the raft, and of the storm. All these things seemed to
+      have happened so long ago, and yet we were living still. Living, did I
+      say? Ay, if such an existence as ours could be called a life, fourteen of
+      us were living still. Who would be the next to go? We should then be
+      thirteen.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;An unlucky number!&rdquo; said Andre with a mournful smile.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      During the night the boatswain cast his lines from the stern of the raft,
+      and, unwilling to trust them to any one else, remained watching them
+      himself. In the morning I went to ascertain what success had attended his
+      patience. It was scarcely light, and with eager eyes he was peering down
+      into the water. He had neither seen nor heard me coming.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Well, boatswain!&rdquo; I said, touching him on the shoulder.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      He turned round quickly.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Those villainous sharks have eaten every morsel of my bait,&rdquo; he said, in
+      a desponding voice.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;And you have no more left?&rdquo; I asked.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No more,&rdquo; he said. Then grasping my arm he added, &ldquo;and that only shows me
+      that it is no good doing things by halves.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The truth flashed upon me at once, and I laid my hand upon his mouth. Poor
+      Walter!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0042" id="link2HCH0042">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XLII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 9th and 10th.&mdash;On the 9th the wind dropped, and there was a
+      dead calm; not a ripple disturbed the surface of the long undulations as
+      they rose and fell beneath us; and if it were not for the slight current
+      which is carrying us we know not whither, the raft would be absolutely
+      stationary.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The heat was intolerable; our thirst more intolerable still; and now it
+      was that for the first time I fully realized how the insufficiency of
+      drink could cause torture more unendurable than the pangs of hunger.
+      Mouth, throat, pharynx, all alike were parched and dry, every gland
+      becoming hard as horn under the action of the hot air we breathed. At my
+      urgent solicitation the captain was for once induced to double our
+      allowance of water; and this relaxation of the ordinary rule enabled us to
+      attempt to slake our thirst four times in the day, instead of only twice.
+      I use the word &ldquo;attempt&rdquo; advisedly; for the water at the bottom of the
+      barrel, though kept covered by a sail, became so warm that it was
+      perfectly flat and unrefreshing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was a most trying day, and the sailors relapsed into a condition of
+      deep despondency. The moon was nearly full, but when she rose the breeze
+      did not return. Continuance of high temperature in daytime is a sure proof
+      that we have been carried far to the south, and here, on this illimitable
+      ocean, we have long ceased even to look for land; it might almost seem as
+      though this globe of ours had veritably become a liquid sphere!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day we are still becalmed, and the temperature is as high as ever. The
+      air is heated like a furnace, and the sun scorches like fire. The torments
+      of famine are all forgotten: our thoughts are concentrated with fevered
+      expectation upon the longed-for moment when Curtis shall dole out the
+      scanty measure of lukewarm water that makes up our ration. O for one good
+      draught, even if it should exhaust the whole supply! At least, it seems as
+      if we then could die in peace!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      About noon we were startled by sharp cries of agony, and looking round I
+      saw Owen writhing in the most horrible convulsions. I went towards him,
+      for, detestable as his conduct had been, common humanity prompted me to
+      see whether I could afford him any relief. But before I reached him, a
+      shout from Flaypole arrested my attention.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The man was up in the mast, and with great excitement pointing to the
+      east.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;A ship! A ship!&rdquo; he cried.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In an instant all were on their feet. Even Owen stopped his cries and
+      stood erect. It was quite true that in the direction indicated by Flaypole
+      there was a white speck visible upon the horizon. But did it move? Would
+      the sailors with their keen vision pronounce it to be a sail? A silence
+      the most profound fell upon us all. I glanced at Curtis as he stood with
+      folded arms intently gazing at the distant point. His brow was furrowed,
+      and he contracted every feature, as with half-closed eyes, he concentrated
+      his power of vision upon that one faint spot in the far-off horizon.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But at length he dropped his arms and shook his head. I looked again, but
+      the spot was no longer there. If it were a ship, that ship had
+      disappeared; but probably it had been a mere reflection, or, more likely
+      still, only the crest of some curling wave.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A deep dejection followed this phantom ray of hope. All returned to their
+      accustomed places. Curtis alone remained motionless, but his eye no longer
+      scanned the distant view.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Owen now began to shriek more wildly than ever. He presented truly a most
+      melancholy sight; he writhed with the most hideous contortions, and had
+      all the appearance of suffering from tetanus. His throat was contracted by
+      repeated spasms, his tongue was parched, his body swollen, and his pulse,
+      though feeble, was rapid and irregular. The poor wretch&rsquo;s symptoms were
+      precisely such as to lead us to suspect that he had taken some corrosive
+      poison. Of course it was quite out of our power to administer any
+      antidote; all that we could devise was to make him swallow something that
+      might act as an emetic. I asked Curtis for a little of the lukewarm water.
+      As the contents of the broken barrel were now exhausted, the captain, in
+      order to comply with my request, was about to tap the other barrel, when
+      Owen started suddenly to his knees, and with a wild, unearthly shriek,
+      exclaimed,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;No! no! no! of that water I will not touch a drop.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I supposed he did not understand what we were going to do, and endeavoured
+      to explain; but all in vain; he persisted in refusing to taste the water
+      in the second barrel. I then tried to induce vomiting by tickling his
+      uvula, and he brought off some bluish secretion from his stomach, the
+      character of which confirmed our previous suspicions&mdash;that he had
+      been poisoned by oxide of copper. We now felt convinced that any efforts
+      on our part to save him would be of no avail. The vomiting, however, had
+      for the time relieved him, and he was able to speak.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis and I both implored him to let us know what he had taken to bring
+      about consequences so serious. His reply fell upon us as a startling blow.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The ill fated wretch had stolen several pints of water from the barrel
+      that had been untouched, and that water had poisoned him!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0043" id="link2HCH0043">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XLIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 11th to 14th.&mdash;Owen&rsquo;s convulsions returned with increased
+      violence, and in the course of the night he expired in terrible agony. His
+      body was thrown overboard almost directly; it had decomposed so rapidly
+      that the flesh had not even consistency enough for any fragments of it to
+      be reserved for the boatswain to use to bait his lines. A plague the man
+      had been to us in his life; in his death he was now of no service!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And now, perhaps, still more than ever, did the horror of our situation
+      stare us in the face. There was no doubt that the poisoned barrel had at
+      some time or other contained copperas; but what strange fatality had
+      converted it into a water-cask, or what fatality, stranger still, had
+      caused it to be brought on board the raft, was a problem that none could
+      solve. Little, however, did it matter now: the fact was evident; the
+      barrel was poisoned, and of water we had not a drop.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One and all, we fell into the gloomiest silence. We were too irritable to
+      bear the sound of each other&rsquo;s voices; and it did not require a word, a
+      mere look or gesture was enough, to provoke us to anger that was little
+      short of madness. How it was that we did not all become raving maniacs, I
+      cannot tell.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Throughout the 12th no drain of moisture crossed our lips, and not a cloud
+      arose to warrant the expectation of a passing shower; in the shade, if
+      shade it might be called, the thermometer would have registered at least
+      100deg., and, perhaps, considerably more.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      No change next day. The salt water began to chafe my legs, but although
+      the smarting was at times severe, it was an inconvenience to which I gave
+      little heed; others who had suffered from the same trouble had become no
+      worse. Oh! if this water that surrounds us could be reduced to vapour or
+      to ice! its particles of salt extracted, it would be available for drink.
+      But no! we have no appliances, and we must suffer on.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At the risk of being devoured by the sharks, the boatswain and two sailors
+      took a morning bath, and as their plunge seemed to refresh them, I and
+      three of my companions resolved to follow their example. We had never
+      learnt to swim, and had to be fastened to the end of a rope and lowered
+      into the water; while Curtis during the half-hour of our bath, kept a
+      sharp look-out to give warning of any danger from approaching sharks. No
+      recommendation, however, on our part, nor any representation of the
+      benefit we felt we had derived, could induce Miss Herbey to allay her
+      sufferings in the same way.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At about eleven o&rsquo;clock, the captain came up to me, and whispered in my
+      ear,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t say a word, Mr. Kazallon; I do not want to raise false hopes, but I
+      think I see a ship.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      It was as well that the captain had warned me; otherwise, I should have
+      raised an involuntary shout of joy; as it was, I had the greatest
+      difficulty in restraining my expressions of delight.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Look behind to larboard,&rdquo; he continued in an undertone.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Affecting an indifference which I was far from feeling, I cast an anxious
+      glance to that quarter of the horizon of which he spoke, and there,
+      although mine is not a nautical eye, I could plainly distinguish the
+      outline of a ship under sail.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Almost at the same moment the boatswain who happened to be looking in the
+      same direction, raised the cry, &ldquo;Ship ahoy!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Whether it was that no one believed it, or whether all energies were
+      exhausted, certain it is that the announcement produced none of the
+      effects that might have been expected. Not a soul exhibited the slightest
+      emotion, and it was only when the boatswain had several times sung out his
+      tidings that all eyes turned to the horizon. There, most undeniably, was
+      the ship, and the question rose at once to the minds of all, and to the
+      lips of many, &ldquo;Would she see us?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The sailors immediately began discussing the build of the vessel, and made
+      all sorts of conjectures as to the direction she was taking. Curtis was
+      far more deliberate in his judgment. After examining her attentively for
+      some time, he said, &ldquo;She is a brig running close upon the wind, on the
+      starboard tack, If she keeps her course for a couple of hours, she will
+      come right athwart our track.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      A couple of hours! The words sounded to our ears like a couple of
+      centuries. The ship might change her course at any moment; closely trimmed
+      as she was, it was very probable that she was only tacking about to catch
+      the wind, in which case, as soon as she felt a breeze, she would resume
+      her larboard tack and make away again. On the other hand, if she were
+      really sailing with the wind, she would come nearer to us, and there would
+      be good ground for hope.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meantime, no exertion must be spared, and no means left untried, to make
+      our position known. The brig was about twelve miles to the east of us, so
+      that it was out of the question to think of any cries of ours being
+      overheard; but Curtis gave directions that every possible signal should be
+      made. We had no fire-arms by which we could attract attention, and nothing
+      else occurred to us beyond hoisting a flag of distress. Miss Herbey&rsquo;s red
+      shawl, as being of a colour most distinguishable against the background of
+      sea and sky, was run up to the mast-head, and was caught by the light
+      breeze that just then was ruffling the surface of the water. As a drowning
+      man clutches at a straw, so our hearts bounded with hope every time that
+      our poor flag fluttered in the wind.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      For an hour our feelings alternated between hope and despair. The ship was
+      evidently making her way in the direction of the raft, but every now and
+      then she seemed to stop, and then our hearts would almost stand still with
+      agony lest she was going to put about. She carried all her canvas, even to
+      her royals and stay-sails, but her hull was only partially visible above
+      the horizon.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      How slowly she advanced! The breeze was very, very feeble, and perhaps
+      soon it would drop altogether! We felt that we would give years of our
+      life to know the result of the coming hour!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At half-past twelve the captain and the boatswain considered that the brig
+      was about nine miles away; she had, therefore, gained only three miles in
+      an hour and a half, and it was doubtful whether the light breeze that had
+      been passing over our heads had reached her at all. I fancied, too, that
+      her sails were no longer filled, but were hanging loose against her masts.
+      Turning to the direction of the wind I tried to make out some chance of a
+      rising breeze; but no, the waves were calm and torpid, and the little puff
+      of air that had aroused our hopes had died away across the sea.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I stood aft with M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss Herbey, and our glances
+      perpetually wandered from the distant ship to our captain&rsquo;s face. Curtis
+      stood leaning against the mast, with the boatswain by his side; their eyes
+      seemed never for a moment to cease to watch the brig, but their
+      countenances clearly expressed the varying emotions that passed through
+      their minds. Not a word was uttered, nor was the silence broken, until the
+      carpenter exclaimed, in accents of despair,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;She&rsquo;s putting about!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      All started up: some to their knees, others to their feet, The boatswain
+      dropped a frightful oath. The ship was still nine miles away, and at such
+      a distance it was impossible for our signal to be seen; our tiny raft, a
+      mere speck upon the waters, would be lost in the intense irradiation of
+      the sunbeams. If only we could be seen, no doubt all would be well; no
+      captain would have the barbarous inhumanity to leave us to our fate; but
+      there had been no chance; only too well we knew that we had not been
+      within the range of sight.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;My friends,&rdquo; said Curtis, &ldquo;we must make a fire; it is our last and only
+      chance.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Some planks were quickly loosened and thrown into a heap upon the fore
+      part of the raft. They were damp and troublesome to light; but the very
+      dampness made the smoke more dense, and ere long a tall column of dusky
+      fumes was rising straight upwards in the air. If darkness should come on
+      before the brig was completely out of view, the flames we hoped might
+      still be visible. But the hours passed on; the fire died out; and yet no
+      signs of help.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The temper of resignation now deserted me entirely; faith, hope,
+      confidence&mdash;all vanished from my mind, and like the boatswain, I
+      swore long and loudly. A gentle hand was laid upon my arm, and turning
+      round I saw Miss Herbey with her finger pointing to the sky. I could stand
+      it no longer, but gliding underneath the tent I hid my face in my hands
+      and wept aloud.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meanwhile the brig had altered her tack, and was moving slowly to the
+      east. Three hours later and the keenest eye could not have discerned her
+      top-sails above the horizon.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0044" id="link2HCH0044">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XLIV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 15th.&mdash;After this further shattering of our excited hopes
+      death alone now stares us in the face; slow and lingering as that death
+      may be, sooner or later it must inevitably come.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day some clouds that rose in the west have brought us a few puffs of
+      wind; and in spite of our prostration, we appreciate the moderation,
+      slight as it is, in the temperature. To my parched throat the air seemed a
+      little less trying but it is now seven days since the boatswain took his
+      haul of fish, and during that period we have eaten nothing even Andre
+      Letourneur finished yesterday the last morsel of the biscuit which his
+      sorrowful and self-denying father had entrusted to my charge.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Jynxstrop the negro has broken loose from his confinement, but Curtis has
+      taken no measures for putting him again under restraint. It is not to be
+      apprehended that the miserable fellow and his accomplices, weakened as
+      they are by their protracted fast, will attempt to do us any mischief now.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Some huge sharks made their appearance to-day, cleaving the water rapidly
+      with their great black fins. The monsters came close up to the edge of the
+      raft, and Flaypole, who was leaning over, narrowly escaped having his arm
+      snapped off by one of them. I could not help regarding them as living
+      sepulchres, which ere long might swallow up our miserable carcasses; yet,
+      withal, I profess that my feelings were rather those of fascination than
+      of horror.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The boatswain, who stood with clenched teeth and dilated eye, regarded
+      these sharks from quite another point of view. He thought about devouring
+      the sharks, not about the sharks devouring him; and if he could succeed in
+      catching one, I doubt if one of us would reject the tough and untempting
+      flesh. He determined to make the attempt, and as he had no whirl which he
+      could fasten to his rope he set to work to find something that might serve
+      as a substitute. Curtis and Dowlas were consulted, and after a short
+      conversation, during which they kept throwing bits of rope and spars into
+      the water in order to entice the sharks to remain by the raft, Dowlas went
+      and fetched his carpenter&rsquo;s tool, which is at once a hatchet and a hammer.
+      Of this he proposed to make the whirl of which they were in need, under
+      the hope that either the sharp edge of the adze or the pointed extremity
+      opposite would stick firmly into the jaws of any shark that might swallow
+      it. The wooden handle of the hammer was secured to the rope, which, in its
+      turn, was tightly fastened to the raft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      With eager, almost breathless, excitement we stood watching the
+      preparations, at the same time using every means in our power to attract
+      the attention of the sharks. As soon as the whirl was ready the boatswain
+      began to think about bait; and, talking rapidly to himself, ransacked
+      every corner of the raft, as though he expected to find some dead body
+      coming opportunely to sight. But his search ended in nothing; and the only
+      plan that suggested itself was again to have recourse to Miss Herbey&rsquo;s red
+      shawl, of which a fragment was wrapped round the head of the hammer. After
+      testing the strength of his line, and reassuring-himself that it was
+      fastened firmly both to the hammer and to the raft, the boatswain lowered
+      it into the water.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The sea was quite transparent, and any object was clearly visible to a
+      depth of two hundred feet below the surface. Leaning over the low parapet
+      of the raft we looked on in breathless silence, as the scarlet rag,
+      distinct as it was against the blue mass of water, made its slow descent.
+      But one by one the sharks seemed to disappear, They could not, however,
+      have gone far away, and it was not likely that anything in the shape of
+      bait dropped near them would long escape their keen voracity.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Suddenly, without speaking, the boatswain raised his hand and pointed to a
+      dark mass skimming along the surface of the water, and making straight in
+      our direction. It was a shark, certainly not less than twelve feet long.
+      As soon as the creature was about four fathoms from the raft, the
+      boatswain gently drew in his line until the whirl was in such a position
+      that the shark must cross right over it; at the same time he shook the
+      line a little, that he might give the whirl the appearance, if he could,
+      of being something alive and moving. As the creature came near, my heart
+      beat violently; I could see its eyes flashing above the waves; and its
+      gaping jaws, as it turned half over on its back, exhibited long rows of
+      pointed teeth.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I know not who it was, but some one at that moment uttered an involuntary
+      cry of horror. The shark came to a standstill, turned about, and escaped
+      quite out of sight. The boatswain was pale with anger.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The first man who speaks,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;I will kill him on the spot.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Again he applied himself to his task. The whirl again was lowered, this
+      time to the depth of twenty fathoms, but for half an hour or more not a
+      shark could be distinguished; but as the waters far below seemed somehow
+      to be troubled I could not help believing that some of the brutes at least
+      were still there.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      All at once, with a violent jerk, the cord was wrested from the
+      boatswain&rsquo;s hands; firmly attached, however, as it was to the raft, it was
+      not lost. The bait had been seized by a shark, and the iron had made good
+      its hold upon the creature&rsquo;s flesh.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Now, then, my lads,&rdquo; cried the boatswain, &ldquo;haul away!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Passengers and sailors, one and all, put forth what strength they had to
+      drag the rope, but so violent were the creature&rsquo;s struggles that it
+      required all our efforts (and it is needless to say that they were willing
+      enough) to bring it to the surface, At length, after exertions that almost
+      exhausted us, the water became agitated by the violent flappings of the
+      tail and fins; and looking down I saw the huge carcase of the shark
+      writhing convulsively amidst waves that were stained with blood.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Steady! steady!&rdquo; said the boatswain, as the head appeared above.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The whirl had passed right through the jaw into the middle of the throat;
+      so that no struggle on the part of the animal could possibly release it.
+      Dowlas seized his hatchet, ready to despatch the brute the moment if
+      should be landed on the raft. A short sharp snap was heard. The shark had
+      closed its jaws, and bitten through the wooden handle of the hammer.
+      Another moment and it had turned round and was completely gone.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A howl of despair burst from all our lips. All the labour and the
+      patience, all had been in vain. Dowlas made a few more unsuccessful
+      attempts, but as the whirl was lost, and they had no means of replacing
+      it, there was no further room for hope. They did, indeed, lower some cords
+      twisted into running knots, but (as might have been expected) these only
+      slipped over, without holding, the slimy bodies of the sharks. As a last
+      resource the boatswain allowed his naked leg to hang over the side of the
+      raft; the monsters, however, were proof even against this attraction.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Reduced once again to a gloomy despondency, all turned to their places, to
+      await the end that cannot now be long deferred.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Just as I moved away I heard the boatswain say to Curtis,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Captain, when shall we draw lots?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The captain made no reply.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0045" id="link2HCH0045">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XLV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 16th.&mdash;If the crew of any passing vessel had caught sight of
+      us as we lay still and inanimate upon our sail-cloth, they would scarcely,
+      at first sight, have hesitated to pronounce us dead.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      My sufferings were terrible; tongue, lips, and throat were so parched and
+      swollen that if food had been at hand I question whether I could have
+      swallowed it. So exasperated were the feelings of us all, however, that we
+      glanced at each other with looks as savage as though we were about to
+      slaughter and without delay eat up one another.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The heat was aggravated by the atmosphere being somewhat stormy. Heavy
+      vapours gathered on the horizon, and there was a look as if it were
+      raining all around. Longing eyes and gasping mouths turned involuntarily
+      towards the clouds, and M. Letourneur, on bended knee, was raising his
+      hands, as it might be in supplication to the relentless skies.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was eleven o&rsquo;clock in the morning. I listened for distant rumblings
+      which might announce an approaching storm, but although the vapours had
+      obstructed the sun&rsquo;s rays, they no longer presented the appearance of
+      being charged with electricity. Thus our prognostications ended in
+      disappointment; the clouds, which in the early morning had been marked by
+      the distinctness of their outline, had melted one into another and assumed
+      an uniform dull grey tint; in fact, we were enveloped in an ordinary fog.
+      But was it not still possible that this fog might turn to rain?
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Happily this hope was destined to be realized; for in a very short time,
+      Dowlas, with a shout of delight, declared that rain was actually coming;
+      and sure enough, not half a mile from the raft, the dark parallel streaks
+      against the sky testified that there at least the rain was falling. I
+      fancied I could see the drops rebounding from the surface of the water.
+      The wind was fresh and bringing the cloud right on towards us, yet we
+      could not suppress our trepidation lest it; should exhaust itself before
+      it reached us.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But no: very soon large heavy drops began to fall, and the storm-cloud,
+      passing over our heads, was outpouring its contents upon us. The shower,
+      however, was very transient; already a bright streak of light along the
+      horizon marked the limit of the cloud and warned us that we must be quick
+      to make the most of what it had to give us. Curtis had placed the broken
+      barrel in the position that was most exposed, and every sail was spread
+      out to the fullest extent our dimensions would allow.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We all laid ourselves down flat upon our backs and kept our mouths wide
+      open. The rain splashed into my face, wetted my lips, and trickled down my
+      throat. Never can I describe the ecstasy with which I imbibed that
+      renovating moisture. The parched and swollen glands relaxed, I breathed
+      afresh, and my whole being seemed revived with a strange and requickened
+      life.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The rain lasted about twenty minutes, when the cloud, still only half
+      exhausted, passed quite away from over us.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We grasped each other&rsquo;s hands as we rose from the platform on which we had
+      been lying, and mutual congratulations, mingled with gratitude, poured
+      forth from our long silent lips. Hope, however evanescent it might be, for
+      the moment had returned, and we yielded to the expectation that, ere long,
+      other and more abundant clouds might come and replenish our store.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The next consideration was how to preserve and economize what little had
+      been collected by the barrel, or imbibed by the outspread sails. It was
+      found that only a few pints of rain-water had fallen into the barrel to
+      this small quantity the sailors were about to add what they could by
+      wringing out the saturated sails, when Curtis made them desist from their
+      intention.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Stop, stop!&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;we must wait a moment; we must see whether this
+      water from the sails is drinkable.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      I looked at him in amazement. Why should not this be as drinkable as the
+      other? He squeezed a few drops out of one of the folds of a sail into the
+      tin pot, and put it to his lips. To my surprise, he rejected it
+      immediately, and upon tasting it for myself I found it not merely
+      brackish, but briny as the sea itself. The fact was that the canvas had
+      been so long exposed to the action of the waves, that it had become
+      thoroughly impregnated by salt, which of course was taken up again by the
+      water that fell upon it. Disappointed we were; but with several pints of
+      water in our possession, we were not only contented for the present, but
+      sanguine in our prospect for the future.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0046" id="link2HCH0046">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XLVI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 17th.&mdash;As a natural consequence of the alleviation of our
+      thirst, the pangs of hunger returned more violently than ever. Although we
+      had no bait, and even if we had we could not use it for want of a whirl,
+      we could not help asking whether no possible means could be devised for
+      securing one out of the many sharks that were still perpetually swarming
+      about the raft. Armed with knives, like the Indians in the pearl
+      fisheries, was it not practicable to attack the monsters in their own
+      element? Curtis expressed his willingness personally to make the attempt,
+      but so numerous were the sharks that we would not for one moment hear of
+      his risking his life in a venture of which the danger was as great as the
+      success was doubtful.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      By plunging into the sea, or by gnawing at a piece of metal, we could
+      always, or at least often, do something that cheated us into believing
+      that we were mitigating the pains of thirst; but with hunger it was
+      different. The prospect, too, of rain seemed hopeful, whilst for getting
+      food there appeared no chance; and, as we knew that nothing could
+      compensate for the lack of nutritive matter, we were soon all cast down
+      again. Shocking to confess, it would be untrue to deny that we surveyed
+      each other with the eye of an eager longing; and I need hardly explain to
+      what a degree of savageness the one idea that haunted us had reduced our
+      feelings.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Ever since the storm-cloud brought us the too transient shower the sky has
+      been tolerably clear, and although at that time the wind had slightly
+      freshened, it has since dropped, and the sail hangs idly against our mast.
+      Except for the trifling relief it brings by modifying the temperature we
+      care little now for any breeze. Ignorant as we are as to what quarter of
+      the Atlantic we have been carried by the currents, it matters very little
+      to us from what direction the wind may blow if only it would bring, in
+      rain or dew, the moisture of which we are so dreadfully in need.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The moon was entering her last quarter, so that it was dark till nearly
+      midnight, and the stars were misty, not glowing with that lustre which is
+      so often characteristic of cool nights. Half frantic with that sense of
+      hunger which invariably returns with redoubled vigour at the close of
+      every day, I threw myself, in a kind of frenzy, upon a bundle of sails
+      that was lying on the starboard of the raft, and leaning over, I tried to
+      get some measure of relief by inhaling the moist coolness that rarely
+      fails to circulate just above the water. My brain was haunted by the most
+      horrible nightmares; not that I suppose I was in any way more distressed
+      than my companions, who were lying in their usual places, vainly
+      endeavouring to forget their sufferings in sleep.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After a time I fell into a restless, dreamy doze. I was neither asleep nor
+      awake. How long I remained in that state of stupor I could hardly say, but
+      at length a strange sensation half brought me to myself. Was I dreaming,
+      or was there not really some unaccustomed odour floating in the air? My
+      nostrils became distended, and I could scarcely suppress a cry of
+      astonishment; but some instinct kept me quiet, and I laid myself down
+      again with the puzzled sensation sometimes experienced when we have
+      forgotten a word or name. Only a few minutes, however, had elapsed before
+      another still more savoury puff induced me to take several long
+      inhalations. Suddenly, the truth seemed to dash across my mind. &ldquo;Surely,&rdquo;
+       I muttered to myself &ldquo;this must be cooked meat that I can smell.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Again and again I sniffed and became more convinced than ever that my
+      senses were not deceiving me. But from what part of the raft could the
+      smell proceed? I rose to my knees, and having satisfied myself that the
+      odour came from the front, I crept stealthily as a cat under the sails and
+      between the spars in that direction. Following the promptings of my scent,
+      rather than my vision, like a bloodhound in the track of his prey, I
+      searched everywhere I could, now finding, now losing, the smell according
+      to my change of position, or the dropping of the wind. At length I got the
+      true scent; once for all, so that I could go straight to the object for
+      which I was in search.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Approaching the starboard angle of the raft, I came to the conclusion that
+      the smell that had thus keenly excited my cravings was the smell of smoked
+      bacon; the membranes of my tongue almost bristled with the intenseness of
+      my longing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Crawling along a little farther, under a thick roll of sail-cloth, I was
+      not long in securing my prize. Forcing my arm below the roll, I felt my
+      hand in contact with something wrapped up in paper. I clutched it up, and
+      carried it off to a place where I could examine it by the help of the
+      light of the moon that had now made its appearance above the horizon. I
+      almost shrieked for joy. It was a piece of bacon. True, it did not weigh
+      many ounces, but small as it was it would suffice to alleviate the pangs
+      of hunger for one day at least. I was just on the point of raising it to
+      my mouth, when a hand was laid upon my arm. It was only by a most
+      determined effort that I kept myself from screaming out one instant more,
+      and I found myself face to face with Hobart.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In a moment I understood all. Plainly this rascal Hobart had saved some
+      provision from the wreck, upon which he had been subsisting ever since.
+      The steward had provided for himself, whilst all around him were dying of
+      starvation. Detestable wretch! This accounts for the inconsistency of his
+      well-to-do looks and his pitiable groans. Vile hypocrite!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Yet why, it struck me, should I complain? Was not I reaping the benefit of
+      that secret store that he, for himself, had saved?
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But Hobart had no idea of allowing me the peaceable possession of what he
+      held to be his own. He made a dash at the fragment of bacon, and seemed
+      determined to wrest it from my grasp. We struggled with each other, but
+      although our wrestling was very violent, it was very noiseless. We were
+      both of us aware that it was absolutely necessary that not one of those on
+      board should know anything at all about the prize for which we were
+      contending. Nor was my own determination lessened by hearing him groan out
+      that it was his last, his only morsel. &ldquo;His!&rdquo; I thought; &ldquo;it shall be mine
+      now!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      And still careful that no noise of commotion should arise, I threw him on
+      his back, and grasping his throat so that it gurgled again, I held him
+      down until, in rapid mouthfuls, I had swallowed up the last scrap of the
+      food for which we had fought so hard.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I released my prisoner, and quietly crept back to my own quarters.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And not a soul is aware that I have broken my fast!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0047" id="link2HCH0047">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XLVII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 18th.&mdash;After this excitement I awaited the approach of day
+      with a strange anxiety. My conscience told me that Hobart had the right to
+      denounce me in the presence of all my fellow-passengers; yet my alarm was
+      vain. The idea of my proceedings being exposed by him was quite absurd; in
+      a moment he would himself be murdered without pity by the crew, if it
+      should be revealed that, unknown to them, he had been living on some
+      private store which, by clandestine cunning, he had reserved. But, in
+      spite of my anxiety, I had a longing for day to come.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The bit of food that I had thus stolen was very small; but small as it was
+      it had alleviated my hunger, and I was now tortured with remorse, because
+      I had not shared the meagre morsel with my fellow-sufferers. Miss Herbey,
+      Andre, his father, all had been forgotten, and from the bottom of my heart
+      I repented of my cruel selfishness.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meantime the moon rose high in the heavens, and the first streaks of dawn
+      appeared. There is no twilight in these low latitudes, and the full
+      daylight came well nigh at once. I had not closed my eyes since my
+      encounter with the steward, and ever since the first blush of day I had
+      laboured under the impression that I could see some unusual dark mass half
+      way up the mast. But although it again and again caught my eye, it hardly
+      roused my curiosity, and I did not rise from the bundle of sails on which
+      I was lying to ascertain what it really was. But no sooner did the rays of
+      the sun fall full upon it than I saw at once that it was the body of a
+      man, attached to a rope, and swinging to and fro with the motion of the
+      raft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A horrible presentiment carried me to the foot of the mast, and, just as I
+      had guessed, Hobart had hanged himself. I could not for a moment; doubt
+      that it was I myself that had impelled him to the suicide. A cry of horror
+      had scarcely escaped my lips, when my fellow-passengers were at my side,
+      and the rope was cut. Then came the sailors. And what was it that made the
+      group gather so eagerly around the body? Was it a humane desire to see
+      whether any spark of life remained? No, indeed; the corpse was cold, and
+      the limbs were rigid; there was no chance that animation should be
+      restored. What then was it that kept them lingering so close around? It
+      was only too apparent what they were about to do.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But I did not, could not, look. I refused to take part in the horrible
+      repast that was proposed. Neither would Miss Herbey, Andre nor his father,
+      consent to alleviate their pangs of hunger by such revolting means. I know
+      nothing for certain as to what Curtis did, and I did not venture to
+      inquire; but of the others,&mdash;Falsten, Dowlas, the boatswain, and all
+      the rest,&mdash;I know that, to assuage their cravings, they consented to
+      reduce themselves to the level of beasts of prey; they were transformed
+      from human beings into ravenous brutes.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The four of us who sickened at the idea of partaking of the horrid meal
+      withdrew to the seclusion of our tent; it was bad enough to hear; without
+      witnessing the appalling operation. But, in truth, I had the greatest
+      difficulty in the world in preventing Andre from rushing out upon the
+      cannibals, and snatching the odious food from their clutches. I
+      represented to him the hopelessness of his attempt, and tried to reconcile
+      him by telling him that if they liked the food they had a right to it.
+      Hobart had not been murdered; he had died by his own hand; and, after all,
+      as the boatswain had once remarked to me, &ldquo;it was better to eat a dead man
+      than a live one.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Do what I would, however, I could not quiet Andre&rsquo;s feeling of abhorrence;
+      in his disgust and loathing he seemed for the time to have quite forgotten
+      his own sufferings.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meanwhile, there was no concealing the truth that we were ourselves dying
+      of starvation, whilst our eight companions would probably, by their
+      loathsome diet, escape that frightful destiny. Owing to his secret hoard
+      of provisions Hobart had been by far the strongest amongst us; he had been
+      supported, so that no organic disease had affected his tissues, and really
+      might be said to be in good health when his chagrin drove him to his
+      desperate suicide. But what was I thinking of! whither were my meditations
+      carrying me away? was it not coming to pass that the cannibals were
+      rousing my envy instead of exciting my horror?
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Very shortly after this I heard Dowlas talking about the possibility of
+      obtaining salt by evaporating sea-water in the sun; &ldquo;and then,&rdquo; he added,
+      &ldquo;we can salt down the rest.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The boatswain assented to what the carpenter had said, and probably the
+      suggestion was adopted.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Silence, the most profound, now reigns upon the raft. I presume that
+      nearly all have gone to sleep. One thing I do know, that they are no
+      longer hungry!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0048" id="link2HCH0048">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XLVIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 19th.&mdash;All through the day the sky remained unclouded and the
+      heat intense; and night came on without bringing much sensible moderation
+      in the temperature. I was unable to get any sleep, and, towards morning,
+      was disturbed by hearing an angry clamour going on outside the tent; it
+      aroused M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss Herbey, as much as myself, and we
+      were anxious to ascertain the cause of the tumult.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The boatswain, Dowlas, and all the sailors were storming at each other in
+      frightful rage; and Curtis, who had come forward from the stern, was
+      vainly endeavouring to pacify them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But who has done it? we must know who has done it,&rdquo; said Dowlas, scowling
+      with vindictive passion on the group around him.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a thief,&rdquo; howled out the boatswain, &ldquo;and he shall be found! Let&rsquo;s
+      know who has taken it.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t taken it!&rdquo; &ldquo;Nor I!&rdquo; &ldquo;Nor I!&rdquo; cried the sailors one after
+      another.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And then they set to work again to ransack every quarter of the raft; they
+      rolled every spar aside, they overturned everything on board, and only
+      grew more and more incensed with anger as their search proved fruitless.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Can YOU tell us,&rdquo; said the boatswain, coming up to me, &ldquo;who is the
+      thief?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Thief!&rdquo; I replied. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know what you mean.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      And while we were speaking the others all came up together, and told me
+      that they had looked everywhere else, and that they were going now to
+      search the tent.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Shame!&rdquo; I said. &ldquo;You ought to allow those whom you know to be dying of
+      hunger at least to die in peace. There is not one of us who has left the
+      tent all night. Why suspect us?&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Now just look here, Mr. Kazallon,&rdquo; said the boatswain, in a voice which
+      he was endeavouring to calm down into moderation, &ldquo;we are not accusing you
+      of anything; we know well enough you, and all the rest of you, had a right
+      to your shares as much as anybody; but that isn&rsquo;t it. It&rsquo;s all gone
+      somewhere, every bit.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; said Sandon gruffly; &ldquo;it&rsquo;s all gone somewheres, and we are a going
+      to search the tent.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Resistance was useless, and Miss Herbey, M. Letourneur, and Andre were all
+      turned out.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I confess I was very fearful. I had a strong suspicion that for the sake
+      of his son, for whom he was ready to venture anything, M. Letourneur had
+      committed the theft; in that case I knew that nothing would have prevented
+      the infuriated men from tearing the devoted father to pieces. I beckoned
+      to Curtis for protection, and he came and stood beside me. He said
+      nothing, but waited with his hands in his pockets, and I think I am not
+      mistaken in my belief that there was some sort of a weapon in each.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To my great relief the search was ineffectual. There was no doubt that the
+      carcase of the suicide had been thrown overboard, and the rage of the
+      disappointed cannibals knew no bounds.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Yet who had ventured to do the deed! I looked at M. Letourneur and Miss
+      Herbey; but their countenances at once betrayed their ignorance. Andre
+      turned his face away, and his eyes did not meet my own. Probably it is he;
+      but, if it be, I wonder whether he has reckoned up the consequences of so
+      rash an act.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0049" id="link2HCH0049">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER XLIX.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 20th to 22nd.&mdash;For the day or two after the horrible repast
+      of the 18th those who had partaken of it appeared to suffer comparatively
+      little either from hunger or thirst; but for the four of us who had tasted
+      nothing, the agony of suffering grew more and more intense. It was enough
+      to make us repine over the loss of the provision that had so mysteriously
+      gone; and if any one of us should die, I doubt whether the survivors would
+      a second time resist the temptation to assuage their pangs by tasting
+      human flesh.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Before long, all the cravings of hunger began to return to the sailors,
+      and I could see their eyes greedily glancing upon us, starved as they knew
+      us to be, as though they were reckoning our hours, and already were
+      preparing to consume us as their prey.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As is always the case with shipwrecked men, we were tormented by thirst
+      far more than by hunger; and if, in the height of our sufferings, we had
+      been offered our choice between a few drops of water and a few crumbs of
+      biscuit, I do not doubt that we should, without exception, have preferred
+      to take the water.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      And what a mockery to our condition did it seem that all this while there
+      was water, water, nothing but water, everywhere around us! Again and
+      again, incapable of comprehending how powerless it was to relieve me, I
+      put a few drops within my lips, but only with the invariable result of
+      bringing on a most trying nausea, and rendering my thirst more unendurable
+      than before.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Forty-two days had passed since we quitted the sinking &ldquo;Chancellor.&rdquo; There
+      could be no hope now; all of us must die, and by the most deplorable of
+      deaths. I was quite conscious that a mist was gathering over my brain; I
+      felt my senses sinking into a condition of torpor; I made an effort, but
+      all in vain, to master the delirium that I was aware was taking possession
+      of my reason. It is out of my power to decide for how long I lost my
+      consciousness; but when I came to myself I found that Miss Herbey had
+      folded some wet bandages around my forehead. I am somewhat better; but I
+      am weakened, mind and body, and I am conscious that I have not long to
+      live.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A frightful fatality occurred to-day. The scene was terrible. Jynxstrop
+      the negro went raving mad. Curtis and several of the men tried their
+      utmost to control him, but in spite of everything he broke loose, and tore
+      up and down the raft, uttering fearful yells. He had gained possession of
+      a handspike, and rushed upon us all with the ferocity of an infuriated
+      tiger; how we contrived to escape mischief from his attacks, I know not.
+      All at once, by one of those unaccountable impulses of madness, his rage
+      turned against himself. With his teeth and nails he gnawed and tore away
+      at his own flesh; dashing the blood into our faces, he shrieked out with a
+      demoniacal grin, &ldquo;Drink, drink!&rdquo; and flinging us gory morsels, kept saying
+      &ldquo;Eat, eat!&rdquo; In the midst of his insane shrieks he made a sudden pause,
+      then dashing back again from the stern to the front, he made a bound and
+      disappeared beneath the waves.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Falsten, Dowlas, and the boatswain, made a rush that at least they might
+      secure the body; but it was too late; all that they could see was a
+      crimson circle in the water, and some huge sharks disporting themselves
+      around the spot.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0050" id="link2HCH0050">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER L.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 23rd.&mdash;Only eleven of us now remain; and the probability is
+      very great that every day must now carry off at least its one victim, and
+      perhaps more. The end of the tragedy is rapidly approaching, and save for
+      the chance, which is next to an impossibility, of our sighting land, or
+      being picked up by a passing vessel, ere another week has elapsed not a
+      single survivor of the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; will remain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The wind freshened considerably in the night, and it is now blowing pretty
+      briskly from the north-east. It has filled our sail, and the white foam in
+      our wake is an indication that we are making some progress. The captain
+      reckons that we must be advancing at the rate of about three miles an
+      hour.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis and Falsten are certainly in the best condition amongst us, and in
+      spite of their extreme emaciation they bear up wonderfully under the
+      protracted hardships we have all endured. Words cannot describe the
+      melancholy state to which poor Miss Herbey bodily is reduced; her whole
+      being seems absorbed into her soul, but that soul is brave and resolute as
+      ever, living in heaven rather than on earth. The boatswain, strong,
+      energetic man that he was, has shrunk into a mere shadow of his former
+      self, and I doubt whether any one would recognize him to be the same man.
+      He keeps perpetually to one corner of the raft, his head dropped upon his
+      chest, and his long, bony hands lying upon knees that project sharply from
+      his worn-out trowsers. Unlike Miss Herbey, his spirit seems to have sunk
+      into apathy, and it is at times difficult to believe that he is living at
+      all, so motionless and statue-like does he sit.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Silence continues to reign upon the raft. Not a sound, not even a groan,
+      escapes our lips. We do not exchange ten words in the course of the day,
+      and the few syllables that our parched tongue and swollen lips can
+      pronounce are almost unintelligible. Wasted and bloodless, we are no
+      longer human beings; we are spectres.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0051" id="link2HCH0051">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER LI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 24th.&mdash;I have inquired more than once of Curtis if he has the
+      faintest idea to what quarter of the Atlantic we have drifted, and each
+      time he has been unable to give me a decided answer, though from his
+      general observation of the direction of the wind and currents he imagines
+      that we have been carried westwards, that is to say, towards the land.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day the breeze has dropped entirely, but the heavy swell is still upon
+      the sea, and is an unquestionable sign that a tempest has been raging at
+      no great distance. The raft labours hard against the waves, and Curtis,
+      Falsten, and the boatswain, employ the little energy that remains to them
+      in strengthening the joints. Why do they give themselves such trouble? Why
+      not let the few frail planks part asunder, and allow the ocean to
+      terminate our miserable existence? Certain it seems that our sufferings
+      must have reached their utmost limit, and nothing could exceed the torture
+      that we are enduring. The sky pours down upon us a heat like that of
+      molten lead, and the sweat that saturates the tattered clothes that hang
+      about our bodies goes far to aggravate the agonies of our thirst. No words
+      of mine can describe this dire distress; these sufferings are beyond human
+      estimate.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Even bathing, the only means of refreshment that we possessed, has now
+      become impossible, for ever since Jynxstrop&rsquo;s death the sharks have hung
+      about the raft in shoals.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-day I tried to gain a few drops of fresh water by evaporation, but even
+      with the exercise of the greatest patience, it was with the utmost
+      difficulty that I obtained enough to moisten a little scrap of linen; and
+      the only kettle that we had was so old and battered, that it would not
+      bear the fire, so that I was obliged to give up the attempt in despair.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Falsten is now almost exhausted, and if he survives us at all, it can only
+      be for a few days. Whenever I raised my head I always failed to see him,
+      but he was probably lying sheltered somewhere beneath the sails. Curtis
+      was the only man who remained on his feet, but with indomitable pluck he
+      continued to stand on the front of the raft, waiting, watching, hoping. To
+      look at him, with his unflagging energy, almost tempted me to imagine that
+      he did well to hope, but I dared nor entertain one sanguine thought; and
+      there I lay, waiting, nay, longing for death.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      How many hours passed away thus I cannot tell, but after a time a loud
+      peal of laughter burst upon my ear Some one else, then, was going mad, I
+      thought; but the idea did not rouse me in the least. The laughter was
+      repeated with greater vehemence, but I never raised my head. Presently I
+      caught a few incoherent words.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Fields, fields, gardens and trees! Look, there&rsquo;s an inn under the trees!
+      Quick, quick! brandy, gin, water! a guinea a drop! I&rsquo;ll pay for it! I&rsquo;ve
+      lots of money! lots! lots!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Poor deluded wretch! I thought again; the wealth of a nation could not buy
+      a drop of water here. There was silence for a minute, when all of a sudden
+      I heard the shout of &ldquo;Land! land!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The words acted upon me like an electric shock, and, with a frantic
+      effort, I started to my feet. No land, indeed, was visible, but Flaypole,
+      laughing, singing, and gesticulating, was raging up and down the raft.
+      Sight, taste and hearing&mdash;all were gone; but the cerebral derangement
+      supplied their place, and in imagination the maniac was conversing with
+      absent friends, inviting them into the George Inn at Cardiff, offering
+      them gin, whisky, and, above all water! Stumbling at every step, and
+      singing in a cracked, discordant voice, he staggered about amongst us like
+      an intoxicated man. With the loss of his senses all his sufferings had
+      vanished, and his thirst was appeased. It was hard not to wish to be a
+      partaker of his hallucination.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Dowlas, Falsten, and the boatswain, seemed to think that the unfortunate
+      wretch would, like Jynxstrop, put an end to himself by leaping into the
+      sea; but, determined this time to preserve the body, that it might serve a
+      better purpose than merely feeding the sharks, they rose and followed the
+      madman everywhere he went, keeping a strict eye upon his every movement.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But the matter did not end as they expected. As though he were really
+      intoxicated by the stimulants of which he had been raving, Flaypole at
+      last sank down in a heap in a corner of the raft, where he lay lost in a
+      heavy slumber.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0052" id="link2HCH0052">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER LII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 25th.&mdash;Last night was very misty, and for some unaccountable
+      reason, one of the hottest that can be imagined. The atmosphere was really
+      so stifling, that it seemed as if it only required a spark to set it
+      alight. The raft was not only quite stationary, but did not even rise and
+      fall with any motion of the waves.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      During the night I tried to count how many there were now on board, but I
+      was utterly unable to collect my ideas sufficiently to make the
+      enumeration. Sometimes I counted ten, sometimes twelve, and although I
+      knew that eleven, since Jynxstrop was dead, was the correct number, I
+      could never bring my reckoning right. Of one thing I felt quite sure, and
+      that was that the number would very soon be ten. I was convinced that I
+      could myself last but very little longer. All the events and associations
+      of my life passed rapidly through my brain, My country, my friends, and my
+      family all appeared as it were in a vision, and seemed as though they had
+      come to bid me a last farewell.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Towards morning I woke from my sleep, if the languid stupour into which I
+      had fallen was worthy of that name. One fixed idea had taken possession of
+      my brain; I would put an end to myself, and I felt a sort of pleasure as I
+      gloated over the power that I had to terminate my sufferings. I told
+      Curtis, with the utmost composure, of my intention, and he received the
+      intelligence as calmly as it was delivered.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Of course you will do as you please,&rdquo; he said; &ldquo;for, my own part, I shall
+      not abandon my post. It is my duty to remain here, and unless death comes
+      to carry me away, I shall stay where I am to the very last.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The dull grey fog still hung heavily over the ocean, but the sun was
+      evidently shining above the mist, and would, in course of time, dispel the
+      vapour. Towards seven o&rsquo;clock I fancied I heard the cries of birds above
+      my head. The sound was repeated three times, and as I went up to the
+      captain to ask him about it, I heard him mutter to himself,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Birds! why, that looks as if land were not far off.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      But although Curtis might still cling to the hope of reaching land, I knew
+      not what it was to have one sanguine thought. For me there was neither
+      continent nor island; the world was one fluid sphere, uniform, monotonous,
+      as in the most primitive period of its formation. Nevertheless it must be
+      owned that it was with a certain amount of impatience that I awaited the
+      rising of the mist, for I was anxious to shake off the phantom fallacies
+      that Curtis&rsquo;s words had suggested to my mind.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Not till eleven o&rsquo;clock did the fog begin to break, and as it rolled in
+      heavy folds along the surface of the water, I could every now and then
+      catch glimpses of a clear blue sky beyond. Fierce sunbeams pierced the
+      cloud-rifts, scorching and burning our bodies like red-hot iron; but it
+      was only above our heads that there was any sunlight to condense the
+      vapour; the horizon was still quite invisible. There was no wind, and for
+      half an hour longer the fog hung heavily round the raft; whilst Curtis,
+      leaning against the side, strove to penetrate the obscurity. At length the
+      sun burst forth in full power, and, sweeping the surface of the ocean,
+      dispelled the fog, and left the horizon opened to our eyes.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      There, exactly as we had seen it for the last six weeks, was the circle
+      that bounded sea and sky, unbroken, definite, distinct as ever! Curtis
+      gazed with intensest scrutiny, but did not speak a word. I pitied him
+      sincerely, for he alone of us all felt that he had not the right to put an
+      end to his misery. For myself I had fully determined that if I lived till
+      the following day, I would die by my own hand. Whether my companions were
+      still alive, I hardly cared to know; it seemed as though days had passed
+      since I had seen them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Night drew on, but I could not sleep for a moment. Towards two o&rsquo;clock in
+      the morning my thirst was so intense that I was unable to suppress loud
+      cries of agony. Was there nothing that would serve to quench the fire that
+      was burning within me? What if instead of drinking the blood of others I
+      were to drink my own? It would be all unavailing, I was well aware, but
+      scarcely had the thought crossed my mind, than I proceeded to put it into
+      execution. I unclasped my knife, and, stripping my arm, with a steady
+      thrust I opened a small vein. The blood oozed out slowly, drop by drop,
+      and as I eagerly swallowed the source of my very life, I felt that for a
+      moment my torments were relieved, But only for a moment; all energy had
+      failed my pulses, and almost immediately the blood had ceased to flow.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      How long it seemed before the morning dawned! and when that morning came
+      it brought another fog, heavy as before that again shut out the horizon.
+      The fog was hot as the burning steam that issues from a boiler. It was to
+      be my last day upon earth, and I felt that I would like to press the hand
+      of a friend before I died. Curtis was standing near, and crawling up to
+      him, I took his hand in my own. He seemed to know that I was taking my
+      farewell, and with one last lingering hope he endeavoured to restrain me.
+      But all in vain, my mind was finally made up.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I should have like to speak once again to M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss
+      Herbey, but my courage failed me. I knew that the young girl would read my
+      resolution in my eyes, and that she would speak to me of duty and of God,
+      and of eternity, and I dared not meet her gaze; and I would not run the
+      risk of being persuaded to wait until a lingering death should overtake
+      me. I returned to the back of the raft, and after making several efforts,
+      I managed to get on to my feet. I cast one long look at the pitiless ocean
+      and the unbroken horizon; if a sail or the outline of a coast bad broken
+      on my view, I believe that I should only have deemed myself the victim of
+      an illusion; but nothing of the kind appeared, and the sea was dreary as a
+      desert.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was ten o&rsquo;clock in the morning. The pangs of hunger and the torments of
+      thirst were racking me with redoubled vigour. All instinct of
+      self-preservation had left me, and I felt that the hour had come when I
+      must cease to suffer. Just as I was on the point of casting myself
+      headlong into the sea, a voice, which I recognized as Dowlas&rsquo;s; broke upon
+      my ear.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Captain,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;we are going to draw lots.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      Involuntarily I paused; I did not take my plunge, but returned to my place
+      upon the raft.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0053" id="link2HCH0053">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER LIII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 26th.&mdash;All heard and understood the proposition; in fact, it
+      had been in contemplation for several days, but no one had ventured to put
+      the idea into words. However, it was done now; lots were to be drawn, and
+      to each would be assigned his share of the body of the one ordained by
+      fate to be the victim. For my own part, I profess that I was quite
+      resigned for the lot to fall upon myself. I thought I heard Andre
+      Letourneur beg for an exception to be made in favour of Miss Herbey, but
+      the sailors raised a murmur of dissent. As there were eleven of us on
+      board, there were ten chances to one in each one&rsquo;s favour, a proportion
+      which would be diminished if Miss Herbey were excluded, so that the young
+      lady was forced to take her chance among the rest.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was then half-past ten, and the boatswain, who had been roused from his
+      lethargy by what the carpenter had said, insisted that the drawing should
+      take place immediately. There was no reason for postponing the fatal
+      lottery. There was not one of us that clung in the least to life, and we
+      knew that at the worst, whoever should be doomed to die, would only
+      precede the rest by a few days, or even hours. All that we desired was
+      just once to slake our raging thirst and moderate our gnawing hunger.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      How all the names found their way to the bottom of a hat I cannot tell.
+      Very likely Falsten wrote them upon a leaf torn from his memorandum-book.
+      But be that as it may, the eleven names were there, and it was unanimously
+      agreed that the last name drawn should be the victim.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But who would draw the names? There was hesitation for a moment; then, &ldquo;I
+      will,&rdquo; said a voice behind me. Turning round, I beheld M. Letourneur
+      standing with outstretched hand, and with his long white hair falling over
+      his thin livid face that was almost sublime in its calmness. I divined at
+      once the reason of this voluntary offer; I knew that it was the father&rsquo;s
+      devotion in self-sacrifice that led him to undertake the office.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;As soon as you please,&rdquo; said the boatswain, and handed him the hat.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Letourneur proceeded to draw out the folded strips of paper one by one,
+      and after reading out aloud the name upon it, handed it to its owner.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The first name called was that of Burke, who uttered a cry of delight;
+      then followed Flaypole and the boatswain. What his name really was I never
+      could exactly learn. Then came Falsten, Curtis, Sandon. More than half had
+      now been called, and my name had not yet been drawn. I calculated my
+      remaining chance; it was still four to one in my favour.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Letourneur continued his painful task. Since Burke&rsquo;s first exclamation
+      of joy not a sound had escaped our lips, but all were listening in
+      breathless silence. The seventh name was Miss Herbey&rsquo;s, but the young girl
+      heard it without a start. Then came mine, yes, mine! and the ninth was
+      that of Letourneur.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Which one?&rdquo; asked the boatswain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Andre,&rdquo; said M. Letourneur.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      With one cry Andre fell back senseless. Only two names now remained in the
+      hat; those of Dowlas and of M. Letourneur himself.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Go on,&rdquo; almost roared the carpenter, surveying his partner in peril as
+      though he could devour him. M. Letourneur almost had a smile upon his
+      lips, as he drew forth the last paper but one, and with a firm,
+      unfaltering voice, marvelous for his age, unfolded it slowly, and read the
+      name of Dowlas. The carpenter gave a yell of relief as he heard the word.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Letourneur took the last bit of paper from the hat, and without looking
+      at it, tore it to pieces. But, unperceived by all but myself, one little
+      fragment flew into a corner of the raft. I crawled towards it and picked
+      it up. On one side of it was written Andr&mdash;; the rest of the word was
+      torn away. M. Letourneur saw what I had done, and rushing towards me,
+      snatched the paper from my hands, and flung it into the sea.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0054" id="link2HCH0054">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER LIV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 26th.&mdash;I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing
+      more to give, had given his life for his son.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished
+      creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.
+      At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of hunger
+      returned with redoubled violence. With lips distended, and teeth
+      displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack
+      their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they
+      would not fall upon him while he was still alive. It seemed impossible
+      that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any
+      weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may seem,
+      prevailed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Just as the boatswain was about to act the part of butcher, and Dowlas
+      stood, hatchet in hand, ready to complete the barbarous work, Miss Herbey
+      advanced, or rather crawled, towards them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;My friends,&rdquo; she pleaded, &ldquo;will you not wait just one more day? If no
+      land or ship is in sight to-morrow, then I suppose our poor companion must
+      become your victim. But allow him one more day; in the name of mercy I
+      entreat, I implore you.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      My heart bounded as she made her pitiful appeal. It seemed to me as though
+      the noble girl had spoken with an inspiration on her lips, and I fancied
+      that, perhaps, in super-natural vision she had viewed the coast or the
+      ship of which she spoke; and one more day was not much to us who had
+      already suffered so long, and endured so much.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis and Falsten agreed with me, and we all united to support Miss
+      Herbey&rsquo;s merciful petition. The sailors did not utter a murmur, and the
+      boatswain in a smothered voice said,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Very well, we will wait till daybreak tomorrow,&rdquo; and threw down his
+      hatchet.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To-morrow, then, unless land or a sail appear, the horrible sacrifice will
+      be accomplished. Stifling their sufferings by a strenuous effort, all
+      returned to their places. The sailors crouched beneath the sails, caring
+      nothing about scanning the ocean. Food was in store for them to-morrow,
+      and that was enough for them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As soon as Andre Letourneur came to his senses, his first thought was for
+      his father, and I saw him count the passengers on the raft. He looked
+      puzzled; when he lost consciousness there had been only two names left in
+      the hat, those of his father and the carpenter; and yet M. Letourneur and
+      Dowlas were both there still. Miss Herbey went up to him and told him
+      quietly that the drawing of the lots had not yet been finished. Andre
+      asked no further question, but took his father&rsquo;s hand. M. Letourneur&rsquo;s
+      countenance was calm and serene; he seemed to be conscious of nothing
+      except that the life of his son was spared, and as the two sat conversing
+      in an undertone at the back of the raft, their whole existence seemed
+      bound up in each other.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meantime, I could not disabuse my mind of the impression caused by Miss
+      Herbey&rsquo;s intervention. Something told me that help was near at hand, and
+      that we were approaching the termination of our suspense and misery; the
+      chimeras that were floating through my brain resolved themselves into
+      realities, so that nothing appeared to me more certain than that either
+      land or sail, be they miles away, would be discovered somewhere to
+      leeward.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I imparted my convictions to M. Letourneur and his son. Andre was as
+      sanguine as myself; poor boy! he little thinks what a loss there is in
+      store for him tomorrow. His father listened gravely to all we said, and
+      whatever he might think in his own mind, he did not give us any
+      discouragement; Heaven, he said, he was sure would still spare the
+      survivors of the &ldquo;Chancellor,&rdquo; and then he lavished on his son caresses
+      which he deemed to be his last.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Some time afterwards, when I was alone with him, M. Letourneur whispered
+      in my ear,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Mr. Kazallon, I commend my boy to your care, and mark you, he must never
+      know&mdash;&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      His voice was choked with tears, and he could not finish his sentence.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But I was full of hope, and, without a moment&rsquo;s intermission, I kept my
+      eyes fixed upon the unbroken horizon, Curtis, Miss Herbey, Falsten, and
+      even the boatswain, were also eagerly scanning the broad expanse of sea.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Night has come on; but I have still a profound conviction that through the
+      darkness some ship will approach, and that at daybreak our raft will be
+      observed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0055" id="link2HCH0055">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER LV.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 27th.&mdash;I did not close my eyes all night, and was keenly
+      alive to the faintest sounds, and every ripple of the water, and every
+      murmur of the waves, broke distinctly on my ear. One thing I noticed and
+      accepted as a happy omen; not a single shark now lingered-round the raft.
+      The waning moon rose at a quarter to one, and through the feeble glimmer
+      which she cast across the ocean, many and many a time I fancied I caught
+      sight of the longed-for sail, lying only a few cables&rsquo; lengths away.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      But when morning came, the sun rose once again upon a desert ocean, and my
+      hopes began to fade. Neither ship nor shore had appeared, and as the
+      shocking hour of execution drew near, my dreams of deliverance melted
+      away; I shuddered in my very soul as I was brought face to face with the
+      stern reality. I dared not look upon the victim, and whenever his eyes, so
+      full of calmness and resignation, met my own, I turned away my head. I
+      felt choked with horror, and my brain reeled as though I were intoxicated.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was now six o&rsquo;clock, and all hope had vanished from my breast; my heart
+      beat rapidly, and a cold sweat of agony broke out all over me. Curtis and
+      the boatswain stood by the mast attentively scanning the horizon. The
+      boatswain&rsquo;s countenance was terrible to look upon; one could see that
+      although he would not forestall the hour, he was determined not to wait a
+      moment after it arrived. As for the captain, it was impossible to tell
+      what really passed within his mind; his face was livid, and his whole
+      existence seemed concentrated in the exercise of his power of vision. The
+      sailors were crawling about the platform, with their eyes gleaming, like
+      wild beasts ready to pounce upon their devoted prey.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I could no longer keep my place, and glided along to the front of the
+      raft. The boatswain was still standing intent on his watch, but all of a
+      sudden, in a voice that made me start he shouted,&mdash;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Now then, time&rsquo;s up!&rdquo; and followed by Dowlas, Burke, Flaypole, and
+      Sandon, ran to the back of the raft. As Dowlas seized the hatchet
+      convulsively, Miss Herbey could not suppress a cry of terror. Andre
+      started to his feet.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What are you going to do to my father?&rdquo; he asked in accents choked with
+      emotion.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;My boy,&rdquo; said M. Letourneur, &ldquo;the lot has fallen upon me, and I must
+      die!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Never!&rdquo; shrieked Andre, throwing his arms about his father, &ldquo;They shall
+      kill me first. It was I who threw Hobart&rsquo;s body into the sea, and it is I
+      who ought to die!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      But the words of the unhappy youth had no other effect than to increase
+      the fury of the men who were so staunchly bent upon their bloody purpose.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Come, come, no more fuss,&rdquo; said Dowlas, as he tore the young man away
+      from his father&rsquo;s embrace.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Andre fell upon his back, in which position two of the sailors held him
+      down so tightly that he could not move, whilst Burke and Sandon carried
+      off their victim to the front.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      All this had taken place much more rapidly than I have been able to
+      describe it. I was transfixed with horror, and much as I wished to throw
+      myself between M. Letourneur and his executioners, I seemed to be rooted
+      to the spot where I was standing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Meantime the sailors had been taking off some of M. Letourneur&rsquo;s clothes,
+      and his neck and shoulders were already bare.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Stop a moment!&rdquo; he said in a tone in which was the ring of indomitable
+      courage. &ldquo;Stop! I don&rsquo;t want to deprive you of your ration; but I suppose
+      you will not require to eat the whole of me today.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      The sailors, taken aback by his suggestion, stared at him with amazement.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;There are ten of you,&rdquo; he went on. &ldquo;My two arms will give you each a
+      meal; cut them off for to-day, and to-morrow you shall have the rest of
+      me.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Agreed!&rdquo; cried Dowlas; and as M. Letourneur held out his bare arms, quick
+      as lightning the carpenter raised his hatchet.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Curtis and I could bear this scene no longer; whilst we were alive to
+      prevent it, this butchery should not be permitted, and we rushed forwards
+      simultaneously to snatch the victim from his murderers. A furious struggle
+      ensued, and in the midst of the MELEE I was seized by one of the sailors,
+      and hurled violently into the sea.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Closing my lips, I tried to die of suffocation in the water; but in spite
+      of myself, my mouth opened, and a few drops trickled down my throat.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Merciful Heaven! the water was fresh!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0056" id="link2HCH0056">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER LVI.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 27th CONTINUED.&mdash;A change came over me as if by miracle. No
+      longer had I any wish to die, and already Curtis, who had heard my cries,
+      was throwing me a rope. I seized it eagerly, and was hauled up on to the
+      raft, &ldquo;Fresh water!&rdquo; were the first words I uttered.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Fresh water?&rdquo; cried Curtis, &ldquo;why then, my friends, we are not far from
+      land!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      It was not too late; the blow had not been struck, and so the victim had
+      not yet fallen. Curtis and Andre (who had regained his liberty) had fought
+      with the cannibals, and it was just as they were yielding to overpowering
+      numbers that my voice had made itself heard.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The struggle came to an end. As soon as the words &ldquo;Fresh water&rdquo; had
+      escaped my lips, I leaned over the side of the raft and swallowed the
+      life-giving liquid in greedy draughts. Miss Herbey was the first to follow
+      my example, but soon Curtis, Falsten, and all the rest were on their knees
+      and drinking eagerly, The rough sailors seemed as if by a magic touch
+      transformed back from ravenous beasts to human beings, and I saw several
+      of them raise their hands to heaven in silent gratitude, Andre and his
+      father were the last to drink.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;But where are we?&rdquo; I asked at length.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;The land is there,&rdquo; said Curtis pointing towards the west.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      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 centre of a watery waste. Yet
+      our senses had not deceived us the water we had been drinking was
+      perfectly fresh.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; repeated the captain, &ldquo;land is certainly there, not more than
+      twenty miles to leeward.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;What land?&rdquo; inquired the boatswain.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;South America,&rdquo; answered Curtis, &ldquo;and near the Amazon; no other river has
+      a current strong enough to freshen the ocean twenty miles from shore!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="link2HCH0057" id="link2HCH0057">
+      <!--  H2 anchor --> </a>
+    </p>
+    <div style="height: 4em;">
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </div>
+    <h2>
+      CHAPTER LVII.
+    </h2>
+    <p>
+      JANUARY 27th CONTINUED.&mdash;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 onwards slowly but surely to our deliverance.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Miss Herbey&rsquo;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.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We had not long to wait. Before an hour had passed Curtis, leaped in
+      ecstasy and raised the joyous shout of &ldquo;Land ahoy!&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      * * * *
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      My journal has come to a close.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I have only to relate, as briefly as possible, the circumstances that
+      finally brought us to our destination.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      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.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The raft was brought to land in lat. 0deg. 12min. N., so that since we
+      abandoned the &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; we had drifted at least fifteen degrees to the
+      south-west. 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.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Of the thirty-two souls&mdash;nine passengers, and twenty-three seamen&mdash;who
+      left Charleston on board the ship, only five passengers and six seamen
+      remain. Eleven of us alone survive.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      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,
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Robert Curtis, captain.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      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 &ldquo;Ville de St.
+      Nazaire,&rdquo; which conveyed us to Europe.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      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 &ldquo;Chancellor&rdquo; a bond of friendship too indissoluble, I
+      believe, for either time or circumstance to destroy; Curtis must ever
+      remain the honoured and valued friend of those whose welfare he consulted
+      so faithfully in their misfortunes; his conduct was beyond all praise.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      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.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &ldquo;Then why not come and look after my son?&rdquo; said M. Letourneur, adding, &ldquo;he
+      is an invalid, and he requires, as he deserves, the best of nursing.&rdquo;
+     </p>
+    <p>
+      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 so richly she deserves?
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <br /><br /><br /><br />
+    </p>
+<pre xml:space="preserve">
+
+
+
+
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+</html>
diff --git a/1652.txt b/1652.txt
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--- /dev/null
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+Project Gutenberg's The Survivors of the Chancellor, by Jules Verne
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Survivors of the Chancellor
+
+Author: Jules Verne
+
+Posting Date: November 20, 2008 [EBook #1652]
+Release Date: February, 1999
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SURVIVORS OF THE CHANCELLOR ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer
+
+
+
+
+
+THE SURVIVORS OF THE CHANCELLOR.
+
+DIARY OF J.R.KAZALLON, PASSENGER.
+
+
+By Jules Verne
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+CHARLESTON, SEPTEMBER 27th, 1869.--It is high tide, and three o'clock
+in the afternoon when we leave the Battery-quay; the ebb carries us off
+shore, and as Captain Huntly has hoisted both main and top sails, the
+northerly breeze drives the "Chancellor" briskly across the bay. Fort
+Sumter ere long is doubled, the sweeping batteries of the mainland on
+our left are soon passed, and by four o'clock the rapid current of the
+ebbing tide has carried us through the harbour-mouth.
+
+But as yet we have not reached the open sea; we have still to thread our
+way through the narrow channels which the surge has hollowed out amongst
+the sand-banks. The captain takes a south-west course, rounding the
+lighthouse at the corner of the fort; the sails are closely trimmed; the
+last sandy point is safely coasted, and at length, at seven o'clock in
+the evening; we are out free upon the wide Atlantic.
+
+The "Chancellor" is a fine square-rigged three-master, of 900 tons
+burden, and belongs to the wealthy Liverpool firm of Laird Brothers. She
+is two years old, is sheathed and secured with copper, her decks being
+of teak, and the base of all her masts, except the mizzen, with all their
+fittings, being of iron. She is registered first class A I, and is now
+on her third voyage between Charleston and Liverpool. As she wended her
+way through the channels of Charleston harbour, it was the British flag
+that was lowered from her mast-head; but without colours at all,
+no sailor could have hesitated for a moment in telling her
+nationality,--for English she was, and nothing but English from her
+water-line upwards to the truck of her masts.
+
+I must now relate how it happens that I have taken my passage on board
+the "Chancellor" on her return voyage to England. At present there is no
+direct steamship service between South Carolina and Great Britain,
+and all who wish to cross must go either northwards to New York or
+southwards to New Orleans. It is quite true that if I had chosen to
+start from New York I might have found plenty of vessels belonging to
+English, French, or Hamburg lines, any of which would have conveyed me
+by a rapid voyage to my destination; and it is equally true that if I
+had selected New Orleans for my embarkation I could readily have reached
+Europe by one of the vessels of the National Steam Navigation Company,
+which join the French Transatlantic line of Colon and Aspinwall. But it
+was fated to be otherwise.
+
+One day, as I was loitering about the Charleston quays, my eye lighted
+upon this vessel. There was something about the "Chancellor" that
+pleased me, and a kind of involuntary impulse took me on board, where I
+found the internal arrangements perfectly comfortable. Yielding to the
+idea that a voyage in a sailing vessel had certain charms beyond the
+transit in a steamer, and reckoning that with wind and wave in my
+favour there would be little material difference in time; considering,
+moreover, that in these low latitudes the weather in early autumn is
+fine and unbroken, I came to my decision, and proceeded forthwith to
+secure my passage by this route to Europe.
+
+Have I done right or wrong? Whether I shall have reason to regret my
+determination is a problem to be solved in the future. However, I will
+begin to record the incidents of our daily experience, dubious as I feel
+whether the lines of my chronicle will ever find a reader.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+SEPTEMBER 28th.--John Silas Huntly, the captain of the "Chancellor," has
+the reputation of being an experienced navigator of the Atlantic. He is
+a Scotchman, a native of Dundee, and is about fifty years of age. He is
+of middle height and slight build, and has a small head, which he has a
+habit of holding a little over his left shoulder. I do not pretend to be
+much of a physiognomist, but I am inclined to believe that my few hours'
+acquaintance with our captain has given me considerable insight into
+his character. That he is a good seaman and thoroughly understands his
+duties I could not for a moment venture to deny; but that he is a man
+of resolute temperament, or that he possesses the amount of courage
+that would render him, physically or morally, capable of coping with
+any great emergency, I confess I cannot believe. I observe a certain
+heaviness and dejection about his whole carriage. His wavering glances,
+the listless motions of his hands, and his slow, unsteady gait, all seem
+to me to indicate a weak and sluggish disposition. He does not appear
+as though he could be energetic enough ever to be stubborn; he never
+frowns, sets his teeth, or clenches his fist. There is something
+enigmatical about him; however, I shall study him closely and do what
+I can to understand the man who, as commander of a vessel, should be to
+those around him "second only to God."
+
+Unless I am greatly mistaken there is another man on board who,
+if circumstances should require it, would take the more prominent
+position--I mean the mate. I have hitherto, however, had such little
+opportunity of observing his character, that I must defer saying more
+about him at present.
+
+Besides the captain and this mate, whose name is Robert Curtis, our crew
+consists of Walter, the lieutenant, the boatswain, and fourteen sailors,
+all English or Scotch, making eighteen altogether, a number quite
+sufficient for working a vessel of 900 tons burden. Up to this time my
+sole experience of their capabilities is, that under the command of the
+mate, they brought us skillfully enough through the narrow channels of
+Charleston; and I have no reason to doubt but that they are well up to
+their work.
+
+My list of the ship's officials is incomplete unless I mention Hobart,
+the steward, and Jynxstrop, the negro cook.
+
+In addition to these, the "Chancellor" carries eight passengers,
+including myself. Hitherto, the bustle of embarkation, the arrangement
+of cabins, and all the variety of preparations inseparable from starting
+on a voyage for at least twenty or five-and-twenty days have precluded
+the formation of any acquaintanceships; but the monotony of the voyage,
+the close proximity into which we must be thrown, and the natural
+curiosity to know something of each other's affairs, will doubtless lead
+us in due time to an interchange of ideas. Two days have elapsed and
+I have not even seen all the passengers. Probably sea-sickness has
+prevented some of them from making their appearance at the common
+table. One thing, however, I do know; namely, that there are two ladies
+occupying the stern-cabins, the windows of which are in the aft-board of
+the vessel.
+
+I have seen the ship's list and subjoin a list of the passengers. They
+are as follow:--Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Americans, of Buffalo. Miss Herbey,
+a young English lady, companion to Mrs. Kear. M. Letourneur and his son
+Andre, Frenchmen, of Havre. William Falsten, a Manchester engineer. John
+Ruby, a Cardiff merchant; and myself, J. R. Kazallon, of London.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+SEPTEMBER 29th.--Captain Huntly's bill of lading, that is to say, the
+document that describes the "Chancellor's" cargo and the conditions of
+transport, is couched in the following terms:--
+
+"BRONSFIELD AND CO., AGENTS, CHARLESTON.
+
+"I, John Silas Huntly, of Dundee, Scotland, commander of the ship
+'Chancellor,' of about 900 tons burden, now at Charleston, do purpose,
+by the blessing of God, at the earliest convenient season, and by the
+direct route, to sail for the port of Liverpool, where I shall obtain
+my discharge. I do hereby acknowledge that I have received from you,
+Messrs. Bronsfield and Co., Commission Agents, Charleston, and have
+placed the same under the gun-deck of the aforesaid ship, seventeen
+hundred bales of cotton, of the estimated value of 26,000l., all in
+good condition, marked and numbered as in the margin; which goods I do
+undertake to transport to Liverpool, and there to deliver, free from
+injury (save only such injury as shall have been caused by the chances
+of the sea), to Messrs. Laird Brothers, or to their order, or to their
+representative, who shall on due delivery of the said freight pay me the
+sum of 2000l. inclusive, according to the charter-party and damages in
+addition, according to the usages and customs of the sea.
+
+"And for the fulfillment of the above covenant, I have pledged and do
+pledge my person, my property, and my interest in the vessel aforesaid,
+with all its appurtenances. In witness whereof, I have signed three
+agreements, all of the same purport; on the condition that when the
+terms of one are accomplished, the other two shall be absolutely null
+and void.
+
+"Given at Charleston, September 13th, 1869,
+
+"J. S. HUNTLY."
+
+
+From the foregoing document it will be understood that the "Chancellor"
+is conveying 1700 bales of cotton to Liverpool; that the shippers are
+Bronsfield, of Charleston, and the consignees are Laird Brothers, of
+Liverpool. The ship was constructed with the especial design of carrying
+cotton, and the entire hold, with the exception of a very limited space
+reserved for passengers' luggage, is closely packed with the bales, The
+lading was performed with the utmost care, each bale being pressed into
+its proper place by the aid of screw-jacks, so that the whole freight
+forms one solid and compact mass; not an inch of space is wasted, and
+the vessel is thus made capable of carrying her full complement of
+cargo.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+SEPTEMBER 30th to OCTOBER 6th.--The "Chancellor" is a rapid sailer, and
+more than a match for many a vessel of the same dimensions. She scuds
+along merrily in the freshening breeze, leaving in her wake, far as the
+eye can reach, a long white line of foam as well defined as a delicate
+strip of lace stretched upon an azure ground.
+
+The Atlantic is not visited by many gales, and I have every reason to
+believe that the rolling and pitching of the vessel no longer incommode
+any of the passengers, who are all more or less accustomed to the sea.
+A vacant seat at our table is now very rare; we are beginning to know
+something about each other, and our daily life, in consequence, is
+becoming somewhat less monotonous.
+
+M. Letourneur, our French fellow-passenger, often has a chat with me.
+He is a fine tall man, about fifty years of age, with white hair and a
+grizzly beard. To say the truth, he looks older than he really is: his
+drooping head, his dejected manner, and his eye, ever and again suffused
+with tears, indicate that he is haunted by some deep and abiding sorrow.
+He never laughs; he rarely even smiles, and then only on his son:
+his countenance ordinarily bearing a look of bitterness tempered by
+affection, while his general expression is one of caressing tenderness.
+It excites an involuntary commiseration to learn that M. Letourneur is
+consuming himself by exaggerated reproaches on account of the infirmity
+of an afflicted son.
+
+Andre Letourneur is about twenty years of age, with a gentle,
+interesting countenance, but, to the irrepressible grief of his father,
+is a hopeless cripple. His left leg is miserably deformed, and he is
+quite unable to walk without the assistance of a stick. It is obvious
+that the father's life is bound up with that of his son; his devotion
+is unceasing; every thought, every glance is for Andre; he seems to
+anticipate his most trifling wish, watches his slightest movement, and
+his arm is ever ready to support or otherwise assist the child whose
+sufferings he more than shares.
+
+M. Letourneur seems to have taken a peculiar fancy to myself,
+and constantly talks about Andre. This morning, in the course of
+conversation, I said,--
+
+"You have a good son, M. Letourneur. I have just been talking to him. He
+is a most intelligent young man."
+
+"Yes, Mr. Kazallon," replied M. Letourneur, brightening up into a smile,
+"his afflicted frame contains a noble mind. He is like his mother, who
+died at his birth."
+
+"He is full of reverence and love for you, sir," I remarked.
+
+"Dear boy!" muttered the father half to himself. "Ah, Mr. Kazallon,"
+he continued, "you do not know what it is to a father to have a son a
+cripple, beyond hope of cure."
+
+"M. Letourneur," I answered, "you take more than your share of the
+affliction which has fallen upon you and your son. That M. Andre is
+entitled to the very greatest commiseration no one can deny; but you
+should remember, that after all a physical infirmity is not so hard to
+bear as mental grief. Now, I have watched your son pretty closely, and
+unless I am much mistaken there is nothing, that troubles him so much as
+the sight of your own sorrow."
+
+"But I never let him see it," he broke in hastily. "My sole thought
+is how to divert him. I have discovered, that in spite of his physical
+weakness, he delights in travelling; so for the last few years we have
+been constantly on the move. We first went all over Europe, and are now
+returning from visiting the principal places in the United States.
+I never allowed my son to go to college, but instructed him entirely
+myself, and these travels, I hope, will serve to complete his education.
+He is very intelligent, and has a lively imagination, and I am sometimes
+tempted to hope that in contemplating the wonders of nature he forgets
+his own infirmity."
+
+"Yes, sir, of course he does," I assented.
+
+"But," continued M. Letourneur, taking my hand, "although, perhaps, HE
+may forget, I can never forget. Ah, sir, do you suppose that Andre can
+ever forgive his parents for bringing him into the world a cripple?"
+
+The remorse of the unhappy father was very distressing, and I was
+about to say a few kind words of sympathy when Andre himself made his
+appearance. M. Letourneur hastened toward him and assisted him up the
+few steep steps that led to the poop.
+
+As soon as Andre was comfortably seated on one of the benches, and his
+father had taken his place by his side, I joined them, and we fell into
+conversation upon ordinary topics, discussing the various points of
+the "Chancellor," the probable length of the passage, and the different
+details of our life on board. I find that M. Letourneur's estimate of
+Captain Huntly's character very much coincided with my own, and that,
+like me, he is impressed with the man's undecided manner and sluggish
+appearance. Like me, too, he has formed a very favourable opinion of
+Robert Curtis, the mate, a man of about thirty years of age, of great
+muscular power, with a frame and a will that seem ever ready for action.
+
+Whilst we were still talking of him, Curtis himself came on deck, and as
+I watched his movements I could not help being struck with his physical
+development; his erect and easy carriage, his fearless glance and
+slightly contracted brow all betokened a man of energy, thoroughly
+endowed with the calmness and courage that are indispensable to the
+true sailor. He seems a kind-hearted fellow, too, and is always ready
+to assist and amuse young Letourneur, who evidently enjoys his company.
+After he had scanned the weather and examined the trim of the sails, he
+joined our party and proceeded to give us some information about those
+of our fellow-passengers with whom at present we have made but slight
+acquaintance.
+
+Mr. Kear, the American, who is accompanied by his wife, has made a large
+fortune in the petroleum springs in the United States. He is a man of
+about fifty, a most uninteresting companion, being overwhelmed with
+a sense of his own wealth and importance, and consequently supremely
+indifferent to all around him. His hands are always in his pockets,
+and the chink of money seems to follow him wherever he goes. Vain and
+conceited, a fool as well as an egotist, he struts about like a peacock
+showing its plumage, and to borrow the words of the physiognomist
+Gratiolet, "il se flaire, il se savoure, il se goute." Why he should
+have taken his passage on board a mere merchant vessel instead of
+enjoying the luxuries of a Transatlantic steamer, I am altogether at a
+loss to explain.
+
+The wife is an insignificant, insipid woman, of about forty years of
+age. She never reads, never talks, and I believe I am not wrong in
+saying, never thinks. She seems to look without seeing, and listen
+without hearing, and her sole occupation consists in giving her orders
+to her companion, Miss Herbey, a young English girl of about twenty.
+
+Miss Herbey is extremely pretty. Her complexion is fair and her eyes
+deep blue, whilst her pleasing countenance is altogether free from
+that insignificance of feature which is not unfrequently alleged to be
+characteristic of English beauty. Her mouth would be charming if she
+ever smiled, but exposed as she is to the ridiculous whims and fancies
+of a capricious mistress, her lips rarely relax from their ordinary
+grave expression. Yet humiliating as her position must be, she never
+utters a word of open complaint, but quietly and gracefully performs her
+duties accepting without a murmur the paltry salary which the bumptious
+petroleum-merchant condescends to allow her.
+
+The Manchester engineer, William Falsten, looks like a thorough
+Englishman. He has the management of some extensive hydraulic works in
+South Carolina, and is now on his way to Europe to obtain some improved
+apparatus, and more especially to visit the mines worked by centrifugal
+force, belonging to the firm of Messrs. Cail. He is forty-five years of
+age, with all his interests so entirely absorbed by his machinery that
+he seems to have neither a thought nor a care beyond his mechanical
+calculations. Once let him engage you in conversation, and there is no
+chance of escape; you have no help for it but to listen as patiently as
+you can until he has completed the explanation of his designs.
+
+The last of our fellow-passengers, Mr. Ruby, is the type of a vulgar
+tradesman. Without any originality or magnanimity in his composition, he
+has spent twenty years of his life in mere buying and selling, and as
+he has generally contrived to do business at a profit, he has realized a
+considerable fortune. What he is going to do with the money, he does
+not seem able to say: his ideas do not go beyond retail trade, his mind
+having been so long closed to all other impressions that it appears
+incapable of thought or reflection on any subject besides. Pascal says,
+"L'homme est visiblement fait pour penser. C'est toute sa dignite
+et tout-son merite;" but to Mr. Ruby the phrase seems altogether
+inapplicable.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+OCTOBER 7th.--This is the tenth day since we left Charleston, and I
+should think our progress has been very rapid. Robert Curtis, the mate,
+with whom I continue to have many a friendly chat, informed me that we
+could not be far off Cape Hatteras in the Bermudas; the ship's bearings,
+he said were lat. 32deg. 20min. N. and long. 64deg. 50min. W., so that
+he had every reason to believe that we should sight St. George's Island
+before night.
+
+"The Bermudas!" I exclaimed. "But how is it we are off the Bermudas? I
+should have thought that a vessel sailing from Charleston to Liverpool,
+would have kept northwards, and have followed the track of the Gulf
+Stream."
+
+"Yes, indeed; sir," replied Curtis, "that is the usual course; but you
+see that this time the captain hasn't chosen to take it."
+
+"But why not?" I persisted.
+
+"That's not for me to say, sir; he ordered us eastwards, and eastwards
+we go."
+
+"Haven't you called his attention to it?" I inquired.
+
+Curtis acknowledged that he had already pointed out what an unusual
+route they were taking, but that the captain had said that he was quite
+aware what he was about. The mate made no further remark; but the knit
+of his brow, as he passed his hand mechanically across his forehead,
+made me fancy that he was inclined to speak out more strongly.
+
+"All very well, Curtis," I said, "but I don't know what to think about
+trying new routes. Here we are at the 7th of October, and if we are to
+reach Europe before the bad weather sets in, I should suppose there is
+not a day to be lost."
+
+"Right, sir, quite right; there is not a day to be lost."
+
+Struck by his manner, I ventured to add, "Do you mind, Mr. Curtis giving
+me your honest opinion of Captain Huntly?"
+
+He hesitated a moment, and then replied shortly, "He is my captain,
+sir."
+
+This evasive answer of course put an end to any further interrogation on
+my part, but it only set me thinking the more.
+
+Curtis was not mistaken. At about three o'clock the lookout man sung out
+that there was land to windward, and descried what seemed as if it might
+be a line of smoke in the north-east horizon. At six, I went on deck
+with M. Letourneur and his son, and we could then distinctly make out
+the low group of the Bermudas, encircled by their formidable chain of
+breakers.
+
+"There," said Andre Letourneur to me, as we stood gazing at the distant
+land, "there lies the enchanted Archipelago, sung by your poet Moore.
+The exile Waller, too, as long ago as 1643, wrote an enthusiastic
+panegyric on the islands, and I have been told that at one time English
+ladies would wear no other bonnets than such as were made of the leaves
+of the Bermuda palm."
+
+"Yes," I replied, "the Bermudas were all the rage in the seventeenth
+century, although latterly they have fallen into comparative oblivion."
+
+"But let me tell you, M. Andre," interposed Curtis, who had as usual
+joined our party, "that although poets may rave, and be as enthusiastic
+as they like about these islands, sailors will tell a different tale.
+The hidden reefs that lie in a semicircle about two or three leagues
+from shore make the attempt to land a very dangerous piece of business.
+And another thing, I know. Let the natives boast as they will about
+their splendid climate, they, are visited by the most frightful
+hurricanes. They get the fag-end of the storms that rage over the
+Antilles; and the fag-end of a storm is like the tail of a whale;
+it's just the strongest bit of it. I don't think you'll find a sailor
+listening much to your poets,--your Moores, and your Wallers."
+
+"No, doubt you are right, Mr. Curtis," said Andre, smiling, "but poets
+are like proverbs; you can always find one to contradict another.
+Although Waller and Moore have chosen to sing the praises of the
+Bermudas, it has been supposed that Shakspeare was depicting them in the
+terrible scenes that are found in 'The Tempest.'"
+
+The whole vicinity of these islands is beyond a question extremely
+perilous to mariners. Situated between the Antilles and Nova Scotia, the
+Bermudas have ever since their discovery belonged to the English,
+who have mainly used them for a military station. But this little
+archipelago, comprising some hundred and fifty different isles and
+islets, is destined to increase, and that, perhaps, on a larger scale
+than has yet been anticipated. Beneath the waves there are madrepores,
+in infinity of number, silently but ceaselessly pursuing their labours;
+and with time, that fundamental element in nature's workings, who shall
+tell whether these may not gradually build up island after island, which
+shall unite and form another continent?
+
+I may mention that there was not another of our fellow-passengers who
+took the trouble to come on deck and give a glance at this strange
+cluster of islands. Miss Herbey, it is true, was making an attempt to
+join us, but she had barely reached the poop, when Mrs. Kear's languid
+voice was heard recalling her for some trifling service to her side.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+OCTOBER 8th to OCTOBER 13th.--The wind is blowing hard from the
+north-east; and the "Chancellor" under low-reefed top-sail and
+fore-sail, and labouring against a heavy sea, has been obliged to be
+brought ahull. The joists and girders all creak again until one's teeth
+are set on edge. I am the only passenger not remaining below; but I
+prefer being on deck notwithstanding the driving rain, fine as dust,
+which penetrates to my very skin. We have been driven along in this
+fashion for the best part of two days; the "stiffish breeze" has
+gradually freshened into "a gale;" the top-gallants have been lowered,
+and, as I write, the wind is blowing with a velocity of fifty or sixty
+miles an hour. Although the "Chancellor" has many good points, her drift
+is considerable, and we have been carried far to the south we can
+only guess at our precise position, as the cloudy atmosphere entirely
+precludes us from taking the sun's altitude.
+
+All along throughout this period, my fellow-passengers are totally
+ignorant of the extraordinary course that we are taking England lies
+to the NORTH-EAST, yet we are sailing directly SOUTH-EAST, and Robert
+Curtis owns that he is quite bewildered; he cannot comprehend why the
+captain, ever since this north-easterly gale has been blowing, should
+persist in allowing the ship to drive to the south, instead of tacking
+to the north-west until she gets into better quarters.
+
+I was alone with Curtis to-day upon the poop, and could not help saying
+to him "Curtis, is your captain mad?"
+
+"Perhaps, sir, I might be allowed to ask what YOU think upon that
+matter," was his cautious reply.
+
+"Well to say the truth," I answered, "I can hardly tell; but I confess
+there is every now and then a wandering in his eye, and an odd look on
+his face that I do not like. Have you ever sailed with him before?"
+
+"No; this is our first voyage together. Again last night I spoke to him
+about the route we were taking, but he only said he knew all about it,
+and that it was all right."
+
+"What do Lieutenant Walter and your boatswain think of it all?" I
+inquired.
+
+"Think; why they think just the same as I do," replied the mate; "but
+if the captain chooses to take the ship to China we should obey his
+orders."
+
+"But surely," I exclaimed, "there must be some limit to your obedience!
+Suppose the man is actually mad, what then?"
+
+"If he should be mad enough, Mr. Kazallon, to bring the vessel into any
+real danger, I shall know what to do."
+
+With this assurance I am forced to be content. Matters, however, have
+taken a different turn to what I bargained for when I took my passage
+on board the "Chancellor." The weather has become worse and worse. As I
+have already said, the ship under her large low-reefed top-sail and fore
+stay-sail has been brought ahull, that is to say, she copes directly
+with the wind, by presenting her broad bows to the sea; and so we go on
+still drift, drift, continually to the south.
+
+How southerly our course has been is very apparent; for upon the night
+of the 11th we fairly entered upon that portion of the Atlantic which
+is known as the Sargassos Sea. An extensive tract of water is this,
+enclosed by the warm current of the Gulf Stream, and thickly covered
+with the wrack, called by the Spaniards "sargasso," the abundance of
+which so seriously impeded the progress of Columbus's vessels on his
+first voyage across the ocean.
+
+Each morning at daybreak the Atlantic has presented an aspect so
+remarkable, that at my solicitation, M. Letourneur and his son have
+ventured upon deck to witness the unusual spectacle. The squally gusts
+make the metal shrouds vibrate like harp-strings; and unless we were
+on our guard to keep our clothes wrapped tightly to us, they would have
+been torn off our backs in shreds. The scene presented to our eyes is
+one of strangest interest. The sea, carpeted thickly with masses of
+prolific fucus, is a vast unbroken plain of vegetation, through which
+the vessel makes her way as a plough. Long strips of seaweed caught up
+by the wind become entangled in the rigging, and hang between the masts
+in festoons of verdure; whilst others, varying from two to three hundred
+feet in length, twine themselves up to the very mast-heads, from whence
+they float like streaming pendants. For many hours now, the "Chancellor"
+has been contending with this formidable accumulation of algae; her
+masts are circled with hydrophytes; her rigging is wreathed everywhere
+with creepers, fantastic as the untrammelled tendrils of a vine, and as
+she works her arduous course, there are times when I can only compare
+her to an animated grove of verdure making its mysterious way over some
+illimitable prairie.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+OCTOBER 14th.--At last we are free from the sea of vegetation, the
+boisterous gale has moderated into a steady breeze, the sun is shining
+brightly, the weather is warm and genial, and thus, two reefs in her
+top-sails, briskly and merrily sails the "Chancellor."
+
+Under conditions so favourable, we have been able to take the ship's
+bearings: our latitude, we find, is 21deg. 33min. N., our longitude
+50deg. 17min. W.
+
+Incomprehensible altogether is the conduct of Captain Huntly. Here we
+are, already more than ten degrees south of the point from which, we
+started, and yet still we are persistently following a south-easterly
+course! I cannot bring myself to the conclusion that the man is mad. I
+have had various conversations with him: he has always spoken rationally
+and sensibly. He shows no tokens of insanity. Perhaps his case is one
+of those in which insanity is partial, and where the mania is of
+a character which extends only to the matters connected with his
+profession. Yet it is unaccountable.
+
+I can get nothing out of Curtis; he listens coldly whenever I allude
+to the subject, and only repeats what he has said before, that nothing
+short of an overt act of madness on the part of the captain could induce
+him to supersede the captain's authority and that the imminent peril of
+the ship could alone justify him in taking so decided a measure.
+
+Last evening I went to my cabin about eight o'clock, and after an hour's
+reading by the light of my cabin-lamp, I retired to my berth and was
+soon asleep. Some hours later I was aroused by an unaccustomed noise on
+deck. There were heavy footsteps hurrying to and fro, and the voices
+of the men were loud and eager, as if the crew were agitated by some
+strange disturbance. My first impression was, that some tacking had been
+ordered which rendered it needful to fathom the yards; but the vessel
+continuing to lie to starboard convinced me that this was not the origin
+of the commotion, I was curious to know the truth, and made all haste
+I could to go on deck; but before I was ready, the noise had ceased.
+I heard Captain Huntly return to his cabin, and accordingly I retired
+again to my own berth. Whatever may have been the meaning of the
+manoeuvre, I cannot tell; it did not seem to have resulted in any
+improvement in the ship's pace; still it must be owned there was not
+much wind to speed us along.
+
+At six o'clock this morning I mounted the poop and made as keen a
+scrutiny as I could of everything on board. Everything appeared as
+usual. The "Chancellor" was running on the larboard tack, and carried
+low-sails, top-sails, and gallant-sails. Well braced she was; and under
+a fresh, but not uneasy breeze, was making no less than eleven knots an
+hour.
+
+Shortly afterwards M. Letourneur and Andre came an deck. The young man
+enjoyed the early morning air, laden with its briny fragrance, and I
+assisted him to mount the poop. In answer to my inquiry as to whether
+they had been disturbed by any bustle in the night, Andre replied that
+he did not wake at all, and had heard nothing.
+
+"I am glad, my boy," said his father, "that you have slept so soundly. I
+heard the noise of which Mr. Kazallon speaks. It must have; been about
+three o'clock this morning, and it seemed to me as though they were
+shouting. I thought I heard them say, 'Here, quick, look to the
+hatches!' but as nobody was called up, I presumed that nothing serious
+was the matter."
+
+As he spoke I cast my eye at the panel-slides, which fore and aft of the
+main-mast open into the hold. They seemed to be all close as usual,
+but I now observed for the first time that they were covered with heavy
+tarpauling. Wondering; in my own mind what could be the reason for
+these extra precautions I did not say anything to M. Letourneur, but
+determined to wait until the mate should come on watch, when he would
+doubtless give me, I thought, an explanation of the mystery.
+
+The sun rose gloriously, with every promise of a fine dry day. The
+waning moon was yet above the western horizon, for as it still wants
+three days to her last quarter she does not set until 10.57 am. On
+consulting my almanac, I find that there will be a new moon on the 24th,
+and that on that day, little as it may affect us here in mid ocean, the
+phenomenon of the high sygyzian tides will take place on the shores of
+every continent and island.
+
+At the breakfast hour M. Letourneur and Andre went below for a cup of
+tea, and I remained on the poop alone. As I expected, Curtis appeared,
+that he might relieve Lieutenant Walter of the watch. I advanced to meet
+him, but before he even wished me good morning, I saw him cast a quick
+and searching glance upon the deck, and then, with a slightly contracted
+brow, proceed to examine the state of the weather and the trim of the
+sails.
+
+"Where is Captain Huntly?" he said to Walter.
+
+"I have seen nothing of him," answered the lieutenant "is there anything
+fresh up?"
+
+"Nothing, whatever," was the curt reply.
+
+They then conversed for a few moments in an undertone, and I could see
+that Walter by his gesture gave a negative answer to some question which
+the mate had asked him. "Send me the boatswain, Walter," said Curtis
+aloud as the lieutenant moved away.
+
+The boatswain immediately appeared, and another conversation was carried
+on in whispers. The man repeatedly shook his head as he replied to
+Curtis's inquiries, and then, in obedience to orders, called the men
+who were on watch, and made them plentifully water the tarpauling that
+covered the great hatchway.
+
+Curious to fathom the mystery I went up to Curtis and began to talk to
+him upon ordinary topics, hoping that he would himself introduce the
+subject that was uppermost in my mind; finding, however, that he did not
+allude to it; I asked him point blank.
+
+"What was the matter in the night, Curtis?"
+
+He looked at me steadily, but made no reply.
+
+"What was it?" I repeated. "M. Letourneur and myself were both of us
+disturbed by a very unusual commotion overhead."
+
+"Oh, a mere nothing," he said at length; "the man at the helm had made a
+false move, and we had to pipe hands to brace the ship a bit; but it was
+soon all put to rights. It was nothing, nothing at all."
+
+I said no more; but I cannot resist the impression that Robert Curtis
+has not acted with me in his usual straightforward manner.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+OCTOBER 15th to OCTOBER 18th.--The wind is still in the north-east.
+There is no change in the "Chancellor's" course, and to an unprejudiced
+eye all would appear to be going on as usual. But I have an uneasy
+consciousness that something is not quite right. Why should the
+hatchways be so hermetically closed as though a mutinous crew was
+imprisoned between decks? I cannot help thinking too that there is
+something in the sailors so constantly standing in groups and breaking
+off their talk so suddenly whenever we approach; and several times I
+have caught the word "hatches" which arrested M. Letourneur's attention
+on the night of the disturbance.
+
+On the 15th, while I was walking on the forecastle, I overheard one of
+the sailors, a man named Owen say to his mates,--
+
+"Now I just give you all warning that I am not going to wait until the
+last minute. Every one for himself, say I."
+
+"Why, what do you mean to do?" asked Jynxstrop, the cook.
+
+"Pshaw!" said Owen, "do you suppose that longboats were only made for
+porpoises?"
+
+Something at that moment occurred to interrupt the conversation, and I
+heard no more. It occurred to me whether there was not some conspiracy
+among the crew, of which probably Curtis had already detected the
+symptoms. I am quite aware that some sailors are most rebelliously
+disposed, and require to be ruled with a rod of iron.
+
+Yesterday and to-day I have observed Curtis remonstrating somewhat
+vehemently with Captain Huntly, but there is no obvious result arising
+from their interviews; the Captain apparently being bent upon some
+purpose, of which it is only too manifest that the mate decidedly
+disapproves.
+
+Captain Huntly is undoubtedly labouring under strong nervous excitement;
+and M. Letourneur has more than once remarked how silent he has become
+at meal-times; for although Curtis continually endeavours to start some
+subject of general interest, yet neither Mr. Falsten, Mr. Kear, nor Mr.
+Ruby are the men to take it up, and consequently the conversation flags
+hopelessly, and soon drops. The passengers too are now, with good cause,
+beginning to murmur at the length of the voyage, and Mr. Kear, who
+considers that the very elements ought to yield to his convenience, lets
+the captain know by his consequential and haughty manner that he holds
+him responsible for the delay.
+
+During the course of yesterday the mate gave repeated orders for the
+deck to be watered again and again, and although as a general rule this
+is a business which is done, once for all, in the early morning, the
+crew did not utter a word of complaint at the additional work thus
+imposed upon them. The tarpaulins on the hatches have thus been kept
+continually wet, so that their close and heavy texture is rendered quite
+impervious to the air, The "Chancellor's" pumps afford a copious supply
+of water, so that I should not suppose that even the daintiest and most
+luxurious craft belonging to an aristocratic yacht-club was ever subject
+to a more thorough scouring. I tried to reconcile myself to the belief
+that it was the high temperature of the tropical regions upon which
+we are entering, that rendered such extra sousings a necessity, and
+recalled to my recollection how, during the night of the 13th, I had
+found the atmosphere below deck so stifling that in spite of the heavy
+swell I was obliged to open the porthole of my cabin, on the starboard
+side, to get a breath of air.
+
+This morning at daybreak I went on deck. The sun had scarcely risen, and
+the air was fresh and cool, in strange contrast to the heat which below
+the poop had been quite oppressive. The sailors as usual were washing
+the deck, A great sheet of water, supplied continuously by the pumps was
+rolling in tiny wavelets, and escaping now to starboard, now to larboard
+through the scupper-holes. After watching the men for a while as they
+ran about bare-footed, I could not resist the desire to join them, so
+taking off my shoes and stockings I proceeded to dabble in the flowing
+water.
+
+Great was my amazement to find the deck perfectly hot to my feet! Curtis
+heard my exclamation of surprise, and before I could put my thoughts
+into words, said,--
+
+"Yes! there is fire on board!"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+OCTOBER 19th.--Everything, then, is clear. The uneasiness of the crew,
+their frequent conferences, Owen's mysterious words, the constant
+scourings of the deck and the oppressive heat of the cabins which had
+been noticed even by my fellow-passengers, all are explained.
+
+After his grave communication, Curtis remained silent. I shivered with a
+thrill of horror; a calamity the most terrible that can befall a voyager
+stared me in the face, and it was some seconds before I could recover
+sufficient composure to inquire when the fire was first discovered.
+
+"Six days ago," replied the mate.
+
+"Six days ago!" I exclaimed; "why, then, it was that night."
+
+"Yes," he said, interrupting me; "it was the night you heard the
+disturbance upon deck. The men on watch noticed a slight smoke issuing
+from the large hatchway and immediately called Captain Huntly and
+myself. We found beyond all doubt, that the cargo was on fire, and what
+was worse, that there was no possibility of getting at the seat of the
+combustion. What could we do? Why; we took the only precaution that
+was practicable under the circumstances, and resolved most carefully
+to exclude every breath of air from penetrating into the hold, For some
+time I hoped that we had been successful. I thought that the fire was
+stifled; but during the last three days there is every reason to make us
+know that it has been gaining strength. Do what we will, the deck gets
+hotter and hotter, and unless it were kept constantly wet, it would be
+unbearable to the feet. But I am glad, Mr. Kazallon," he added; "that
+you have made the discovery. It is better that you should know it."
+
+I listened in silence, I was now fully aroused to the gravity of the
+situation and thoroughly comprehended how we were in the very face of a
+calamity which it seemed that no human power could avert.
+
+"Do you know what has caused the fire?" I presently inquired.
+
+"It probably arose," he answered, "from the spontaneous combustion of
+the cotton. The case is rare, but it is far from unknown. Unless the
+cotton is perfectly dry when it is shipped, its confinement in a damp
+or ill-ventilated hold will sometimes cause it to ignite; and I have no
+doubt it is this that has brought about our misfortune."
+
+"But after all," I said, "the cause matters very little. Is there no
+remedy? Is there nothing to be done?"
+
+"Nothing; Mr. Kazallon," he said. "As I told you before, we have adopted
+the only possible measure within our power to check the fire. At one
+time I thought of knocking a hole in the ship's timbers just on
+her waterline, and letting in just as much water as the pumps could
+afterwards get rid of again; but we found the combustion was right
+in the middle of the cargo and that we should be obliged to flood
+the entire hold before we could get at the right place. That scheme
+consequently was no good. During the night, I had the deck bored in
+various places and water poured down through the holes; but that again
+seemed all of no use. There is only one thing that can be done; we must
+persevere in excluding most carefully every breath of outer air, so that
+perhaps the conflagration deprived of oxygen may smoulder itself out.
+That is our only hope."
+
+"But, you say the fire is increasing?"
+
+"Yes; and that shows that in spite of all our care there is some
+aperture which we have not been able to discover, by which, somehow or
+other, air gets into the hold."
+
+"Have you ever heard of a vessel surviving such circumstances?" I asked.
+
+"Yes, Mr. Kazallon," said Curtis; "it is not at all an unusual thing for
+ships laden with cotton to arrive at Liverpool or Havre with a portion
+of their cargo consumed; and I have myself known more than one captain
+run into port with his deck scorching his very feet, and who, to save
+his vessel and the remainder of his freight has been compelled to unload
+with the utmost expedition. But, in such cases, of course the fire has
+been more or less under control throughout the voyage; with us, it
+is increasing day by day, and I tell you I am convinced there is an
+aperture somewhere which has escaped our notice."
+
+"But would it not be advisable for us to retrace our course, and make
+for the nearest land?"
+
+"Perhaps it would," he answered. "Walter and I, and the boatswain, are
+going to talk the matter over seriously with the captain to-day. But,
+between ourselves, I have taken the responsibility upon myself; I have
+already changed the tack to the south-west; we are now straight before
+the wind, and consequently we are sailing towards the coast."
+
+"I need hardly ask," I added; "whether any of the other passengers are
+at all aware of the imminent danger in which we are placed."
+
+"None of them," he said; "not in the least; and I hope you will not
+enlighten them. We don't want terrified women and cowardly men to add to
+our embarrassment; the crew are under orders to keep a strict silence on
+the subject. Silence is indispensable."
+
+I promised to keep the matter a profound secret, as I fully entered into
+Curtis's views as to the absolute necessity for concealment.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+OCTOBER 20th AND 21st.--The "Chancellor" is now crowded with all the
+canvas she can carry, and at times her top-masts threaten to snap with
+the pressure. But Curtis is ever on the alert; he never leaves his post
+beside the man at the helm, and without compromising the safety of the
+vessel, he contrives by tacking to the breeze, to urge her on at her
+utmost speed.
+
+All day long on the 20th, the passengers were assembled on the poop.
+Evidently they found the heat of the cabins painfully oppressive, and
+most of them lay stretched upon benches and quietly enjoyed the gentle
+rolling of the vessel. The increasing heat of the deck did not reveal
+itself to their well-shod feet and the constant scouring of the boards
+did not excite any suspicion in their torpid minds. M. Letourneur, it
+is true, did express his surprise that the crew of an ordinary merchant
+vessel should be distinguished by such extraordinary cleanliness, but as
+I replied to him in a very casual tone, he passed no further remark. I
+could not help regretting that I had given Curtis my pledge of silence,
+and longed intensely to communicate the melancholy secret to
+the energetic Frenchman; for at times when I reflect upon the
+eight-and-twenty victims who may probably, only too soon, be a prey to
+the relentless flames, my heart seems ready to burst.
+
+The important consultation between captain, mate, lieutenant, and
+boatswain has taken place. Curtis has confided the result to me. He says
+that Huntly, the captain, is completely demoralized; he has lost all
+power and energy; and practically leaves the command of the ship to him.
+It is now certain the fire is beyond control, and that sooner or
+later it will burst out in full violence The temperature of the crew's
+quarters has already become almost unbearable. One solitary hope
+remained; it is that we may reach the shore before the final catastrophe
+occurs. The Lesser Antilles are the nearest land; and although they
+are some five or six hundred miles away, if the wind remains north-east
+there is yet a chance of reaching them in time.
+
+Carrying royals and studding-sails, the "Chancellor" during the last
+four-and-twenty hours has held a steady course. M. Letourneur is the
+only one of all the passengers who has remarked the change of tack;
+Curtis however, has set all speculation on his part to rest by telling
+him that he wanted to get ahead of the wind, and that he was tacking to
+the west to catch a favourable current.
+
+To-day, the 21st, all has gone on as usual; and as far as the
+observation of the passengers has reached, the ordinary routine has been
+undisturbed. Curtis indulges the hope even yet that by excluding the
+air, the fire may be stifled before it ignites the general cargo; he has
+hermetically closed every accessible aperture, and has even taken the
+precaution of plugging the orifices of the pumps, under the impression
+that their suction-tubes, running as they do to the bottom of the
+hold, may possibly be channels for conveying some molecules of air.
+Altogether, he considers it a good sign that the combustion has not
+betrayed itself by some external issue of smoke.
+
+The day would have passed without any incident worth recording if I had
+not chanced to overhear a fragment of a conversation which demonstrated
+that our situation hitherto precarious enough, had now become most
+appalling.
+
+As I was sitting on the poop, two of my fellow-passengers, Falsten,
+the engineer, and Ruby, the merchant whom I had observed to be often in
+company, were engaged in conversation almost close to me. What they said
+was evidently not intended for my hearing, but my attention was directed
+towards them by some very emphatic gestures of dissatisfaction on the
+part of Falsten, and I could not forbear listening to what followed.
+
+"Preposterous! shameful!" exclaimed Falsten; "nothing could be more
+imprudent."
+
+"Pooh! pooh!" replied Ruby; "it's all right; it is not the first time I
+have done it."
+
+"But don't you know that any shock at any time might cause an
+explosion?"
+
+"Oh, it's all properly secured," said Ruby, "tight enough; I have no
+fears on that score, Mr. Falsten."
+
+"But why," asked Falsten, "did you not inform the captain?"
+
+"Just because if I had informed him, he would not have taken the case on
+board."
+
+The wind dropped for a few seconds; and for a brief interval I could
+not catch what passed; but I could see that Falsten continued to
+remonstrate, whilst Ruby answered by shrugging his shoulders. At length
+I heard Falsten say,--
+
+"Well, at any rate the captain must be informed of this, and the package
+shall be thrown overboard. I don't want, to be blown up."
+
+I started. To what could the engineer be alluding? Evidently he had not
+the remotest suspicion that the cargo was already on fire. In another
+moment the words "picrate of potash" brought me to my feet? and with an
+involuntary impulse I rushed up to Ruby, and seized him by the shoulder.
+
+"Is there picrate of potash on board?" I almost shrieked.
+
+"Yes," said Falsten, "a case containing thirty pounds."
+
+"Where is it?" I cried.
+
+"Down in the hold, with the cargo."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+What my feelings were I cannot describe; but it was hardly in terror so
+much as with a kind of resignation that I made my way to Curtis on
+the forecastle, and made him aware that the alarming character of our
+situation was now complete, as there was enough explosive matter on
+board to blow up a mountain. Curtis received the information as coolly
+as it was delivered, and after I had made him acquainted with all the
+particulars said,--
+
+"Not a word of this must be mentioned to any one else, Mr. Kazallon,
+where is Ruby now?"
+
+"On the poop," I said.
+
+"Will you then come with me, sir?"
+
+Ruby and Falsten were sitting just as I had left them. Curtis walked
+straight up to Ruby, and asked him whether what he had been told was
+true.
+
+"Yes, quite true," said Ruby, complacently, thinking that the worst
+that could befall him would be that he might be convicted of a little
+smuggling.
+
+I observed that Curtis was obliged for a moment or two to clasp his
+hands tightly together behind his back to prevent himself from
+seizing the unfortunate passenger by the throat; but suppressing his
+indignation, he proceeded quietly, though sternly, to interrogate him
+about the facts of the case. Ruby only confirmed what I had already told
+him. With characteristic Anglo-Saxon incautiousness he had brought
+on board with the rest of his baggage, a case containing no less than
+thirty pounds of picrate, and had allowed the explosive matter to be
+stowed in the hold with as little compunction as a Frenchman would feel
+in smuggling a single bottle of wine. He had not informed the captain
+of the dangerous nature of the contents of the package, because he was
+perfectly aware that he would have been refused permission to bring the
+package on board.
+
+"Any way," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders, "you can't hang me
+for it; and if the package gives you so much concern, you are quite at
+liberty to throw it into the sea. My luggage is insured."
+
+I was beside myself with fury, and not being endowed with Curtis's
+reticence and self-control, before he could interfere to stop me, I
+cried out,--
+
+"You fool! don't you know that there is fire on board?"
+
+In an instant I regretted my words. Most earnestly I wished them
+unuttered, But it was too late: their effect upon Ruby was electrical.
+He was paralyzed with terror his limbs stiffened convulsively; his eye
+was dilated; he gasped for breath, and was speechless. All of a
+sudden he threw up his arms and, as though he momentarily expected an
+explosion, he darted down from the poop, and paced frantically up and down
+the deck, gesticulating like a madman, and shouting,--
+
+"Fire on board! Fire! Fire!"
+
+On hearing the outcry, all the crew, supposing that the fire had now
+in reality broken out, rushed on deck; the rest of the passengers soon
+joined them, and the scene that ensued was one of the utmost confusion.
+Mrs. Kear fell down senseless on the deck, and her husband, occupied in
+looking after himself, left her to the tender mercies of Miss Herbey.
+Curtis endeavoured to silence Ruby's ravings, whilst I, in as few words
+as I could, made M. Letourneur aware of the extent to which the cargo
+was on fire. The father's first thought was for Andre but the young
+man preserved an admirable composure, and begged his father not to be
+alarmed, as the danger was not immediate. Meanwhile the sailors had
+loosened all the tacklings of the long-boat; and were preparing to
+launch it, when Curtis's voice was heard peremptorily bidding them to
+desist; he assured them that the fire had made no further progress; that
+Mr. Ruby had been unduly excited and not conscious of what he had said;
+and he pledged his word that when the right moment should arrive he
+would allow them all to leave the ship; but that moment, he said, had
+not yet come.
+
+At the sound of a voice which they had learned to honour and respect,
+the crew paused in their operations, and the long-boat remained
+suspended in its place. Fortunately, even Ruby himself in the midst
+of his ravings, had not dropped a word about the picrate that had
+been deposited in the hold; for although the mate had a power over the
+sailors that Captain Huntly had never possessed, I feel certain that if
+the true state of the case had been known, nothing on earth would
+have prevented some of them, in their consternation, from effecting an
+escape. As it was, only Curtis, Falsten, and myself were cognizant of
+the terrible secret.
+
+As soon as order was restored, the mate and, I joined Falsten on the
+poop, where he had remained throughout the panic, and where we found
+him with folded arms, deep in thought, as it might be, solving some hard
+mechanical problem. He promised, at my request, that he would reveal
+nothing of the new danger to which we were exposed through Ruby's
+imprudence. Curtis himself took the responsibility of informing Captain
+Huntly of our critical situation.
+
+In order to insure complete secrecy, it was necessary to secure the
+person of the unhappy Ruby, who, quite beside himself, continued to rave
+up and down the deck with the incessant cry of "Fire! fire!" Accordingly
+Curtis gave orders to some of his men to seize him and gag him; and
+before he could make any resistance the miserable man was captured and
+safely lodged in confinement in his own cabin.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+OCTOBER 22nd.--Curtis has told the captain everything; for he persists
+in ostensibly recognizing him as his superior officer, and refuses
+to conceal from him our true situation. Captain Huntly received the
+communication in perfect silence, and merely passing his hand across his
+forehead as though to, banish some distressing thought, re-entered his
+cabin without a word.
+
+Curtis, Lieutenant Walter, Falsten, and myself have been discussing
+the chances of our safety, and I am surprised to find with how much
+composure we can all survey our anxious predicament.
+
+"There is no doubt" said Curtis, "that we must abandon all hope
+of arresting the fire; the heat towards the bow has already become
+well-nigh unbearable, and the time must come when the flames will find
+a vent through the deck. If the sea is calm enough for us to make use
+of the boats, well and good; we shall of course get quit of the ship as
+quietly as we can; if on the other hand, the weather should be adverse,
+or the wind be boisterous, we must stick to our place, and contend with
+the flames to the very last; perhaps, after all, we shall fare better
+with the fire as a declared enemy than as a hidden one."
+
+Falsten and I agreed with what he said, but I pointed out to him that
+he had quite overlooked the fact of there being thirty pounds of
+combustible matter in the hold.
+
+"No" he gravely replied, "I have not forgotten it, but it is a
+circumstance of which I do not trust myself to think I dare not run
+the risk of admitting air into the hold by going down to search for the
+powder, and yet I know not at what moment it may explode. No; it is a
+matter that I cannot take at all into my reckoning, it must remain in
+higher hands than mine."
+
+We bowed our heads in a silence which was solemn. In the present state
+of the weather, immediate flight was, we knew, impossible.
+
+After a considerable pause, Falsten, as calmly as though he were
+delivering some philosophic dogma, observed,--
+
+"The explosion, if I may use the formula of science, is not necessary,
+but contingent."
+
+"But tell me, Mr. Falsten," I asked, "is it possible for picrate of
+potash to ignite without concussion?"
+
+"Certainly it is," replied the engineer. "Under-ordinary circumstances,
+picrate of potash although not MORE inflammable than common powder, yet
+possesses the same degree of inflammability."
+
+We now prepared to go on deck. As we left the saloon, in which we had
+been sitting, Curtis seized my hand.
+
+"Oh, Mr. Kazallon," he exclaimed, "if you only knew the bitterness of
+the agony I feel at seeing this fine vessel doomed to be devoured by
+flames, and at being so powerless to save her." Then quickly recovering
+himself, he continued, "But I am forgetting myself; you, if no other,
+must know what I am suffering. It is all over now," he said more
+cheerfully.
+
+"Is our condition quite desperate?" I asked.
+
+"It is just this," he answered deliberately "we are over a mine, and
+already the match has been applied to the train. How long that train may
+be, 'tis not for me to say." And with these words he left me.
+
+The other passengers, in common with the crew, are still in entire
+ignorance of the extremity of peril to which we are exposed, although
+they are all aware that there is fire in the hold. As soon as the fact
+was announced, Mr. Kear, after communicating to Curtis his instructions
+that he thought he should have the fire immediately extinguished and
+intimating that he held him responsible for all contingencies that might
+happen, retired to his cabin, where he has remained ever since, fully
+occupied in collecting and packing together the more cherished articles
+of his property and without the semblance of a care or a thought for his
+unfortunate wife, whose condition, in spite of her ludicrous complaints,
+was truly pitiable. Miss Herbey, however, is unrelaxing in her
+attentions, and the unremitted diligence with which she fulfills her
+offices of duty, commands my highest admiration.
+
+OCTOBER 23rd.--This morning, Captain Huntly sent for Curtis into his
+cabin, and the mate has since made me acquainted with what passed
+between them.
+
+"Curtis," began the captain, his haggard eye betraying only too plainly
+some mental derangement, "I am a sailor, am I not?"
+
+"Certainly, captain," was the prompt acquiescence of the mate.
+
+"I do not know how it is," continued the captain, "but I seem
+bewildered; I cannot recollect anything. Are we not bound for Liverpool?
+Ah! yes! of course. And have we kept a north-easterly direction since we
+left?"
+
+"No, sir, according to your orders we have been sailing south-east, and
+here we are in the tropics."
+
+"And what is the name of the ship?"
+
+"The 'Chancellor,' sir."
+
+"Yes, yes, the 'Chancellor,' so it is. Well, Curtis, I really can't take
+her back to the north. I hate the sea, the very sight of it makes me
+ill, I would much rather not leave my cabin."
+
+Curtis went on to tell me how he had tried to persuade him that with a
+little time and care he would soon recover his indisposition, and feel
+himself again; but the captain had interrupted him by saying,--
+
+"Well, well; we shall see by-and-by; but for the present you must take
+this for my positive order; you must, from this time, at once take
+the command of the ship, and act just as if I were not on board. Under
+present circumstances, I can do nothing. My brain is all in a whirl, you
+cannot tell what I am suffering;" and the unfortunate man pressed both
+his hands convulsively against his forehead.
+
+"I weighed the matter carefully for a moment," added Curtis, "and seeing
+what his condition too truly was, I acquiesced in all that he required
+and withdrew, promising him that all his orders should be obeyed."
+
+After hearing these particulars, I could not help remarking how
+fortunate it was that the captain had resigned of his own accord, for
+although he might not be actually insane, it was very evident that his
+brain was in a very morbid condition.
+
+"I succeed him at a very critical moment;" said Curtis thoughtfully;
+"but I shall endeavour to do my duty."
+
+A short time afterwards he sent for the boatswain, and ordered him to
+assemble the crew at the foot of the main-mast. As soon as the men were
+together, he addressed them very calmly, but very firmly.
+
+"My men," he said, "I have to tell you that Captain Huntly, on account
+of the dangerous situation in which circumstances have placed us, and
+for other reasons known to myself, has thought right to resign his
+command to me. From this time forward, I am captain of this vessel."
+
+Thus quietly and simply the change was effected, and we have the
+satisfaction of knowing that the "Chancellor" is now under the command
+of a conscientious, energetic man, who will shirk nothing that he
+believes to be for our common good. M. Letourneur, Andre, Mr. Falsten,
+and myself immediately offered him our best wishes, in which Lieutenant
+Walter and the boatswain most cordially joined.
+
+The ship still holds her course south-west and Curtis crowds on all
+sail and makes as speedily as possible for the nearest of the Lesser
+Antilles.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+OCTOBER 24th to 29th.--For the last five days the sea has been very
+heavy, and although the "Chancellor" sails with wind and wave in her
+favour, yet her progress is considerably impeded. Here on board this
+veritable fireship I cannot help contemplating with a longing eye this
+vast ocean that surrounds us. The water supply should be all we need.
+
+"Why not bore the deck?" I said to Curtis. "Why not admit the water by
+tons into the hold? What could be the harm? The fire would be quenched;
+and what would be easier than to pump the water out again?"
+
+"I have already told you, Mr. Kazallon," said Curtis, "that the very
+moment we admit the air, the flames will rush forth to the very top of
+the masts. No; we must have courage and patience; we must wait. There is
+nothing whatever to be done, except to close every aperture."
+
+The fire continued to progress even more rapidly than we had hitherto
+suspected. The heat gradually drove the passengers nearly all, on deck,
+and the two stern cabins, lighted, as I said, by their windows in the
+aft-board were the only quarters below that were inhabitable. Of these
+Mrs. Kear occupied one, and Curtis reserved the other for Ruby, who,
+a raving maniac, had to be kept rigidly under restraint. I went down
+occasionally to see him, but invariably found him in a state of abject
+terror, uttering horrible shrieks, as though possessed with the idea
+that he was being scorched by the most excruciating heat.
+
+Once or twice, too, I looked in upon the ex-captain. He was always calm
+and spoke quite rationally upon any subject except his own profession;
+but in connexion with that he prated away the merest nonsense. He
+suffered greatly, but steadily declined all my offers of attention, and
+pertinaciously refused to leave his cabin.
+
+To-day, an acrid, nauseating smoke made its way through the panellings
+that partition off the quarters of the crew. At once Curtis ordered the
+partition to be enveloped in wet tarpaulin, but the fumes penetrated
+even this, and filled the whole neighbourhood of the ship's bows with
+a reeking vapour that was positively stifling. As we listened, too, we
+could hear a dull rumbling sound, but we were as mystified as ever to
+comprehend where the air could have entered that was evidently fanning
+the flames. Only too certainly, it was now becoming a question not
+of days nor even of hours before we must be prepared for the final
+catastrophe. The sea was still running high, and escape by the boats was
+plainly impossible. Fortunately, as I have said, the main-mast and the
+mizzen are of iron; otherwise the heat at their base would long ago
+have brought them down and our chances of safety would have been
+much imperiled; but by crowding on sail the "Chancellor" in the full
+north-east wind continued to make her way with undiminished speed.
+
+It is now a fortnight since the fire was first discovered, and the
+proper working of the ship has gradually become a more and more
+difficult matter. Even with thick shoes any attempt to walk upon deck up
+to the forecastle was soon impracticable, and the poop, simply because
+its door is elevated somewhat above the level of the hold, is now the
+only available standing-place. Water began to lose its effect upon the
+scorched and shrivelling planks; the resin oozed out from the knots
+in the wood, the seams burst open, and the tar, melted by the heat,
+followed the rollings of the vessel, and formed fantastic patterns about
+the deck.
+
+Then to complete our perplexity, the wind shifted suddenly round to the
+north-west, whence it blew a perfect hurricane. To no purpose did Curtis
+do everything in his power to bring the ship ahull; every effort was
+vain; the "Chancellor" could not bear her trysail, so there was nothing
+to be done but to let her go with the wind, and drift further and
+further from the land for which we are longing so eagerly.
+
+To-day, the 29th, the tempest seemed to reach its height; the waves
+appeared to us mountains high, and dashed the spray most violently
+across the deck. A boat could not live for a moment in such a sea.
+
+Our situation is terrible. We all wait in silence, some few on the
+forecastle, the great proportion of us on the poop. As for the picrate,
+for the time we have quite forgotten its existence; indeed it might
+almost seem as though its explosion would come as a relief, for no
+catastrophe, however terrible, could far exceed the torture of our
+suspense.
+
+While he had still the remaining chance, Curtis rescued from the
+store-room such few provisions as the heat of the compartment allowed
+him to obtain; and a lot of cases of salt meat and biscuits, a cask of
+brandy, some barrels of fresh water, together with some sails and wraps,
+a compass and other instruments are now lying packed in a mass all ready
+for prompt removal to the boats whenever we shall be obliged to leave
+the ship.
+
+About eight o'clock in the evening, a noise is heard, distinct even
+above the raging of the hurricane. The panels of the deck are upheaved,
+and volumes of black smoke issue upwards as if from a safety-valve. An
+universal consternation seizes one and all: we must leave the volcano
+which is about to burst beneath our feet. The crew run to Curtis for
+orders. He hesitates; looks first at the huge and threatening waves;
+looks then at the boats. The long-boat is there, suspended right along
+the centre of the deck; but it is impossible to approach it now;
+the yawl, however, hoisted on the starboard side, and the whale-boat
+suspended aft, are still available. The sailors make frantically for the
+yawl.
+
+"Stop, stop," shouts Curtis; "do you mean to cut off our last and only
+chance of safety? Would you launch a boat in such a sea as this?"
+
+A few of them, with Owen at their head, give no heed to what he says.
+Rushing to the poop, and seizing a cutlass, Curtis shouts again,--
+
+"Touch the tackling of the davit, one of you; only touch it, and I'll
+cleave your skull."
+
+Awed by his determined manner, the men retire, some clambering into the
+shrouds, whilst others mount to the very top of the masts.
+
+At eleven o'clock, several loud reports are heard, caused by the
+bursting asunder of the partitions of the hold. Clouds of smoke issue
+from the front, followed by a long tongue of lambent flame that seems to
+encircle the mizzen-mast. The fire now reaches to the cabin occupied by
+Mrs. Kear, who, shrieking wildly, is brought on deck by Miss Herbey.
+A moment more, and Silas Huntly makes his appearance, his face all
+blackened with the grimy smoke; he bows to Curtis, as he passes, and
+then proceeds in the calmest manner to mount the aft-shrouds, and
+installs himself at the very top of the mizzen.
+
+The sight of Huntly recalls to my recollection the prisoner still below,
+and my first impulse is to rush to the staircase and do what I can to
+set him free. But the maniac has already eluded his confinement, and
+with singed hair and his clothes already alight, rushes upon deck. Like
+a salamander he passes across the burning deck with unscathed feet,
+and glides through the stifling smoke with unchoked breath. Not a sound
+escapes his lips.
+
+Another loud report; the long-boat is shivered into fragments; the
+middle panel bursts the tarpaulin that covered it, and a stream of fire,
+free at length from the restraint that had held it, rises half-mast
+high.
+
+"The picrate! the picrate!" shrieks the madman; "we shall all be blown
+up! the picrate will blow us all up."
+
+And in an instant, before we can get near him, he has hurled himself,
+through the open hatchway, down into the fiery furnace below.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+OCTOBER 29th:--NIGHT.--The scene, as night came on, was terrible indeed.
+Notwithstanding the desperateness of our situation, however, there
+was not one of us so paralyzed by fear, but that we fully realized the
+horror of it all.
+
+Poor Ruby, indeed, is lost and gone, but his last words were productive
+of serious consequences. The sailors caught his cry of "Picrate,
+picrate!" and being thus for the first time made aware of the true
+nature of their peril, they resolved at every hazard to accomplish their
+escape. Beside themselves with terror, they either did not or would
+not, see that no boat could brave the tremendous waves that were raging
+around, and accordingly they made a frantic rush towards the yawl.
+Curtis again made a vigorous endeavour to prevent them, but this time
+all in vain; Owen urged them on, and already the tackling was loosened,
+so that the boat was swung over to the ship's side, For a moment it hung
+suspended in mid-air, and then, with a final effort from the sailors, it
+was quickly lowered into the sea. But scarcely had it touched the water,
+when it was caught by an enormous wave which, recoiling with resistless
+violence, dashed it to atoms against the "Chancellor's" side.
+
+The men stood aghast; they were dumbfoundered. Long-boat and yawl both
+gone, there was nothing now remaining to us but a small whale-boat. Not
+a word was spoken; not a sound was heard but the hoarse whistling of
+the wind, and the mournful roaring of the flames. From the centre of the
+ship, which was hollowed out like a furnace, there issued a column of
+sooty vapour that ascended to the sky. All the passengers, and several
+of the crew, took refuge in the aft-quarters of the poop. Mrs. Kear
+was lying senseless on one of the hen-coops, with Miss Herbey sitting
+passively at her side; M. Letourneur held his son tightly clasped to his
+bosom. I saw Falsten calmly consult his watch, and note down the time
+in his memorandum-book, but I was far from sharing his, composure, for I
+was overcome by a nervous agitation that I could not suppress.
+
+As far as we knew, Lieutenant Walter, the boatswain, and such of the
+crew as were not with us, were safe in the bow; but it was impossible
+to tell how they were faring because the sheet of fire intervened like a
+curtain, and cut off all communication between stem and stern.
+
+I broke the dismal silence, saying "All over now, Curtis."
+
+"No, sir, not yet," he replied, "now that the panel is open we will set
+to work, and pour water with all our might down into the furnace, and
+may be, we shall put it out, even yet."
+
+"But how can you work your pumps while the deck is burning? and how can
+you get at your men beyond that sheet of flame?"
+
+He made no answer to my impetuous questions, and finding that he had
+nothing more to say, I repeated that it was all over now.
+
+After a pause, he said, "As long as a plank of the ship remains to stand
+on, Mr. Kazallon, I shall not give up my hope."
+
+But the conflagration raged with redoubled fury, the sea around us was
+lighted with a crimson glow, and the clouds above shone with a lurid
+glare. Long jets of fire darted across the hatchways, and we were forced
+to take refuge on the taffrail at the extreme end of the poop. Mrs.
+Kear was laid in the whale-boat that hung from the stern, Miss Herbey
+persisting to the last in retaining her post by her side.
+
+No pen could adequately portray the horrors of this fearful night. The
+"Chancellor" under bare poles, was driven, like a gigantic fire-ship
+with frightful velocity across the raging ocean; her very speed as it
+were, making common cause with the hurricane to fan the fire that was
+consuming her. Soon there could be no alternative between throwing
+ourselves into the sea, or perishing in the flames.
+
+But where, all this time, was the picrate? perhaps, after all, Ruby
+had deceived us and there was no volcano, such as we dreaded, below our
+feet.
+
+At half-past eleven, when the tempest seems at its very height there
+is heard a peculiar roar distinguishable even above the crash of the
+elements. The sailors in an instant recognize its import.
+
+"Breakers to starboard!" is the cry.
+
+Curtis leaps on to the netting, casts a rapid glance at the snow-white
+billows, and turning to the helmsman shouts with all his might
+"Starboard the helm!"
+
+But it is too late. There is a sudden shock; the ship is caught up by an
+enormous wave; she rises upon her beam ends; several times she strikes
+the ground; the mizzen-mast snaps short off level with the deck, falls
+into the sea, and the "Chancellor" is motionless.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+THE NIGHT OF THE 29th CONTINUED.--It was not yet midnight; the darkness
+was most profound, and we could see nothing. But was it probable that we
+had stranded on the coast of America?
+
+Very shortly after the ship had thus come to a standstill a clanking of
+chains was heard proceeding from her bows.
+
+"That is well," said Curtis; "Walter and the boatswain have cast both
+the anchors. Let us hope they will hold."
+
+Then, clinging to the netting, he clambered along the starboard side,
+on which the ship had heeled, as far as the flames would allow him. He
+clung to the holdfasts of the shrouds, and in spite of the heavy
+seas that dashed against the vessel he maintained his position for a
+considerable time, evidently listening to some sound that had caught
+his ear in the midst of the tempest. In about a quarter of an hour he
+returned to the poop.
+
+"Heaven be praised!" he said, "the water is coming in, and perhaps may
+get the better of the fire."
+
+"True," said I, "but what then?"
+
+"That," he replied, "is a question for by-and-by. We can now only think
+of the present."
+
+Already I fancied that the violence of the flames was somewhat abated,
+and that the two opposing elements were in fierce contention. Some plank
+in the ship's side was evidently stove in, admitting free passage for
+the waves. But how, when the water had mastered the fire, should we be
+able to master the water? Our natural course would be to use the
+pumps, but these, in the very midst of the conflagration, were quite
+unavailable.
+
+For three long hours, in anxious suspense, we watched and watched, and
+waited. Where we were we could not tell. One thing alone was certain:
+the tide was ebbing beneath us, and the waves were relaxing in their
+violence. Once let the fire be extinguished, and then, perhaps, there
+would be room to hope that the next high tide would set us afloat.
+
+Towards half-past four in the morning the curtain of fire and smoke,
+which had shut off communication between the two extremities of the
+ship, became less dense, and we could faintly distinguish that party
+of the crew who had taken refuge in the forecastle; and before long,
+although it was impracticable to step upon the deck, the lieutenant and
+the boatswain contrived to clamber over the gunwale, along the rails,
+and joined Curtis on the poop.
+
+Here they held a consultation, to which I was admitted. They were all
+of opinion that nothing could be done until daylight should give us
+something of an idea of our actual position. If we then found that we
+were near the shore, we would, weather permitting, endeavour to land,
+either in the boat or upon a raft. If, on the other hand, no land were
+in sight, and the "Chancellor" were ascertained to be stranded on some
+isolated reef, all we could do would be to get her afloat, and put her
+into condition for reaching the nearest coast. Curtis told us that it
+was long since he had been able to take any observation of altitude, but
+there was no doubt the north-west wind had driven us far to the south;
+and he thought, as he was ignorant of the existence of any reef in this
+part of the Atlantic, that it was just possible that we had been driven
+on to the coast of some portion of South America.
+
+I reminded him that we were in momentary expectation of an explosion,
+and suggested that it would be advisable to abandon the ship and take
+refuge on the reef. But he would not hear of such a proceeding, said
+that the reef would probably be covered at high tide, and persisted in
+the original resolution, that no decided action could be taken before
+the daylight appeared.
+
+I immediately reported this decision of the captain to my fellow
+passengers. None of them seem to realize the new danger to which the
+"Chancellor" may be exposed by being cast upon an unknown reef, hundreds
+of miles it may be from land. All are for the time possessed with one
+idea, one hope; and that is, that the fire may now be quenched and the
+explosion averted.
+
+And certainly their hopes seem in a fair way of being fulfilled. Already
+the raging flames that poured forth from the hatches have given place
+to dense black smoke, and although occasionally some fiery streaks dart
+across the dusky fumes, yet they are instantly extinguished. The waves
+are doing what pumps and buckets could never have effected; by their
+inundation they are steadily stifling the fire which was as steadily
+spreading to the whole bulk of the 1700 bales of cotton.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+OCTOBER 30th.--At the first gleam of daylight we eagerly scanned the
+southern and western horizons, but the morning mists limited our view.
+Land was nowhere to be seen. The tide was now almost at its lowest ebb,
+and the colour of the few peaks of rock that jutted up around us showed
+that the reef on which we had stranded was of basaltic formation. There
+were now only about six feet of water around the "Chancellor," though
+with a full freight she draws about fifteen. It was remarkable how far
+she had been carried on to the shelf of rock, but the number of times
+that she had touched the bottom before she finally ran aground left us
+no doubt that she had been lifted up and borne along on the top of an
+enormous wave. She now lies with her stern considerably higher than her
+bows, a position which renders walking upon the deck anything but an
+easy matter; moreover as the tide-receded she heeled over so much to
+larboard that at one time Curtis feared she would altogether capsize;
+that fear, however, since the tide has reached its lowest mark, has
+happily proved groundless.
+
+At six o'clock some violent blows were felt against the ship's side, and
+at the same time a voice was distinguished, shouting loudly, "Curtis!
+Curtis!" Following the direction of the cries we saw that the broken
+mizzen-mast was being washed against the vessel, and in the dusky morning
+twilight we could make out the figure of a man clinging to the rigging.
+Curtis, at the peril of his life, hastened to bring the man on board,
+It proved to be none other than Silas Huntly, who, after being carried
+overboard with the mast, had thus, almost by a miracle, escaped a
+watery grave. Without a word of thanks to his deliverer, the ex-captain,
+passive, like an automaton, passed on and took his seat in the most
+secluded corner of the poop. The broken mizzen may, perhaps, be of
+service to us at some future time, and with that idea it has been
+rescued from the waves and lashed securely to the stern.
+
+By this time it was light enough to see for a distance of three miles
+round; but as yet nothing could be discerned to make us think that
+we were near a coast. The line of breakers ran for about a mile from
+south-west to north-east, and two hundred fathoms to the north of the
+ship an irregular mass of rocks formed a small islet. This islet rose
+about fifty feet above the sea, and was consequently above the level of
+the highest tides; whilst a sort of causeway, available at low water,
+would enable us to reach the island, if necessity required. But
+there the reef ended; beyond it the sea again resumed its sombre hue,
+betokening deep water. In all probability, then, this was a solitary
+shoal, unattached to a shore, and the gloom of a bitter disappointment
+began to weigh upon our spirits.
+
+In another hour the mists had totally disappeared, and it was broad
+daylight. I and M. Letourneur stood watching Curtis as he continued
+eagerly to scan the western horizon. Astonishment was written on his
+countenance; to him it appeared perfectly incredible that, after our
+course for so long had been due south from the Bermudas, no land should
+be in sight. But not a speck, however minute, broke the clearly-defined
+line that joined sea and sky. After a time Curtis made his way along the
+netting to the shrouds, and swung himself quickly up to the top of the
+mainmast. For several minutes he remained there examining the open space
+around, then seizing one of the backstays he glided down and rejoined us
+on the poop.
+
+"No land in sight," he said, in answer to our eager looks of inquiry.
+
+At this point Mr. Kear interposed, and in a gruff, ill-tempered tone,
+asked Curtis where we were. Curtis replied that he did not know.
+
+"You don't know, sir? Then all I can say is that you ought to know!"
+exclaimed the petroleum merchant.
+
+"That may be, sir; but at present I am as ignorant of our whereabouts as
+you are yourself," said Curtis.
+
+"Well," said Mr. Kear, "just please to know that I don't want to stay
+for ever on your everlasting ship, so I beg you will make haste and
+start off again."
+
+Curtis condescended to make no other reply than a shrug of the
+shoulders, and turning away he informed M. Letourneur and myself that if
+the sun came out he intended to take its altitude and find out to what
+part of the ocean we had been driven. His next care was to distribute
+preserved meat and biscuit amongst the passengers and crew already half
+fainting with hunger and fatigue, and then he set to work to devise
+measures for setting the ship afloat.
+
+The conflagration was greatly abated; no flames now appeared, and
+although some black smoke still issued from the interior, yet its volume
+was far less than before. The first step was to discover how much water
+had entered the hold. The deck was still too hot to walk upon; but
+after two hours' irrigation the boards became sufficiently cool for the
+boatswain to proceed to take some soundings, and he shortly afterwards
+announced that there were five feet of water below. This the captain
+determined should not be pumped out at present, as he wanted it
+thoroughly to do its duty before he got rid of it.
+
+The next subject for consideration was whether it would be advisable to
+abandon the vessel, and to take refuge on the reef. Curtis thought not;
+and the lieutenant and the boatswain agreed with him. The chances of an
+explosion were greatly diminished, as it had been ascertained that the
+water had reached that part of the hold in which Ruby's luggage had been
+deposited; while, on the other hand, in the event of rough weather,
+our position even upon the most elevated points of rock might be very
+critical. It was accordingly resolved that both passengers and crew were
+safest on board.
+
+Acting upon this decision we proceeded to make a kind of encampment on
+the poop, and the few mattresses that were rescued uninjured have been
+given up for the use of the two ladies. Such of the crew as had saved
+their hammocks have been told to place them under the forecastle where
+they would have to stow themselves as best they could, their ordinary
+quarters being absolutely uninhabitable.
+
+Fortunately, although the store-room has been considerably exposed
+to the heat, its contents are not very seriously damaged, and all
+the barrels of water and the greater part of the provisions are quite
+intact. The stack of spare sails, which had been packed away in front,
+is also free from injury. The wind has dropped considerably since the
+early morning, and the swell in the sea is far less heavy. On the whole
+our spirits are reviving, and we begin to think we may yet find a way
+out of our troubles.
+
+M. Letourneur, his son, and I, have just had a long conversation about
+the ship's officers. We consider their conduct, under the late trying
+circumstances, to have been most exemplary, and their courage, energy,
+and endurance to have been beyond all praise. Lieutenant Walter,
+the boatswain, and Dowlas the carpenter have all alike distinguished
+themselves, and made us feel that they are men to be relied on. As for
+Curtis, words can scarcely be found to express our admiration of his
+character; he is the same as he has ever been, the very life of his
+crew, cheering them on by word or gesture; finding an expedient for
+every difficulty, and always foremost in every action.
+
+The tide turned at seven this morning, and by eleven all the rocks were
+submerged, none of them being visible except the cluster of those which
+formed the rim of a small and almost circular basin from 250 to 300 feet
+in diameter, in the north angle of which the ship is lying. As the tide
+rose the white breakers disappeared, and the sea, fortunately for
+the "Chancellor," was pretty calm; otherwise the dashing of the waves
+against her sides, as she lies motionless, might have been attended by
+serious consequences.
+
+As might be supposed, the height of the water in the hold increased
+with the tide from five feet to nine; but this was rather a matter for
+congratulation, inasmuch as it sufficed to inundate another layer of
+cotton.
+
+At half-past eleven the sun, which had been behind the clouds since
+ten o'clock, broke forth brightly. The captain, who had already in the
+morning been able to calculate an horary angle, now prepared to take
+the meridian altitude, and succeeded at midday in making his observation
+most satisfactorily. After retiring for a short time to calculate the
+result; he returned to the poop and announced that we are in lat; 18deg.
+5min. N. and long. 45deg. 53min. W., but that the reef on which we are
+aground is not marked upon the charts. The only explanation that can be
+given for the omission is that the islet must be of recent formation,
+and has been caused by some subterranean volcanic disturbance. But
+whatever may be the solution of the mystery, here we are 800 miles from
+land; for such, on consulting the map, we find to be the actual distance
+to the coast of Guiana, which is the nearest shore. Such is the position
+to which we have been brought, in the first place, by Huntly's senseless
+obstinacy, and, secondly, by the furious north-west gale.
+
+Yet, after all, the captain's communication does not dishearten us. As
+I said before, our spirits are reviving. We have escaped the peril of
+fire; the fear of explosion is past and gone; and oblivious of the fact
+that the ship with a hold full of water is only too likely to founder
+when she puts out to sea, we feel a confidence in the future that
+forbids us to despond.
+
+Meanwhile Curtis prepares to do all that common sense demands. He
+proposes, when the fire is quite extinguished, to throw overboard the
+whole, or the greater portion of the cargo, including of course, the
+picrate; he will next plug up the leak, and then, with a lightened
+ship, he will take advantage of the first high tide to quit the reef as
+speedily as possible.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+OCTOBER 30th.--Once again I talked to M. Letourneur about our situation,
+and endeavoured to animate him with the hope that we should not be
+detained for long in our present predicament; but he could not be
+brought to take a very sanguine view of our prospects.
+
+"But surely," I protested, "it will not be difficult to throw overboard
+a few hundred bales of cotton; two or three days at most will suffice
+for that."
+
+"Likely enough," he replied, "when the business is once begun; but you
+must remember, Mr. Kazallon, that the very heart of the cargo is still
+smouldering, and that it will still be several days before any one will
+be able to venture into the hold. Then the leak, too, that has to be
+caulked; and, unless it is stopped up very effectually, we shall be
+only doomed most certainly to perish at sea. Don't, then, be deceiving
+yourself; it must be three weeks at least before you can expect to put
+out to sea. I can only hope meanwhile that the weather will continue
+propitious; it wouldn't take many storms to knock the 'Chancellor,'
+shattered as she is, completely into pieces."
+
+Here, then, was the suggestion of a new danger to which we were to be
+exposed; the fire might be extinguished, the water might be got rid of
+by the pumps, but, after all, we must be at the mercy of the wind and
+waves; and, although the rocky island might afford a temporary refuge
+from the tempest, what was to become of passengers and crew if the
+vessel should be reduced to a total wreck? I made no remonstrance,
+however, to this view of our case, but merely asked M. Letourneur if he
+had confidence in Robert Curtis?
+
+"Perfect confidence," he answered; "and I acknowledge it most
+gratefully, as a providential circumstance, that Captain Huntly had
+given him the command in time. Whatever man can do I know that Curtis
+will not leave undone to extricate us from our dilemma."
+
+Prompted by this conversation with M. Letourneur I took the first
+opportunity of trying to ascertain from Curtis himself, how long he
+reckoned we should be obliged to remain upon the reef; but he merely
+replied, that it must depend upon circumstances, and that he hoped the
+weather would continue favourable. Fortunately the barometer is rising
+steadily, and there is every sign of a prolonged calm.
+
+Meantime Curtis is taking active measures for totally extinguishing the
+fire. He is at no great pains to spare the cargo, and as the bales that
+lie just above the level of the water are still a-light he has resorted
+to the expedient of thoroughly saturating the upper layers of the
+cotton, in order that the combustion may be stifled between the moisture
+descending from above and that ascending from below. This scheme has
+brought the pumps once more into requisition. At present the crew are
+adequate to the task of working them, but I and some of our fellow
+passengers are ready to offer our assistance whenever it shall be
+necessary.
+
+With no immediate demand upon our labour, we are thrown upon our own
+resources for passing our time. Letourneur, Andre and myself, have
+frequent conversations; I also devote an hour or two to my diary.
+Falsten holds little communication with any of us, but remains absorbed
+in his calculations, and amuses himself by tracing mechanical diagrams
+with ground-plan, section, elevation, all complete. It would be a happy
+inspiration if he could invent some mighty engine that could set us all
+afloat again. Mr. and Mrs. Kear, too, hold themselves aloof from
+their fellow passengers, and we are not sorry to be relieved from the
+necessity of listening to their incessant grumbling; unfortunately,
+however, they carry off Miss Herbey with them, so that we enjoy little
+or nothing of the young lady's society. As for Silas Huntly, he has
+become a complete nonentity; he exists, it is true, but merely, it would
+seem, to vegetate.
+
+Hobart, the steward, an obsequious, sly sort of fellow, goes through his
+routine of duties just as though the vessel were pursuing her ordinary
+course; and, as usual, is continually falling out with Jynxstrop, the
+cook, an impudent, ill-favoured negro, who interferes with the other
+sailors in a manner which, I think, ought not to be allowed.
+
+Since it appears likely that we shall have abundance of time on our
+hands, I have proposed to M. Letourneur and his son that we shall
+together explore the reef on which we are stranded. It is not very
+probable that we shall be able to discover much about the origin of this
+strange accumulation of rock, yet the attempt will at least occupy us
+for some hours, and will relieve us from the monotony of our confinement
+on board. Besides, as the reef is not marked in any of the maps, I could
+not but believe that it would be rendering a service to hydrography if
+we were to take an accurate plan of the rocks, of which Curtis could
+afterwards verify the true position by a second observation made with a
+closer precision than the one he has already taken.
+
+M. Letourneur agrees to my proposal, Curtis has promised to let us have
+the boat and some sounding-lines, and to allow one of the sailors to
+accompany us; so to-morrow morning, we hope to make our little voyage of
+investigation.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+OCTOBER 31st to NOVEMBER 5th.--Our first proceeding on the morning of
+the 31st was to make the proposed tour of the reef, which is about a
+quarter of a mile long. With the aid of our sounding-lines we found that
+the water was deep, right up to the very rocks, and that no shelving
+shores prevented us coasting along them. There was not a shadow of doubt
+as to the rock being of purely volcanic origin, upheaved by some mighty
+subterranean convulsion. It is formed of blocks of basalt, arranged
+in perfect order, of which the regular prisms give the whole mass the
+effect of being one gigantic crystal; and the remarkable transparency
+of the sea enabled us plainly to observe the curious shafts of the
+prismatic columns that support the marvelous substructure.
+
+"This is indeed a singular island," said M. Letourneur; "evidently it is
+of quite a recent origin."
+
+"Yes, father," said Andre, "and I should think it has been caused by
+a phenomenon similar to those which produced the Julia Island, off
+the coast of Sicily, or the group of the Santorini, in the Grecian
+Archipelago. One could almost fancy that it had been created expressly
+for the 'Chancellor' to stand upon."
+
+"It is very certain," I observed, "that some upheaving has lately taken
+place. This is by no means an unfrequented part of the Atlantic, so that
+it is not at all likely that it could have escaped the notice of sailors
+if it had been always in existence; yet it is not marked even in the
+most modern charts. We must try and explore it thoroughly and give
+future navigators the benefit of our observations."
+
+"But, perhaps, it will disappear as it came," said Andre. "You are no
+doubt aware, Mr. Kazallon, that these volcanic islands sometimes have
+a very transitory existence. Not impossibly, by the time it gets marked
+upon the maps it may no longer be here."
+
+"Never mind, my boy," answered his father, "it is better to give warning
+of a danger that does not exist than overlook one that does. I daresay
+the sailors will not grumble much, if they don't find a reef where we
+have marked one."
+
+"No, I daresay not, father," said Andre "and after all this island is
+very likely as firm as a continent. However, if it is to disappear, I
+expect Captain Curtis would be glad to see it take its departure as soon
+as possible after he has finished his repairs; it would save him a world
+of trouble in getting his ship afloat."
+
+"Why, what a fellow you are Andre!" I said, laughing, "I believe you
+would like to rule Nature with a magic wand; first of all, you would
+call up a reef from the depth of the ocean to give the 'Chancellor' time
+to extinguish her flames, and then you would make it disappear just that
+the ship might be free again."
+
+Andre smiled; then, in a more serious tone, he expressed his gratitude
+for the timely help that had been vouchsafed us in our hour of need.
+
+The more we examined the rocks that formed the base of the little
+island, the more we became convinced that its formation was quite
+recent, Not a mollusk, not a tuft of seaweed was found clinging to the
+sides of the rocks; not a germ had the wind carried to its surface, not
+a bird had taken refuge amidst the crags upon its summits. To a lover of
+natural history, the spot did not yield a single point of interest; the
+geologist alone would find subject of study in the basaltic mass.
+
+When we reached the southern point of the island I proposed that we
+should disembark. My companions readily assented, young Letourneur
+jocosely observing that if the little island was destined to vanish,
+it was quite right that it should first be visited by human beings. The
+boat was accordingly brought alongside, and we set, foot upon the
+reef, and began to ascend the gradual slope that leads to its highest
+elevation.
+
+The walking was not very rough, and as Andre could get along tolerably
+well without the assistance of an arm, he led the way, his father and I
+following close behind. A quarter of an hour sufficed to bring us to the
+loftiest point in the islet, when we seated ourselves on the basaltic
+prism that crowned its summit.
+
+Andre took a sketch-book from his pocket, and proceeded to make a
+drawing of the reef. Scarcely had he completed the outline when his
+father exclaimed,--
+
+"Why, Andre, you have drawn a ham!"
+
+"Something uncommonly like it, I confess," replied Andre. "I think we
+had better ask Captain Curtis to let us call our island Ham Rock."
+
+"Good," said I; "though sailors will need to keep it at a respectful
+distance, for they will scarcely find that their teeth are strong enough
+to tackle with it."
+
+M. Letourneur was quite correct; the outline of the reef as it stood
+clearly defined against the deep green water resembled nothing so much,
+as a fine York ham, of which the little creek, where the "Chancellor"
+had been stranded, corresponded to the hollow place above the knuckle.
+The tide at this time was low, and the ship now lay heeled over very
+much to the starboard side, the few points of rock that emerged in the
+extreme south of the reef plainly marking the narrow passage through
+which she had been forced before she finally ran aground.
+
+As soon as Andre had finished his sketch we descended by a slope as
+gradual as that by which we had come up, and made our way towards the
+west. We had not gone very far when a beautiful grotto, perfect as an
+architectural structure, arrested our attention, M. Letourneur and Andre
+who have visited the Hebrides, pronounced it to be a Fingal's cave
+in miniature; a Gothic chapel that might form a fit vestibule for the
+cathedral cave of Staffa. The basaltic rocks had cooled down into the
+same regular concentric prisms; there was the same dark canopied
+roof with its interstices filled up with its yellow lutings; the same
+precision of outline in the prismatic angles, sharp as though chiselled
+by a sculptor's hand; the same sonorous vibration of the air across the
+basaltic rocks, of which the Gaelic poets have feigned that the harps of
+the Fingal minstrelsy were made. But whereas at Staffa the floor of the
+cave is always covered with a sheet of water, here the grotto was beyond
+the reach of all but the highest waves, whilst the prismatic shafts
+themselves formed quite a solid pavement.
+
+After remaining nearly an hour in our newly-discovered grotto we
+returned to the "Chancellor," and communicated the result of our
+explorations to Curtis, who entered the island upon his chart by the
+name that Andre Letourneur had proposed.
+
+Since its discovery we have not permitted a day to pass without spending
+some time in our Ham Rock grotto. Curtis has taken an opportunity of
+visiting it, but he is too preoccupied with other matters to have much
+interest to spare for the wonders of nature. Falsten, too, came once and
+examined the character of the rocks, knocking and chipping them about
+with all the mercilessness of a geologist. Mr. Kear would not trouble
+himself to leave the ship; and although I asked his wife to join us in
+one of our excursions she declined, upon the plea that the fatigue, as
+well as the inconvenience of embarking in the boat, would be more than
+she could bear.
+
+Miss Herbey, only too thankful to escape even for an hour from her
+capricious mistress, eagerly accepted M. Letourneur's invitation to pay
+a visit to the reef but to her great disappointment Mrs. Kear at first
+refused point-blank to allow her to leave the ship. I felt intensely
+annoyed, and resolved to intercede in Miss Herbey's favour; and as I
+had already rendered that self-indulgent lady sundry services which she
+thought she might probably be glad again to accept, I gained my point,
+and Miss Herbey has several times been permitted to accompany us across
+the rocks, where the young girl's delight at her freedom has been a
+pleasure to behold.
+
+Sometimes we fish along the shore, and, then enjoy a luncheon in the
+grotto, whilst the basalt columns vibrate like harps to the breeze.
+This arid reef, little as it is, compared with the cramped limits of
+the "Chancellor's" deck is like some vast domain; soon there will be
+scarcely a stone with which we are not familiar, scarcely a portion of
+its surface which we have not merrily trodden, and I am sure that when
+the hour of departure arrives we shall leave it with regret.
+
+In the course of conversation, Andre Letourneur one day happened to say
+that he believed the island of Staffa belonged to the Macdonald family,
+who let it for the small sum of 12 pounds a year.
+
+"I suppose then," said Miss Herbey, "that we should hardly get more than
+half-a-crown a year for our pet little island."
+
+"I don't think you would get a penny for it, Miss Herbey; but are you
+thinking of taking a lease?" I said, laughing.
+
+"Not at present," she said; then added, with a half-suppressed sigh,
+"and yet it is a place where I have seemed to know what it is to be
+really happy."
+
+Andre murmured some expression of assent, and we all felt that there was
+something touching in the words of the orphaned, friendless girl who had
+found her long-lost sense of happiness on a lonely rock in the Atlantic.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+NOVEMBER 6th to NOVEMBER 15th.--For the first five days after the
+"Chancellor" had run aground, there was a dense black smoke continually
+rising from the hold; but it gradually diminished until the 6th of
+November, when we might consider that the fire was extinguished. Curtis,
+nevertheless, deemed it prudent to persevere in working the pumps, which
+he did until the entire hull of the ship, right up to the deck, had been
+completely inundated.
+
+The rapidity, however, with which the water, at every retreat of the
+tide, drained off to the level of the sea, was an indication that the
+leak must be of considerable magnitude; and such, on investigation,
+proved to be the case. One of the sailors, named Flaypole, dived one
+day at low water to examine the extent of the damage, and found that the
+hole was not much less than four feet square, and was situated thirty
+feet fore of the helm, and two feet above the rider of the keel; three
+planks had been stoved in by a sharp point of rock, and it was only a
+wonder that the violence with which the heavily-laden vessel had been
+thrown ashore did not result in the smashing in of many parts besides.
+
+As it would be a couple of days or more before the hold would be in a
+condition for the bales of cotton to be removed for the carpenter to
+examine the damage from the interior of the ship, Curtis employed the
+interval in having the broken mizzen-mast repaired. Dowlas the carpenter,
+with considerable skill, contrived to mortice it into its former stump,
+and made the junction thoroughly secure by strong iron-belts and bolts.
+The shrouds, the stays and backstays, were then carefully refitted,
+some of the sails were changed, and the whole of the running rigging was
+renewed. Injury, to some extent, had been done to the poop and to the
+crew's lockers, in the front; but time and labour were all that were
+wanted to make them good; and with such a will, did every one set to
+work that it was not long before all the cabins were again available for
+use.
+
+On the 8th the unlading of the ship commenced. Pulleys and tackling were
+put over the hatches, and passengers and crew together proceeded to haul
+up the heavy bales which had been deluged so frequently by water that
+the cotton was all but spoiled. One by one the sodden bales were placed
+in the boat to be transported to the reef. After the first layer of
+cotton had been removed it became necessary to drain off part of the
+water that filled the hold. For this purpose the leak in the side had
+somehow or other to be stopped, and this was an operation which was
+cleverly accomplished by Dowlas and Flaypole, who contrived to dive at
+low tide and nail a sheet of copper over the entire hole. This, however,
+of itself would have been utterly inadequate to sustain the pressure
+that would arise from the action of the pumps; so Curtis ordered that a
+number of the bales should be piled up inside against the broken planks.
+The scheme succeeded very well, and as the water got lower and lower in
+the hold the men were enabled to resume their task of unlading.
+
+Curtis thinks it quite probable that the leaks may be mended from the
+interior. By far the best way of repairing the damage would be to careen
+the ship, and to shift the planking, but the appliances are wanting for
+such an undertaking; moreover, any bad weather which might occur while
+the ship was on her flank would only too certainly be fatal to her
+altogether. But the captain has very little doubt that by some device or
+other he shall manage to patch up the hole in such a way as will insure
+our reaching land in safety.
+
+After two days' toil the water was entirely reduced and without further
+difficulty the unlading was completed. All of us, including even Andre
+Letourneur, have been taking our turn at the pumps, for the work is so
+extremely fatiguing that the crew require some occasional respite; arms
+and back soon become strained and weary with the incessant swing of
+the handles, and I can well understand the dislike which sailors always
+express to the labour.
+
+One thing there is which is much in our favour; the ship lies on a firm
+and solid bottom, and we have the satisfaction of knowing that we
+are not contending with a flood that encroaches faster than it can be
+resisted. Heaven grant that we may not be called to make like efforts,
+and to make them hopelessly, for a foundering ship!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+NOVEMBER 15th to 20th.--The examination of the hold has at last been
+made. Amongst the first things that were found was the case of picrate,
+perfectly intact; having neither been injured by the water, nor of
+course reached by the flames. Why it was not at once pitched into the
+sea I cannot say; but it was merely conveyed to the extremity of the
+island, and there it remains.
+
+While they were below, Curtis and Dowlas made themselves acquainted with
+the full extent of the mischief that had been done by the conflagration.
+They found that the deck and the cross-beams that supported it had been
+much less injured than they expected, and the thick, heavy planks had
+only been scorched very superficially. But the action of the fire on
+the flanks of the ship had been of a much more serious character; a long
+portion of the inside boarding had been burnt away, and the very ribs
+of the vessel were considerably damaged; the oakum caulkings had all
+started away from the butt-ends and seams; so much so that it was
+little short of a miracle that the whole ship had not long since gaped
+completely open.
+
+The captain and the carpenter returned to the deck with anxious faces.
+Curtis lost no time in assembling passengers and crew, and announcing to
+them the facts of the case.
+
+"My friends," he said, "I am here to tell you that the 'Chancellor' has
+sustained far greater injuries than we suspected, and that her hull is
+very seriously damaged. If we had been stranded anywhere else than on a
+barren reef, that may at any time be overwhelmed by a tempestuous sea
+I should not have hesitated to take the ship to pieces, and construct a
+smaller vessel that might have carried us safely to land; but I dare not
+run the risk of remaining here. We are now 800 miles from the coast of
+Paramaribo, the nearest portion of Dutch Guiana, and in ten or twelve
+days, if the weather should be favourable, I believe we could reach the
+shore. What I now propose to do is to stop the leak by the best means we
+can command, and make at once for the nearest port."
+
+As no better plan seemed to suggest itself, Curtis's proposal was
+unanimously accepted Dowlas and his assistants immediately set to work
+to repair the charred frame-work of the ribs, and to stop the leak; they
+took care thoroughly to caulk from the outside all the seams that were
+above low water mark; lower than that they were unable to work, and
+had to content themselves with such repairs as they could effect in the
+interior. But after all the pains there is no doubt the "Chancellor" is
+not fit for a long voyage, and would be condemned as unseaworthy at any
+port at which we might put in.
+
+To-day, the 20th, Curtis having done all that human power could do to
+repair his ship, determined to put her to sea.
+
+Ever since the "Chancellor" had been relieved of her cargo, and of the
+water in her hold, she had been able to float in the little natural
+basin into which she had been driven. The basin was enclosed on either
+hand by rocks that remained uncovered even at high water, but was
+sufficiently wide to allow the vessel to turn quite round at its
+broadest part, and by means of hawsers fastened on the reef to be
+brought with her bows towards the south; while, to prevent her being
+carried back on to the reef, she has been anchored fore and aft.
+
+To all appearance, then, it seemed as though it would be an easy matter
+to put the "Chancellor" to sea; if the wind were favourable the sails
+would be hoisted, if otherwise, she would have to be towed through the
+narrow passage. All seemed simple. But unlooked-for difficulties had yet
+to be surmounted.
+
+The mouth of the passage is guarded by a kind of ridge of basalt, which
+at high tide we knew was barely covered with sufficient water to float
+the "Chancellor," even when entirely unfreighted. To be sure she had
+been carried over the obstacle once before, but then, as I have already
+said, she had been caught up by an enormous wave, and might have been
+said to be LIFTED over the barrier into her present position. Besides,
+on that ever-memorable night, there had not only been the ordinary
+spring-tide, but an equinoctial tide, such a one as could not be
+expected to occur again for many months. Waiting was out of the
+question; so Curtis determined to run the risk, and to take advantage of
+the spring-tide, which would occur to-day, to make an attempt to get the
+ship, lightened as she was, over the bar; after which, he might ballast
+her sufficiently to sail.
+
+The wind was blowing from the north-west, and consequently right in the
+direction of the passage. The captain, however, after a consultation,
+preferred to tow the ship over the ridge, as he considered it was
+scarcely safe to allow a vessel of doubtful stability at full sail to
+charge an obstacle that would probably bring her to a dead lock. Before
+the operation was commenced, Curtis took the precaution of having
+an anchor ready in the stern, for, in the event of the attempt being
+unsuccessful, it would be necessary to bring the ship back to her
+present moorings. Two more anchors were next carried outside the
+passage, which was not more than two hundred feet in length. The
+chains were attached to the windlass, the sailors worked away at the
+handspikes, and at four o'clock in the afternoon the "Chancellor" was in
+motion.
+
+High tide would be at twenty minutes past four, and at ten minutes
+before that time the ship had been hauled as far as her sea-range would
+allow; her keel grazed the ridge, and her progress was arrested. When
+the lowest part of her stern, however, just cleared the obstruction,
+Curtis deemed that there was no longer any reason why the mechanical
+action of the wind should not be brought to bear and contribute its
+assistance. Without delay, all sails were unfurled and trimmed to the
+wind. The tide was exactly at its height, passengers and crew together
+were at the windlass, M. Letourneur, Andre, Falsten, and myself being
+at the starboard bar. Curtis stood upon the poop, giving his chief
+attention to the sails; the lieutenant was on the forecastle; the
+boatswain by the helm. The sea seemed propitiously calm and, as it
+swelled gently to and fro, lifted the ship several times.
+
+"Now, my boys," said Curtis in his calm clear voice, "all together!
+Off!"
+
+Round went the windlass; click, click, clanked the chains as link by
+link they were forced through the hawse-holes.
+
+The breeze freshened, and the masts gave to the pressure of the sails,
+but round and round we went, keeping time in regular monotony to the
+sing-song tune hummed by one of the sailors.
+
+We had gained about twenty feet, and were redoubling our efforts when
+the ship grounded again.
+
+And now no effort would avail; all was in vain; the tide began to turn;
+and the "Chancellor" would not advance an inch. Was there time to go
+back? She would inevitably go to pieces if left balanced upon the ridge.
+In an instant the captain has ordered the sails to be furled, and the
+anchor dropped from the stern.
+
+One moment of terrible anxiety, and all is well.
+
+The "Chancellor" tacks to stern, and glides back into the basin, which
+is once more her prison.
+
+"Well, captain," says the boatswain, "what's to be done now?"
+
+"I don't know" said Curtis, "but we shall get across somehow."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+NOVEMBER 21st to 24th.--There was assuredly no time to be lost before we
+ought to leave Ham Rock reef. The barometer had been falling ever since
+the morning, the sea was getting rougher, and there was every symptom
+that the weather, hitherto so favourable, was on the point of breaking;
+and in the event of a gale the "Chancellor" must inevitably be dashed to
+pieces on the rocks.
+
+In the evening, when the tide was quite low, and the rocks uncovered,
+Curtis, the boatswain, and Dowlas went to examine the ridge which had
+proved so serious an obstruction, Falsten and I accompanied them. We
+came to the conclusion that the only way of effecting a passage was by
+cutting away the rocks with pikes over a surface measuring ten feet by
+six. An extra depth of nine or ten inches would give a sufficient gauge,
+and the channel might be accurately marked out by buoys; in this way it
+was conjectured the ship might be got over the ridge and so reach the
+deep water beyond.
+
+"But this basalt is as hard as granite," said the boatswain; "besides,
+we can only get at it at low water, and consequently could only work at
+it for two hours out of the twenty-four."
+
+"All the more reason why we should begin at once, boatswain," said
+Curtis.
+
+"But if it is to take us a month, captain, perhaps by that time the ship
+may be knocked to atoms. Couldn't we manage to blow up the rock? we have
+got some powder on board."
+
+"Not enough for that;" said the boatswain.
+
+"You have something better than powder," said Falsten.
+
+"What's that?" asked the captain.
+
+"Picrate of potash," was the reply.
+
+And so the explosive substance with which poor Ruby had so grievously
+imperilled the vessel was now to serve her in good stead, and I now saw
+what a lucky thing it was that the case had been deposited safely on the
+reef, instead of being thrown into the sea.
+
+Picric acid is a crystalline bitter product extracted from coal-tar, and
+forming, in combination with potash, a yellow salt known as picrate of
+potash. The explosive power of this substance is inferior to that
+of gun-cotton or of dynamite, but far greater than that of ordinary
+gunpowder; one grain of picric powder producing an effect equal to that
+of thirteen grains of common powder. Picrate is easily ignited by
+any sharp or violent shock, and some gun-priming which we had in our
+possession would answer the purpose of setting it alight.
+
+The sailors went off at once for their pikes, and Dowlas and his
+assistants, under the direction of Falsten, who, as an engineer,
+understood such matters, proceeded to hollow out a mine wherein to
+deposit the powder. At first we hoped that everything would be ready for
+the blasting to take place on the following morning, but when daylight
+appeared we found that the men, although they had laboured with a will,
+had only been able to work for an hour at low water and that four tides
+must ebb before the mine had been sunk to the required depth.
+
+Not until eight o'clock on the morning of the 23rd was the work
+complete. The hole was bored obliquely in the rock, and was large enough
+to contain about ten pounds of explosive matter. Just as the picrate was
+being introduced into the aperture, Falsten interposed:--
+
+"Stop," he said, "I think it will be best to mix the picrate with common
+powder, as that will allow us to fire the mine with a match instead of
+the gun-priming which would be necessary to produce a shock. Besides,
+it is an understood thing that the addition of gunpowder renders picrate
+far more effective in blasting such rocks as this, as then the violence
+of the picrate prepares the way for the powder which, slower in its
+action, will complete the disseverment of the basalt."
+
+Falsten is not a great talker, but what he does say is always very
+much to the point. His good advice was immediately followed; the two
+substances were mixed together, and after a match had been introduced
+the compound was rammed closely into the hole.
+
+Notwithstanding that the "Chancellor" was at a distance from the rocks
+that insured her from any danger of being injured by the explosion, it
+was thought advisable that the passengers and crew should take refuge in
+the grotto at the extremity of the reef, and even Mr. Kear, in spite of
+his many objections, was forced to leave the ship. Falsten, as soon as
+he had set fire to the match, joined us in our retreat.
+
+The train was to burn for ten minutes, and at the end of that time the
+explosion took place; the report, on account of the depth of the
+mine, being muffled, and much less noisy than we had expected. But the
+operation had been perfectly successful. Before we reached the ridge we
+could see that the basalt had been literally reduced to powder, and that
+a little channel, already being filled by the rising tide, had been
+cut right through the obstacle. A loud hurrah rang through the air; our
+prison-doors were opened, and we were prisoners no more!
+
+At high tide the "Chancellor" weighed anchor and floated out into the
+open sea, but she was not in a condition to sail until she had been
+ballasted; and for the next twenty-four hours the crew were busily
+employed in taking up blocks of stone, and such of the bales of cotton
+as had sustained the least amount of injury.
+
+In the course of the day, M. Letourneur, Andre, Miss Herbey, and I took
+a farewell walk round the reef, and Andre with artistic skill, carved on
+the wall of the grotto the word "Chancellor,"--the designation Ham Rock,
+which we had given to the reef,--and the date of our running aground.
+Then we bade adieu to the scene of our three week's sojourn, where we
+had passed days that to some at least of our party will be reckoned as
+far from being the least happy of their lives.
+
+At high tide this morning, the 24th, with low, top, and gallant sails
+all set, the "Chancellor" started on her onward way, and two hours later
+the last peak of Ham Rock had vanished below the horizon.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+NOVEMBER 24th to DECEMBER 1st.--Here we were then once more at sea, and
+although on board a ship of which the stability was very questionable,
+we had hopes, if the wind continued favourable, of reaching the coast of
+Guiana in the course of a few days.
+
+Our way was south-west and consequently with the wind, and although
+Curtis would not crowd on all sail lest the extra speed should have a
+tendency to spring the leak afresh, the "Chancellor" made a progress
+that was quite satisfactory. Life on board began to fall back into its
+former routine; the feeling of insecurity and the consciousness that
+we were merely retracing our path doing much, however, to destroy the
+animated intercourse that would otherwise go on between passenger and
+passenger.
+
+The first few days passed without any incident worth recording, then
+on the 29th, the wind shifted to the north, and it became necessary to
+brace the yards, trim the sails, and take a starboard tack. This made
+the ship lurch very much on one side, and as Curtis felt that she was
+labouring far too heavily, he clued up the top-gallants, prudently
+reckoning that, under the circumstances, caution was far more important
+than speed.
+
+The night came on dark and foggy. The breeze freshened considerably,
+and, unfortunately for us, hailed from the north-west. Although we
+carried no top-sails at all, the ship seemed to heel over more than
+ever. Most of the passengers had retired to their cabins, but all the
+crew remained on deck, whilst Curtis never quitted his post upon the
+poop.
+
+Towards two o'clock in the morning I was myself preparing to go to my
+cabin, when Burke, one of the sailors who had been down into the hold,
+came on deck with the ominous cry,--
+
+"Two feet of water below."
+
+In an instant Curtis and the boatswain had descended the ladder. The
+startling news was only too true; the sea-water was entering the hold,
+but whether the leak had sprung afresh, or whether the caulking in some
+of the seams was insufficient, it was then impossible to determine; all
+that could be done was to let the ship go with the wind and wait for
+day.
+
+At daybreak they sounded again:--"Three feet of water!" was the report,
+I glanced at Curtis, his lips were white, but he had not lost his
+self-possession. He quietly informed such of the passengers as were
+already on deck of the new danger that threatened us; it was better that
+they should know the worst, and the fact could not be long concealed. I
+told M. Letourneur that I could not help hoping that there might yet be
+time to reach the land before the last crisis came. Falsten was about to
+give vent to an expression of despair, but he was soon silenced by Miss
+Herbey asserting her confidence that all would yet be well.
+
+Curtis at once divided the crew into two sets, and made them work
+incessantly, turn and turn about at the pumps. The men applied
+themselves to their task with resignation rather than with ardour; the
+labour was hard and scarcely repaid them; the pumps were constantly
+getting out of order, the valves being choked up by the ashes and bits
+of cotton that were floating about in the hold, while every moment that
+was spent in cleaning or repairing them was so much time lost.
+
+Slowly, but surely, the water continued to rise, and on the following
+morning the soundings gave five feet for its depth, I noticed that
+Curtis's brow contracted each time that the boatswain or the lieutenant
+brought him their report. There was no doubt it was only a question of
+time, and not for an instant must the efforts for keeping down the level
+be relaxed. Already the ship had sunk a foot lower in the water, and as
+her weight increased she no longer rose buoyantly with the waves, but
+pitched and rolled considerably.
+
+All yesterday, and last night, the pumping continued; but still the
+sea gained upon us. The crew are weary and discouraged, but the second
+officer and the boatswain set them a fine example of endurance, and the
+passengers have now begun to take their turn at the pumps.
+
+But all are conscious of toiling almost against hope; we are no longer
+secured firmly to the solid soil of the Ham Rock reef, but we are
+floating over an abyss which daily, nay hourly, threatens to swallow us
+into its depths.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+DECEMBER 2nd and 3rd.--For four hours we have succeeded in keeping the
+water in the hold to one level; now, however, it is very evident that
+the time cannot be far distant when the pumps will be quite unequal to
+their task.
+
+Yesterday Curtis, who does not allow himself a minute's rest, made a
+personal inspection of the hold. I, with the boatswain and carpenter,
+accompanied him. After dislodging some of the bales of cotton we could
+hear a splashing, or rather gurgling sound; but whether the water
+was entering at the original aperture, or whether it found its way in
+through a general dislocation of the seams, we were unable to discover.
+But whichever might be the case, Curtis determined to try a plan which,
+by cutting off communication between the interior and exterior of the
+vessel, might, if only for a few hours, render her hull more watertight.
+For this purpose he had some strong, well-tarred sails drawn upwards by
+ropes from below the keel, as high as the previous leaking-place, and
+then fastened closely and securely to the side of the hull. The
+scheme was dubious, and the operation difficult, but for a time it
+was effectual, and at the close of the day the level of the water
+had actually been reduced by several inches. The diminution was small
+enough, but the consciousness that more water was escaping through
+the scupper-holes than was finding its way into the hold gave us fresh
+courage to persevere with our work.
+
+The night was dark, but the captain carried all the sail he could,
+eager to take every possible advantage of the wind, which was freshening
+considerably. If he could have sighted a ship he would have made signals
+of distress, and would not have hesitated to transfer the passengers,
+and even have allowed the crew to follow, if they were ready to forsake
+him; for himself his mind was made up, he should remain on board the
+"Chancellor" until she foundered beneath his feet. No sail, however,
+hove in sight; consequently escape by such means was out of our power.
+
+During the night the canvas covering yielded to the pressure of the
+waves, and this morning, after taking the sounding, the boatswain could
+not suppress an oath when he announced "Six feet of water in the hold!"
+
+The ship, then, was filling once again, and already had sunk
+considerably below her previous water-line. With aching arms and
+bleeding hands we worked harder than ever at the pumps, and Curtis makes
+those who are not pumping form a line and pass buckets, with all the
+speed they can, from hand to hand.
+
+But all in vain! At half-past eight more water is reported in the hold,
+and some of the sailors, overcome by despair, refuse to work one minute
+longer.
+
+The first to abandon his post was Owen, a man whom I have mentioned
+before, as exhibiting something of a mutinous spirit, He is about forty
+years of age, and altogether unprepossessing in appearance; his face
+is bare, with the exception of a reddish beard, which terminates in a
+point; his forehead is furrowed with sinister-looking wrinkles, his lips
+curl inwards, and his ears protrude, whilst his bleared and bloodshot
+eyes are encircled with thick red rings.
+
+Amongst the five or six other men who had struck work, I noticed
+Jynxstrop the cook, who evidently shared all Owen's ill feelings.
+
+Twice did Curtis order the men back to the pumps, and twice did Owen,
+acting as spokesman for the rest, refuse; and when Curtis made a step
+forward as though to approach him, he said savagely,--
+
+"I advise you not to touch me," and walked away to the forecastle.
+
+Curtis descended to his cabin, and almost immediately returned with a
+loaded revolver in his hand.
+
+For a moment Owen surveyed the captain with a frown of defiance; but
+at a sign from Jynxstrop he seemed to recollect himself; and, with the
+remainder of the men, he returned to his work.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+DECEMBER 4th.--The first attempt at mutiny being thus happily
+suppressed, it is to be hoped that Curtis will succeed as well in
+future. An insubordinate crew would render us powerless indeed.
+
+Throughout the night the pumps were kept, without respite, steadily at
+work, but without producing the least sensible benefit. The ship became
+so water-logged and heavy that she hardly rose at all to the waves,
+which consequently often washed over the deck and contributed their
+part towards aggravating our case. Our situation was rapidly becoming as
+terrible as it had been when the fire was raging in the midst of us;
+and the prospect of being swallowed by the devouring billows was no less
+formidable than that of perishing in the flames.
+
+Curtis kept the men up to the mark, and, willing or unwilling, they had
+no alternative but to work on as best they might; but, in spite of all
+their efforts, the water perpetually rose, till, at length, the men in
+the hold who were passing the buckets found themselves immersed up to
+their waists and were obliged to come on deck.
+
+This morning, after a somewhat protracted consultation with Walter and
+the boatswain, Curtis resolved to abandon the ship. The only remaining
+boat was far too small to hold us all, and it would therefore be
+necessary to construct a raft that should carry those who could not find
+room in her. Dowlas the carpenter, Mr. Falsten, and ten sailors were
+told off to put the raft in hand, the rest of the crew being ordered to
+continue their work assiduously at the pumps, until the time came and
+everything was ready for embarkation.
+
+Hatchet or saw in hand, the carpenter and his assistants made a
+beginning without delay by cutting and trimming the spare yards and
+extra spars to a proper length. These were then lowered into the sea,
+which was propitiously calm, so as to favour the operation (which
+otherwise would have been very difficult) of lashing them together into
+a firm framework, about forty feet long and twenty-five feet wide, upon
+which the platform was to be supported.
+
+I kept my own place steadily at the pumps, and Andre Letourneur worked
+at my side; I often noticed his father glance at him sorrowfully, as
+though he wondered what would become of him if he had to struggle with
+waves to which even the strongest man could hardly fail to succumb. But
+come what may, his father will never forsake him, and I myself shall not
+be wanting in rendering him whatever assistance I can.
+
+Mrs. Kear, who had been for some time in a state of drowsy
+unconsciousness, was not informed of the immediate danger, but when
+Miss Herbey, looking somewhat pale with fatigue, paid one of her flying
+visits to the deck, I warned her to take every precaution for herself
+and to be ready for any emergency.
+
+"Thank you, doctor, I am always ready," she cheerfully replied, and
+returned to her duties below. I saw Andre follow the young girl with his
+eyes, and a look of melancholy interest passed over his countenance.
+
+Towards eight o'clock in the evening the framework for the raft was
+almost complete, and the men were lowering empty barrels, which had
+first been securely bunged, and were lashing them to the wood-work to
+insure its floating.
+
+Two hours later and suddenly there arose the startling cry, "We are
+sinking! we are sinking!"
+
+Up to the poop rushed Mr. Kear, followed immediately by Falsten and Miss
+Herbey, who were bearing the inanimate form of Mrs. Kear. Curtis ran to
+his cabin, instantly returning with a chart; a sextant, and a compass in
+his hand.
+
+The scene that followed will ever be engraven in my memory; the cries of
+distress, the general confusion, the frantic rush of the sailors towards
+the raft that was not yet ready to support them, can never be forgotten.
+The whole period of my life seemed to be concentrated into that terrible
+moment when the planks bent below my feet and the ocean yawned beneath
+me.
+
+Some of the sailors had taken their delusive refuge in the shrouds, and
+I was preparing to follow them when a hand was laid upon my shoulder.
+Turning round I beheld M. Letourneur, with tears in his eyes, pointing
+towards his son. "Yes, my friend," I said, pressing his hand, "we will
+save him, if possible."
+
+But Curtis had already caught hold of the young man, and was hurrying
+him to the main-mast shrouds, when the "Chancellor," which had been
+scudding along rapidly with the wind, stopped suddenly, with a violent
+shock, and began to settle, The sea rose over my ankles and almost
+instinctively I clutched at the nearest rope. All at once, when it
+seemed all over, the ship ceased to sink, and hung motionless in
+mid-ocean.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+NIGHT OF DECEMBER 4th.--Curtis caught young Letourneur again in his
+arms, and running with him across the flooded deck deposited him safely
+in the starboard shrouds, whither his father and I climbed up beside
+him.
+
+I now had time to look about me. The night was not very dark, and I
+could see that Curtis had returned to his post upon the poop; whilst in
+the extreme aft near the taffrail, which was still above water, I could
+distinguish the forms of Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Miss Herbey, and Mr. Falsten
+The lieutenant and the boatswain were on the far end of the forecastle;
+the remainder of the crew in the shrouds and top-masts.
+
+By the assistance of his father, who carefully guided his feet up the
+rigging, Andre was hoisted into the main-top. Mrs. Kear could not be
+induced to join him in his elevated position, in spite of being
+told that if the wind were to freshen she would inevitably be
+washed overboard by the waves; nothing could induce her to listen to
+remonstrance, and she insisted upon remaining on the poop, Miss Herbey,
+of course, staying by her side.
+
+As soon as the captain saw the "Chancellor" was no longer sinking,
+he set to work to take down all the sails, yards and all, and the
+top-gallants, in the hope that by removing everything that could
+compromise the equilibrium of the ship he might diminish the chance of
+her capsizing altogether.
+
+"But may she not founder at any moment?" I said to Curtis, when I had
+joined him for a while upon the poop.
+
+"Everything depends upon the weather," he replied, in his calmest
+manner; "that, of course, may change at any hour. One thing, however, is
+certain, the 'Chancellor' preserves her equilibrium for the present."
+
+"But do you mean to say," I further asked, "that she can sail with two
+feet of water over her deck?"
+
+"No, Mr. Kazallon, she can't sail, but she can drift with the wind, and
+if the wind remains in its present quarter, in the course of a few days
+we might possibly sight the coast. Besides, we shall have our raft as a
+last resource; in a few hours it will be ready, and at daybreak we can
+embark."
+
+"You have not then," I added, "abandoned all hope even yet?" I marvelled
+at his composure.
+
+"While there's life there's hope, you know Mr. Kazallon; out of a
+hundred chances, ninety-nine may be against us, but perhaps the odd one
+may be in our favour. Besides, I believe that our case is not without
+precedent. In the year 1795 a three-master, the 'Juno,' was precisely
+in the same half-sunk, water-logged condition as ourselves; and yet with
+her passengers and crew clinging to her top-masts she drifted for twenty
+days, until she came in sight of land, when those who had survived the
+deprivation and fatigue were saved. So let us not despair; let us hold
+on to the hope that the survivors of the 'Chancellor' may be equally
+fortunate."
+
+I was only too conscious that there was not much to be said in support
+of Curtis's sanguine view of things, and that the force of reason
+pointed all the other way; but I said nothing, deriving what comfort I
+could from the fact that the captain did not yet despond of an ultimate
+rescue.
+
+As it was necessary to be prepared to abandon the ship almost at a
+moment's notice, Dowlas was making every exertion to hurry on the
+construction of the raft. A little before midnight he was on the point
+of conveying some planks for this purpose, when, to his astonishment and
+horror, he found that the framework had totally disappeared. The ropes
+that had attached it to the vessel had snapped as she became vertically
+displaced, and probably it had been adrift for more than an hour.
+
+The crew were frantic at this new misfortune, and shouting "Overboard
+with the masts!" they began to cut down the rigging preparatory to
+taking possession of the masts for a new raft.
+
+But here Curtis interposed:--
+
+"Back to your places, my men; back to your places. The ship will not
+sink yet, so don't touch a rope until I give you leave."
+
+The firmness of the captain's voice brought the men to their senses, and
+although some of them could ill disguise their reluctance, all returned
+to their posts.
+
+When daylight had sufficiently advanced Curtis mounted the mast, and
+looked around for the missing raft; but it was nowhere to be seen. The
+sea was far too rough for the men to venture to take out the whaleboat
+in search of it, and there was no choice but to set to work and to
+construct a new raft immediately.
+
+Since the sea has become so much rougher, Mrs. Kear has been induced to
+leave the poop, and has managed to join M. Letourneur and his son on
+the main-top, where she lies in a state of complete prostration. I need
+hardly add that Miss Herbey continues in her unwearied attendance. The
+space to which these four people are limited is necessarily very small,
+nowhere measuring twelve feet across; to prevent them losing their
+balance some spars have been lashed from shroud to shroud, and for the
+convenience of the two ladies Curtis has contrived to make a temporary
+awning of a sail. Mr. Kear has installed himself with Silas Huntly on
+the foretop.
+
+A few cases of preserved meat and biscuit and some barrels of water,
+that floated between the masts after the submersion of the deck, have
+been hoisted to the top-masts and fastened firmly to the stays. These
+are now our only provisions.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+DECEMBER 5th.--The day was very hot. December in latitude 16deg. N. is a
+summer month, and unless a breeze should rise to temper the burning sun,
+we might expect to suffer from an oppressive heat.
+
+The sea still remained very rough, and as the heavy waves broke over the
+ship as though she were a reef, the foam flew up to the very top-masts,
+and our clothes were perpetually drenched by the spray.
+
+The "Chancellor's" hull is three-fourths immerged; besides the three
+masts and the bowsprit, to which the 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 practised 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 vigour 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 towards 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' of 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 fore top. 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 afterwards
+I saw Huntly let himself down by the forestays and clamber along to the
+forecastle where he joined the group of sailors, and I lost sight of
+him.
+
+I attached little importance to the incident, and shortly afterwards
+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 afterwards I
+heard him hail some of the sailors on the forecastle 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 handsomely for their services, two
+of them, Burke and Sandon, swung themselves along the netting into the
+shrouds, and were soon at his side.
+
+A long discussion ensued. The men evidently were asking more than Mr.
+Kear was inclined to give, and at one time if seemed as though the
+negotiation would fall through altogether. But at length the bargain
+was struck, and I saw Mr. Kear take a bundle of paper dollars from his
+waistcoat pocket, and hand a number of them over to one of the men,
+The man counted them carefully, and from the time it took him, I should
+think that he could not have pocketed anything less than a hundred
+dollars.
+
+The next business was to get Mr. Kear down from the foretop, and
+Burke and Sandon proceeded to tie a rope round his waist, which they
+afterwards fastened to the forestay; then, in a way which provoked
+shouts of laughter from their mates, they gave the unfortunate man a
+shove, and sent him rolling down like a bundle of dirty clothes on to
+the forecastle.
+
+I was quite mistaken as to his object. Mr. Kear had no intention of
+looking after his wife, but remained by the side of Silas Huntly until
+the gathering darkness hid them both from view.
+
+As night drew on, the wind grew calmer, but the sea remained very rough.
+The moon had been up ever since four in the afternoon, though she only
+appeared at rare intervals between the clouds. Some long lines of vapour
+on the horizon were tinged with a rosy glare that foreboded a strong
+breeze for the morrow, and all felt anxious to know from which quarter
+the breeze would come, for any but a north-easter would bear the frail
+raft on which we were to embark far away from land.
+
+About eight o'clock in the evening Curtis mounted to the main-top but
+he seemed preoccupied and anxious, and did not speak to any one. He
+remained for a quarter of an hour, then after silently pressing my hand,
+he returned to his old post.
+
+I laid myself down in the narrow space at my disposal, and tried to
+sleep; but my mind was filled with strange forebodings, and sleep was
+impossible. The very calmness of the atmosphere was oppressive; scarcely
+a breath of air vibrated through the metal rigging, and yet the sea rose
+with a heavy swell as though it felt the warnings of a coming tempest.
+
+All at once, at about eleven o'clock, the moon burst brightly forth
+through a rift in the clouds, and the waves sparkled again as if
+illumined by a submarine glimmer. I start up and look around me. Is it
+merely imagination? or do I really see a black speck floating on the
+dazzling whiteness of the waters, a speck that cannot be a rock; because
+it rises and falls with the heaving motion of the billows? But the moon
+once again becomes overclouded; the sea, is darkened, and I return to my
+uneasy couch close to the larboard shrouds.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+DECEMBER 6th.--I must have fallen asleep for a few hours, when at four
+o'clock in the morning, I was rudely aroused by the roaring of the
+wind, and could distinguish Curtis's voice as he shouted in the brief
+intervals between the heavy gusts.
+
+I got up, and holding tightly to the purlin--for the waves made the
+masts tremble with their violence--I tried to look around and below me.
+The sea was literally raging beneath, and great masses of livid-looking
+foam were dashing between the masts, which were oscillating
+terrifically. It was still dark, and I could only faintly distinguish
+two figures on the stern, whom, by the sound of their voices, that I
+caught occasionally above the tumult, I made out to be Curtis and the
+boatswain.
+
+Just at that moment a sailor, who had mounted to the main-top to do
+something to the rigging, passed close behind me.
+
+"What's the matter?" I asked,
+
+"The wind has changed," he answered, adding something which I could not
+hear distinctly, but which sounded like "dead against us."
+
+Dead against us! then, thought I, the wind had shifted to the
+south-west, and my last night's forebodings had been correct.
+
+When daylight at length appeared, I found the wind although not blowing
+actually from the south-west, had veered round to the north-west, a
+change which was equally disastrous to us, inasmuch as it was carrying
+us away from land. Moreover, the ship had sunk considerably during
+the night, and there were now five feet of water above deck; the side
+netting had completely disappeared, and the forecastle and the poop were
+now all but on a level with the sea, which washed over them incessantly.
+With all possible expedition Curtis and his crew were labouring away
+at their raft, but the violence of the swell materially impeded their
+operations, and it became a matter of doubt as to whether the woodwork
+would not fall asunder before it could be properly fastened together.
+
+As I watched the men at their work M. Letourneur, with one arm
+supporting his son, came and stood by my side.
+
+"Don't you think this main-top will soon give way?" he said, as the
+narrow platform on which we stood creaked and groaned with the swaying
+of the masts.
+
+Miss Herbey heard his words, and pointing towards Mrs. Kear, who was
+lying prostrate at her feet, asked what we thought ought to be done.
+
+"We can do nothing but stay where we are," I replied.
+
+"No;" said Andre "this is our best refuge; I hope you are not afraid."
+
+"Not for myself," said the young girl quietly "only for those to whom
+life is precious."
+
+At a quarter to eight we heard the boatswain calling to the sailors in
+the bows.
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," said one of the men--O'Ready, I think.
+
+"Where's the whale boat?" shouted the boatswain.
+
+"I don't know, sir. Not with us," was the reply.
+
+"She's gone adrift, then!"
+
+And sure enough the whale-boat was no longer hanging from the bowsprit;
+and in a moment the discovery was made that Mr. Kear, Silas Huntly, and
+three sailors,--a Scotchman and two Englishmen,--were missing. Afraid
+that the "Chancellor" would founder before the completion of the raft,
+Kear and Huntly had plotted together to effect their escape, and had
+bribed the three sailors to seize the only remaining boat.
+
+This, then, was the black speck that I had seen during the night. The
+miserable husband had deserted his wife, the faithless captain had
+abandoned the ship that had once been under his command.
+
+"There are five saved, then," said the boatswain.
+
+"Faith, an it's five lost ye'll be maning," said O'Ready; and the state
+of the sea fully justified his opinion.
+
+The crew were furious when they heard of the surreptitious flight,
+and loaded the fugitives with all the invectives they could lay their
+tongues to. So enraged were they at the dastardly trick of which they
+had been made the dupes, that if chance should bring the deserters again
+on board I should be sorry to answer for the consequences.
+
+In accordance with my advice, Mrs. Kear has not been informed of her
+husband's disappearance. The unhappy lady is wasting away with a fever
+for which we are powerless to supply a remedy, for the medicine chest
+was lost when the ship began to sink. Nevertheless, I do not think we
+have anything to regret on that score, feeling as I do, that in a case
+like Mrs. Kear's, drugs would be of no avail.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII.
+
+DECEMBER 6th CONTINUED.--The "Chancellor" no longer maintained her
+equilibrium; we felt that she was gradually going down, and her hull was
+probably breaking up. The main-top was already only ten feet above the
+water, whilst the bowsprit, with the exception of the extreme end, that
+rose obliquely from the waves, was entirely covered.
+
+The "Chancellor's" last day, we felt, had come.
+
+Fortunately the raft was all but finished, and unless Curtis preferred
+to wait till morning we should be able to embark in the evening.
+
+The raft is a very solid structure. The spars that form the framework
+are crossed one above another and lashed together with stout ropes, so
+that the whole pile rises a couple of feet above the water. The upper
+platform is constructed from the planks that were broken from the ship's
+sides by the violence of the waves, and which had not drifted away. The
+afternoon has been employed in charging the raft with such provisions,
+sails, tools, and instruments as we have been able to save.
+
+And how can I attempt to give any idea of the feelings with which, one
+and all, we now contemplated the fate before us? For my own part I was
+possessed rather by a benumbed indifference than by any sense of genuine
+resignation. M. Letourneur was entirely absorbed in his son, who, in
+his turn, thought only of his father; at the same time exhibiting a calm
+Christian fortitude, which was shown by no one else of the party
+except Miss Herbey, who faced her danger with the same brave composure.
+Incredible as it may seem, Falsten remained the same as ever, occupying
+himself with writing down figures and memoranda in his pocket-book. Mrs.
+Kear, in spite of all that Miss Herbey could do for her, was evidently
+dying.
+
+With regard to the sailors, two or three of them were calm enough, but
+the rest had well-nigh lost their wits. Some of the more ill-disposed
+amongst them seemed inclined to run into excesses; and their conduct,
+under the bad influence of Owen and Jynxstrop, made it doubtful whether
+they would submit to control when once we were limited to the narrow
+dimensions of the raft. Lieutenant Walter, although his courage never
+failed him, was worn out with bodily fatigue, and obliged to give up all
+active labour; but Curtis and the boatswain were resolute, energetic and
+firm as ever. To borrow an expression from the language of metallurgic
+art, they were men "at the highest degree of hardness."
+
+At five o'clock one of our companions in misfortune was released from
+her sufferings. Mrs. Kear, after a most distressing illness, through
+which her young companion tended her with the most devoted care, has
+breathed her last. A few deep sighs and all was over, and I doubt
+whether the sufferer was ever conscious of the peril of, her situation.
+
+The night passed on without further incident. Towards morning I touched
+the dead woman's hand, and it was cold and stiff. The corpse could
+not remain any longer on the main-top, and after Miss Herbey and I had
+carefully wrapped the garments about it, with a few short prayers the
+body of the first victim of our miseries was committed to the deep.
+
+As the sea closed over the body I heard one of the men in the shrouds
+say,--
+
+"There goes a carcass that we shall be sorry we have thrown away!"
+
+I looked round sharply. It was Owen who had spoken, But horrible as were
+his words, the conviction was forced upon my mind that the day could not
+be far distant when we must want for food.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX.
+
+DECEMBER 7th.--The ship was sinking rapidly; the water had risen to the
+fore-top; the poop and forecastle were completely submerged; the top
+of the bowsprit had disappeared, and only the three mast-tops projected
+from the waves.
+
+But all was ready on the raft; an erection had been made on the fore to
+hold a mast, which was supported by shrouds fastened to the sides of the
+platform; this mast carried a large royal.
+
+Perhaps, after all, these few frail planks will carry us to the shore
+which the "Chancellor" has failed to reach; at any rate, we cannot yet
+resign all hope.
+
+We were just on the point of embarking at 7 a.m. when the "Chancellor"
+all at once began to sink so rapidly that the carpenter and men who were
+on the raft were obliged with all speed to cut the ropes that secured
+it to the vessel to prevent it from being swallowed up in the eddying
+waters. Anxiety, the most intense, took possession of us all. At the
+very moment when the ship was descending into the fathomless abyss, the
+raft, our only hope of safety, was drifting off before our eyes. Two
+of the sailors and an apprentice, beside themselves with terror, threw
+themselves headlong into the sea; but it was evident from the very first
+that they were quite powerless to combat the winds and waves. Escape was
+impossible; they could neither reach the raft, nor return to the
+ship. Curtis tied a rope round his waist and tried to swim to their
+assistance; but long before he could reach them the unfortunate men,
+after a vain struggle for life, sank below the waves and were seen no
+more. Curtis, bruised and beaten with the surf that raged about the
+mast-heads, was hauled back to the ship.
+
+Meantime, Dowlas and his men, by means of some spars which they used as
+oars, were exerting themselves to bring back the raft, which had drifted
+about two cables-lengths away; but, in spite of all their efforts, it
+was fully an hour,--an hour which seemed to us, waiting as we were with
+the water up to the level of the top-masts, like an eternity--before
+they succeeded in bringing the raft alongside, and lashing it once again
+to the "Chancellor's" main-mast.
+
+Not a moment was then to be lost. The waves were eddying like a
+whirlpool around the submerged vessel, and numbers of enormous
+air-bubbles were rising to the surface of the water.
+
+The time was come. At Curtis's word "Embark!" we all hurried to the
+raft. Andre who insisted upon seeing Miss Herbey go first, was helped
+safely on to the platform, where his father immediately joined him. In
+a very few minutes all except Curtis and old O'Ready had left the
+"Chancellor."
+
+Curtis remained standing on the main-top, deeming it not only his duty,
+but his right, to be the last to leave the vessel he had loved so well,
+and the loss of which he so much deplored.
+
+"Now then, old fellow off of this!" cried the captain to the old
+Irishman, who did not move.
+
+"And is it quite sure ye are that she's sinkin?" he said.
+
+"Ay, ay! sure enough, my man; and you'd better look sharp."
+
+"Faith, then, and I think I will;" and not a moment too soon (for the
+water was up to his waist) he jumped on to the raft.
+
+Having cast one last, lingering look around him, Curtis then left the
+ship; the rope was cut and we went slowly adrift.
+
+All eyes were fixed upon the spot where the "Chancellor" lay foundering.
+The top of the mizzen was the first to disappear, then followed the
+main-top; and soon, of what had been a noble vessel, not a vestige was
+to be seen.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX.
+
+Will this frail float, forty feet by twenty, bear us in safety? Sink
+it cannot; the material of which it is composed is of a kind that
+must surmount the waves. But it is questionable whether it will hold
+together. The cords that bind it will have a tremendous strain to bear
+in resisting the violence of the sea. The most sanguine amongst us
+trembles to face the future; the most confident dares to think only of
+the present. After the manifold perils of the last seventy-two days'
+voyage all are too agitated to look forward without dismay to what in
+all human probability must be a time of the direst distress.
+
+Vain as the task may seem, I will not pause in my work of registering
+the events of our drama, as scene after scene they are unfolded before
+our eyes.
+
+Of the twenty-eight persons who left Charleston in the "Chancellor,"
+only eighteen are left to huddle together upon this narrow raft; this
+number includes the five passengers, namely M. Letourneur, Andre,
+Miss Herbey, Falsten, and myself; the ship's officers, Captain Curtis,
+Lieutenant Walter, the boatswain, Hobart the steward, Jynxstrop the
+cook, and Dowlas the carpenter; and seven sailors, Austin, Owen, Wilson,
+O'Ready, Burke, Sandon, and Flaypole.
+
+Such are the passengers on the raft; it is but a brief task to enumerate
+their resources.
+
+The greater part of the provisions in the store-room were destroyed at
+the time when the ship's deck was submerged, and the small quantity that
+Curtis has been able to save will be very inadequate to supply the wants
+of eighteen people, who too probably have many days to wait ere they
+sight either land or a passing vessel. One cask of biscuit, another of
+preserved meat, a small keg of brandy, and two barrels of water complete
+our store, so that the utmost frugality in the distribution of our daily
+rations becomes absolutely necessary.
+
+Of spare clothes we have positively none; a few sails will serve for
+shelter by day, and covering by night. Dowlas has his carpenter's tools,
+we have each a pocket-knife, and O'Ready an old tin pot; of which he
+takes the most tender care; in addition to these, we are in possession
+of a sextant, a compass, a chart, and a metal tea-kettle, everything
+else that was placed on deck in readiness for the first raft having been
+lost in the partial submersion of the vessel.
+
+Such then is our situation; critical indeed, but after all perhaps
+not desperate. We have one great fear; some there are amongst us whose
+courage, moral as well as physical, may give way, and over failing
+spirits such as these we may have no control.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI.
+
+DECEMBER 7th CONTINUED.--Our first day on the raft has passed without
+any special incident. At eight o'clock this morning Curtis asked our
+attention for a moment.
+
+"My friends," he said, "listen to me. Here on this raft, just as when we
+were on board the 'Chancellor,' I consider myself your captain; and as
+your captain, I expect that all of you will strictly obey my orders. Let
+me beg of you, one and all, to think solely of our common welfare; let
+us work with one heart and with one soul, and may Heaven protect us!"
+
+After delivering these few words with an emotion that evidenced their
+earnestness, the captain consulted his compass, and found that the
+freshening breeze was blowing from the north. This was fortunate for us,
+and no time was to be lost in taking advantage of it to speed us on our
+dubious way. Dowlas was occupied in fixing the mast into the socket that
+had already been prepared for its reception, and in order to support
+it more firmly he placed spurs of wood, forming arched buttresses, on
+either side. While he was thus employed the boatswain and the other
+seamen were stretching the large royal sail on the yard that had been
+reserved for that purpose.
+
+By half-past nine the mast was hoisted, and held firmly in its place by
+some shrouds attached securely to the sides of the raft; then the
+sail was run up and trimmed to the wind, and the raft began to make a
+perceptible progress under the brisk breeze.
+
+As soon as we had once started, the carpenter set to work to contrive
+some sort of a rudder, that would enable us to maintain our desired
+direction. Curtis and Falsten assisted him with some serviceable
+suggestions, and in a couple of hours' time he had made and fixed to
+the back of the raft a kind of paddle, very similar to those used by the
+Malays.
+
+At noon, after the necessary preliminary observations, Curtis took
+the altitude of the sun. The result gave lat. 15deg. 7min. N. by long.
+49deg. 35min. W. as our position, which, on consulting the chart, proved
+to be about 650 miles north-east of the coast of Paramaribo in Dutch
+Guiana.
+
+Now even under the most favourable circumstances, with trade-winds and
+weather always in our favour, we cannot by any chance hope to make more
+than ten or twelve miles a day, so that the voyage cannot possibly be
+performed under a period of two months. To be sure there is the hope to
+be indulged that we may fall in with a passing vessel, but as the part
+of the Atlantic into which we have been driven is intermediate between
+the tracks of the French and English Transatlantic steamers either
+from the Antilles or the Brazils, we cannot reckon at all upon such a
+contingency happening in our favour; whilst if a calm should set in,
+or worse still, if the wind were to blow from the east, not only two
+months, but twice, nay, three times that length of time will be required
+to accomplish the passage.
+
+At best, however, our provisions, even though used with the greatest
+care, will barely last three months. Curtis has called us into
+consultation, and as the working of the raft does not require such
+labour as to exhaust our physical strength, all have agreed to submit
+to a regimen which, although it will suffice to keep us alive, will
+certainly not fully satisfy the cravings of hunger and thirst.
+
+As far as we can estimate, we have somewhere about 500 lbs. of meat and
+about the same quantity of biscuit. To make this last for three months
+we ought not to consume very much more than 5 lbs. a day of each, which,
+when divided among eighteen people, will make the daily ration 5 oz. of
+meat and 5 oz. of biscuit for each person. Of water we have certainly
+not more than 200 gallons, but by reducing each person's allowance to
+a pint a day, we hope to eke out that, too, over the space of three
+months.
+
+It is arranged that the food shall be distributed under the boatswain's
+superintendence every morning at ten o'clock. Each person will then
+receive his allowance of meat and biscuit, which may be eaten when and
+how he pleases. The water will be given out twice a day--at ten in the
+morning and six in the evening; but as the only drinking-vessels in our
+possession are the tea-kettle and the old Irishman's tin pot, the water
+has to be consumed immediately on distribution. As for the brandy,
+of which there are only five gallons, it will be doled out with the
+strictest limitation, and no one will be allowed to touch it except with
+the captain's express permission.
+
+I should not forget that there are two sources from which we may hope to
+increase our store. First, any rain that may fall will add to our supply
+of water, and two empty barrels have been placed ready to receive it;
+secondly, we hope to do something in the way of fishing, and the sailors
+have already begun to prepare some lines.
+
+All have mutually agreed to abide by the rules that have been laid down,
+for all are fully aware that by nothing but the most precise regimen can
+we hope to avert the horrors of famine, and forewarned by the fate,
+of many who in similar circumstances have miserably perished, we are
+determined to do all that prudence can suggest for husbanding our
+stores.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII.
+
+DECEMBER 8th to 17th.--When night came we wrapped ourselves in our
+sails. For my own part, worn out with the fatigue of the long watch in
+the top-mast, I slept for several hours; M. Letourneur and Andre did
+the same, and Miss Herbey obtained sufficient rest to relieve the tired
+expression that her countenance had lately been wearing. The night
+passed quietly. As the raft was not very heavily laden the waves did not
+break over it at all, and we were consequently able to keep ourselves
+perfectly dry. To say the truth, it was far better for us that the sea
+should remain somewhat boisterous, for any diminution in the swell of
+the waves would indicate that; the wind had dropped, and it was with a
+feeling of regret that when the morning came I had to note down "weather
+calm" in my journal.
+
+In these low latitudes the heat in the day-time is so intense, and
+the sun burns with such an incessant glare, that the entire atmosphere
+becomes pervaded with a glowing vapour. The wind, too, blows only in
+fitful gusts and through long intervals of perfect calm the sails flap
+idly and uselessly against the mast. Curtis and the boatswain, however,
+are of opinion that we are not entirely dependent on the wind. Certain
+indications, which a sailor's eye alone could detect, make them almost
+sure that we are being carried along by a westerly current, that flows
+at the rate of three or four miles an hour. If they are not mistaken,
+this is a circumstance that may materially assist our progress, and
+at which we can hardly fail to rejoice, for the high temperature often
+makes our scanty allowance of water quite inadequate to allay our
+thirst.
+
+But with all our hardships I must confess that our condition is
+far preferable to what it was when we were still clinging to the
+"Chancellor." Here at least we have a comparatively solid platform
+beneath our feet, and we are relieved from the incessant dread of being
+carried down with a foundering vessel. In the day-time we can move about
+with a certain amount of freedom, discuss the weather, watch the sea,
+and examine our fishing-lines; whilst at night we can rest securely
+under the shelter of our sails.
+
+"I really think, Mr. Kazallon," said Andre Letourneur to me a few
+days after we had embarked, "that our time on board the raft passes as
+pleasantly as it did upon Ham Rock; and the raft has one advantage even
+over the reef, for it is capable of motion."
+
+"Yes, Andre," replied, "as long as the wind continues favourable the
+raft has decidedly the advantage; but supposing the wind shifts, what
+then?"
+
+"Oh, we mustn't think about that," he said; "let us keep up our courage
+while we can."
+
+I felt that he was right, and that the dangers we had escaped should
+make us more hopeful for the future; and I think that nearly all of us
+are inclined to share his opinion.
+
+Whether the captain is equally sanguine I am unable to say. He holds
+himself very much aloof, and as he evidently feels that he has the great
+responsibility of saving other lives than his own, we are reluctant to
+disturb his silent meditations.
+
+Such of the crew as are not on watch spend the greater portion of their
+time in dozing on the fore part of the raft. The aft, by the captain's
+orders, has been reserved for the use of us passengers, and by erecting
+some uprights we have contrived to make a sort of tent, which affords
+some shelter from the burning sun. On the whole our bill of health is
+tolerably satisfactory. Lieutenant Walter is the only invalid, and he,
+in spite of all our careful nursing, seems to get weaker every day.
+
+Andre Letourneur is the life of our party, and I have never appreciated
+the young man so well. His originality of perception makes his
+conversation both lively and entertaining and as he talks, his wan
+and suffering countenance lights up with an intelligent animation. His
+father seems to become more devoted to him than ever, and I have seen
+him sit for an hour at a time, with his hand resting on his son's,
+listening eagerly to his every word.
+
+Miss Herbey occasionally joins in our conversation, but although we all
+do our best to make her forget that she has lost those who should have
+been her natural protectors, M. Letourneur is the only one amongst us to
+whom she speaks without a certain reserve. To him, whose age gives him
+something of the authority of a father, she has told the history of her
+life--a life of patience and self-denial such as not unfrequently falls
+to the lot of orphans. She had been, she said, two years with Mrs.
+Kear, and although now left alone in the world, homeless and without
+resources, hope for the future does not fail her. The young lady's
+modest deportment and energy of character command the respect of all
+on board, and I do not think that even the coarsest of the sailors has
+either by word or gesture acted towards her in a way that she could deem
+offensive.
+
+The 12th, 13th, and 14th of December passed away without any change in
+our condition. The wind continued to blow in irregular gusts, but always
+in the same direction, and the helm, or rather the paddle at the back of
+the raft has never once required shifting; and the watch, who are posted
+on the fore, under orders to examine the sea with the most scrupulous
+attention, have had no change of any kind to report.
+
+At the end of a week we found ourselves growing accustomed to our
+limited diet, and as we had no manual exertion, and no wear and tear
+of our physical constitution, we managed very well. Our greatest
+deprivation was the short supply of water, for, as I said before, the
+unmitigated heat made our thirst at times very painful.
+
+On the 15th we held high festival. A shoal of fish, of the sparus tribe,
+swarmed round the raft, and although our tackle consisted merely of long
+cords baited with morsels of dried meat stuck upon bent nails, the fish
+were so voracious that in the course of a couple of days we had caught
+as many as weighed almost 200lbs., some of which were grilled, and
+others boiled in sea-water over a fire made on the fore part of the
+raft. This marvelous haul was doubly welcome, inasmuch as it not only
+afforded us a change of diet, but enabled us to economize our stores; if
+only some rain had fallen at the same time we should have been more than
+satisfied.
+
+Unfortunately the shoal of fish did not remain long in our vicinity. On
+the 17th they all disappeared, and some sharks, not less than twelve or
+fifteen feet long, belonging to the species of spotted dog-fish, took
+their place. These horrible creatures have black backs and fins, covered
+with white spots and stripes. Here, on our low raft, we seem almost on
+a level with them, and more than once their tails have struck the spars
+with terrible violence. The sailors manage to keep them at a distance
+by means of handspikes, but I shall not be surprised if they persist in
+following us, instinctively intelligent that we are destined to become
+their prey. For myself, I confess that they give me a feeling of
+uneasiness; they seem to me like monsters of ill-omen.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII.
+
+DECEMBER 18th to 20th.--On the 18th the wind freshened a little, but as
+it blew from the same favourable quarter we did not complain, and only
+took the precaution of putting an extra support to the mast, so that it
+should not snap with the tension of the sail. This done, the raft was
+carried along with something more than its ordinary speed, and left a
+long line of foam in its wake.
+
+In the afternoon the sky became slightly overclouded, and the heat
+consequently somewhat less oppressive. The swell made it more difficult
+for the raft to keep its balance, and we shipped two or three heavy
+seas; but the carpenter managed to make with some planks a kind of wall
+about a couple of feet high, which protected us from the direct action
+of the waves. Our casks of food and water were secured to the raft
+with double ropes, for we dared not run the risk of their being carried
+overboard, an accident that would at once have reduced us to the direst
+distress.
+
+In the course of the day the sailors gathered some of the marine plants
+known by the name of sargassos, very similar to those we saw in such
+profusion between the Bermudas and Ham Rock. I advised my companions to
+chew the laminary tangles, which they would find contained a saccharine
+juice, affording considerable relief to their parched lips and throats.
+
+The remainder of the day passed without incident. I should not, however,
+omit to mention that the frequent conferences held amongst the sailors,
+especially between Owen, Burke, Flaypole, Wilson, and Jynxstrop, the
+negro, aroused some uneasy suspicions in my mind. What was the subject
+of their conversation I could not discover, for they became silent
+immediately that a passenger or one of the officers approached them.
+When I mentioned the matter to Curtis I found he had already noticed
+these secret interviews, and that they had given him enough concern to
+make him determined to keep a strict eye upon Jynxstrop and Owen, who,
+rascals as they were themselves, were evidently trying to disaffect
+their mates.
+
+On the 19th the heat was again excessive. The sky was cloudless, and as
+there was not enough wind to fill the sail the raft lay motionless
+upon the surface of the water. Some of the sailors found a transient
+alleviation for their thirst by plunging into the sea, but as we were
+fully aware that the water all round was infested with sharks, none of
+us was rash enough to follow their example, though if, as seems likely,
+we remain long becalmed, we shall probably in time overcome our fears,
+and feel constrained to indulge ourselves with a bath.
+
+The health of Lieutenant Walter continues to cause us grave anxiety, the
+young man being weakened by attacks of intermittent fever. Except for
+the loss of the medicine-chest we might have temporarily reduced this by
+quinine; but it is only too evident that the poor fellow is consumptive,
+and that that hopeless malady is making ravages upon him that no
+medicine could permanently arrest. His sharp dry cough, his short
+breathing, his profuse perspirations, more especially in the morning;
+the pinched-in nose, the hollow cheeks, of which the general pallour is
+only relieved by a hectic flush, the contracted lips, the too brilliant
+eye and wasted form--all bear witness to a slow but sure decay.
+
+To-day, the 20th, the temperature is as high as ever, and the raft still
+motionless. The rays of the sun penetrate even through the shelter of
+our tent, where we sit literally gasping with the heat. The impatience
+with which we awaited the moment when the boatswain should dole out our
+meagre allowance of water, and the eagerness with which those lukewarm
+drops were swallowed, can only be realized by those who for themselves
+have endured the agonies of thirst.
+
+Lieutenant Walter suffers more than any of us from the scarcity of
+water, and I noticed that Miss Herbey reserved almost the whole of her
+own share for his use. Kind and compassionate as ever, the young girl
+does all that lies in her power to relieve the poor fellow's sufferings.
+
+"Mr. Kazallon," she said to me this morning, "that young man gets
+manifestly weaker every day."
+
+"Yes, Miss Herbey," I replied, "and how sorrowful it is that we can do
+nothing for him, absolutely nothing."
+
+"Hush!" she said, with her wonted consideration, "perhaps he will hear
+what we are saying."
+
+And then she sat down near the edge of the raft, where, with her head
+resting on her hands, she remained lost in thought.
+
+An incident sufficiently unpleasant occurred to-day. For nearly an
+hour Owen, Flaypole, Burke, and Jynxstrop had been engaged in close
+conversation and, although their voices were low, their gestures had
+betrayed that they were animated by some strong excitement. At the
+conclusion of the colloquy Owen got up and walked deliberately to
+the quarter of the raft that has been reserved for the use of the
+passengers.
+
+"Where are you off to now, Owen?" said the boatswain.
+
+"That's my business," said the man insolently, and pursued his course.
+
+The boatswain was about to stop him, but before he could interfere
+Curtis was standing and looking Owen steadily in the face.
+
+"Ah, captain, I've got a word from my mates to say to you," he said,
+with all the effrontery imaginable.
+
+"Say on, then," said the captain coolly.
+
+"We should like to know about that little keg of brandy. Is it being
+kept for the porpoises or the officers?"
+
+Finding that he obtained no reply, he went on,--
+
+"Look here, captain, what we want is to have our grog served out every
+morning as usual."
+
+"Then you certainly will not," said the captain.
+
+"What! what!" exclaimed Owen, "don't you mean to let us have our grog?"
+
+"Once and for all, no."
+
+For a moment, with a malicious grin upon his lips, Owen stood
+confronting the captain; then, as though thinking better of himself,
+he turned round and rejoined his companions, who were still talking
+together in an undertone.
+
+When I was afterwards discussing the matter with Curtis I asked him
+whether he was sure he had done right in refusing the brandy.
+
+"Right!" he cried, "to be sure I have. Allow those men to have brandy! I
+would throw it all overboard first."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV.
+
+DECEMBER 21st.--No further disturbance has taken place amongst the men.
+For a few hours the fish appeared again, and we caught a great many
+of them, and stored them away in an empty barrel. This addition to our
+stock of provisions makes us hope that food, at least, will not fail us.
+
+Usually the nights in the tropics are cool, but to-day, as evening drew
+on, the wonted freshness did not return, but the air remained stifling
+and oppressive, whilst heavy masses of vapour hung over the water.
+
+There was no moonlight; there would be a new moon at half-past one in
+the morning, but the night was singularly dark, except for dazzling
+flashes of summer lightning that from time to time illumined the horizon
+far and wide. There was, however, no answering roll of thunder, and the
+silence of the atmosphere seemed almost awful, For a couple of hours,
+in the vain hope of catching a breath of air, Miss Herbey, Andre
+Letourneur, and I, sat watching the imposing struggle of the electric
+vapours. The clouds appeared like embattled turrets crested with flame,
+and the very sailors, coarse-minded men as they were, seemed struck with
+the grandeur of the spectacle, and regarded attentively, though with an
+anxious eye, the preliminary tokens of a coming storm. Until midnight we
+kept our seats upon the stern of the raft, whilst the lightning ever and
+again shed around us a livid glare similar to that produced by adding
+salt to lighted alcohol.
+
+"Are you afraid of a storm, Miss Herbey?" said Andre to the girl.
+
+"No, Mr. Andre, my feelings are always rather those of awe than of
+fear," she replied. "I consider a storm one of the sublimest phenomena
+that we can behold--don't you think so too?"
+
+"Yes, and especially when the thunder is pealing," he said; "that
+majestic rolling, far different to the sharp crash of artillery, rises
+and falls like the long-drawn notes of the grandest music, and I can
+safely say that the tones of the most accomplished ARTISTE have never
+moved me like that incomparable voice of nature."
+
+"Rather a deep bass, though," I said, laughing.
+
+"That may be," he answered; "but I wish we might hear it now, for this
+silent lightning is somewhat unexpressive."
+
+"Never mind that, Andre" I said; "enjoy a storm when it comes, if you
+like, but pray don't wish for it."
+
+"And why not?" said he; "a storm will bring us wind, you know."
+
+"And water, too," added Miss Herbey, "the water of which we are so
+seriously in need."
+
+The young people evidently wished to regard the storm from their own
+point of view, and although I could have opposed plenty of common sense
+to their poetical sentiments, I said no more, but let them talk on as
+they pleased for fully an hour.
+
+Meantime the sky was becoming quite overclouded, and after the zodiacal
+constellations had disappeared in the mists that hung round the horizon,
+one by one the stars above our heads were veiled in dark rolling
+masses of vapour, from which every instant there issued forth sheets of
+electricity that formed a vivid background to the dark grey fragments of
+cloud that floated beneath.
+
+As the reservoir of electricity was confined to the higher strata of the
+atmosphere, the lightning was still unaccompanied by thunder; but the
+dryness of the air made it a weak conductor. Evidently the fluid could
+only escape by terrible shocks, and the storm must ere long burst forth
+with fearful violence.
+
+This was the opinion of Curtis and the boatswain. The boatswain is only
+weather-wise from his experience as a sailor; but Curtis, in addition to
+his experience, has some scientific knowledge, and he pointed out to me
+an appearance in the sky known to meteorologists as a "cloud-ring,"
+and scarcely ever seen beyond the regions of the torrid zone, which are
+impregnated by damp vapours brought from all quarters of the ocean by
+the action of the trade-winds.
+
+"Yes, Mr. Kazallon," said Curtis, "our raft has been driven into the
+region of storms, of which it has been justly remarked that any one
+endowed with very sensitive organs can at any moment distinguish the
+growlings of thunder."
+
+"Hark!" I said, as I strained my ears to listen, "I think I can hear it
+now."
+
+"You can," he answered; "yet what you hear is but the first warning of
+the storm which, in a couple of hours, will burst upon us with all its
+fury. But never mind, we must be ready for it."
+
+Sleep, even if we wished it, would have been impossible in that stifling
+temperature. The lightning increased in brilliancy, and appeared from
+all quarters of the horizon, each flash covering large arcs, varying
+from 100deg. to 150deg., leaving the atmosphere pervaded by one
+incessant phosphorescent glow.
+
+The thunder became at length more and more distinct, the reports, if I
+may use the expression, being "round," rather than rolling. It seemed
+almost as though the sky were padded with heavy clouds of which the
+elasticity muffled the sound of the electric bursts.
+
+Hitherto, the sea had been calm, almost stagnant as a pond. Now,
+however, long undulations took place, which the sailors recognized, all
+too well, as being the rebound produced by a distant tempest. A ship, in
+such a case, would have been instantly brought ahull, but no manoeuvring
+could be applied to our raft, which could only drift before the blast.
+
+At one o'clock in the morning one vivid flash, followed, after the
+interval of a few seconds, by a loud report of thunder, announced that
+the storm was rapidly approaching. Suddenly the horizon was enveloped in
+a vapourous fog, and seemed to contract until it was close around us. At
+the same instant the voice of one of the sailors was heard shouting,--
+
+"A squall! a squall!"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV.
+
+DECEMBER 21st, NIGHT.--The boatswain rushed to the halliards that
+supported the sail, and instantly lowered the yard; and not a moment too
+soon, for with the speed of an arrow the squall was upon us, and if
+it had not been for the sailor's timely warning we must all have been
+knocked down and probably precipitated into the sea; as it was, our tent
+on the back of the raft was carried away.
+
+The raft itself, however, being so nearly level with the water, had
+little peril to encounter from the actual wind; but from the mighty
+waves now raised by the hurricane we had everything to dread. At first
+the waves had been crushed and flattened as it were by the pressure of
+the air, but now, as though strengthened by the reaction, they rose with
+the utmost fury. The raft followed the motions of the increasing swell,
+and was tossed up and down, to and fro, and from side to side with the
+most violent oscillations "Lash yourselves tight," cried the boatswain,
+as he threw us some ropes; and in a few moments, with Curtis's
+assistance, M. Letourneur, Andre, Falsten, and myself were fastened so
+firmly to the raft, that nothing but its total disruption could carry us
+away. Miss Herbey was bound by a rope passed round her waist to one
+of the uprights that had supported our tent, and by the glare of the
+lightning I could see that her countenance was as serene and composed as
+ever.
+
+Then the storm began to rage indeed. Flash followed flash, peal followed
+peal in quick succession. Our eyes were blinded, our ears deafened, with
+the roar and glare. The clouds above, the ocean beneath, seemed verily
+to have taken fire, and several times I saw forked lightnings dart
+upwards from the crest of the waves, and mingle with those that radiated
+from the fiery vault above. A strong odour of sulphur pervaded the air,
+but though thunderbolts fell thick around us, not one had touched our
+raft.
+
+By two o'clock the storm had reached its height. The hurricane had
+increased, and the heavy waves, heated to a strange heat by the general
+temperature, dashed over us until we were drenched to the skin. Curtis,
+Dowlas, the boatswain, and the sailors did what they could to strengthen
+the raft with additional ropes. M. Letourneur placed himself in front
+of Andre to shelter him from the waves. Miss Herbey stood upright and
+motionless as a statue.
+
+Soon dense masses of lurid clouds came rolling up, and a crackling, like
+the rattle of musketry, resounded through the air. This was produced by
+a series of electrical concussions, in which volleys of hailstones were
+discharged from the cloud-batteries above. In fact, as the storm-sheet
+came in contact with a current of cold air, hail was formed with great
+rapidity, and hailstones, large as nuts, came pelting down, making the
+platform of the raft re-echo with a metallic ring.
+
+For about half an hour the meteoric shower continued to descend, and
+during that time the wind slightly abated in violence; but after having
+shifted from quarter to quarter, it once more blew with all its former
+fury. The shrouds were broken, but happily the mast, already bending
+almost double, was removed by the men from its socket before it should
+be snapped short off. One gust caught away the tiller, which went adrift
+beyond all power of recovery, and the same blast blew down several of
+the planks that formed the low parapet on the larboard side, so that the
+waves dashed in without hindrance through the breach.
+
+The carpenter and his mates tried to repair the damage, but, tossed from
+wave to wave, the raft was inclined to an angle of more than forty-five
+degrees, making it impossible for them to keep their footing, and
+rolling one over another, they were thrown down by the violent shocks.
+Why they were not altogether carried away, why we were not all hurled
+into the sea, was to me a mystery. Even if the cords that bound us
+should retain their hold, it seemed perfectly incredible that the raft
+itself should not be overturned, so that we should be carried down and
+stifled in the seething waters.
+
+At last, towards three in the morning, when the hurricane seemed to be
+raging more fiercely than ever, the raft, caught up on the crest of
+an enormous wave, stood literally perpendicularly on its edge. For
+an instant, by the illumination of the lightning, we beheld ourselves
+raised to an incomprehensible height above the foaming breakers. Cries
+of terror escaped our lips. All must be over now! But no; another
+moment, and the raft had resumed its horizontal position. Safe, indeed,
+we were, but the tremendous upheaval was not without its melancholy
+consequences. The cords that secured the cases of provisions had
+burst asunder. One case rolled overboard, and the side of one of the
+water-barrels was staved in, so that the water which it contained was
+rapidly escaping. Two of the sailors rushed forward to rescue the case
+of preserved meat; but one of them caught his foot between the planks
+of the platform, and, unable to disengage it, the poor fellow stood
+uttering-cries of distress.
+
+I tried to go to his assistance, and had already untied the cord that
+was round me; but I was too late. Another heavy sea dashed over us, and
+by the light of a dazzling flash I saw the unhappy man, although he
+had managed without assistance to disengage his foot, washed overboard
+before it was in my power to get near him. His companion had also
+disappeared.
+
+The same ponderous wave laid me prostrate on the platform, and as my
+head came in collision with the corner of a spar, for a time I lost all
+consciousness.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI.
+
+DECEMBER 22nd.--Daylight came at length, and the sun broke through and
+dispersed the clouds that the storm had left behind. The struggle of the
+elements, while it lasted, had been terrific, but the swoon into which
+I was thrown by my fall, prevented me from observing the final incidents
+of the visitation. All that I know is, that shortly after we had shipped
+the heavy sea that I have mentioned, a shower of rain had the effect
+of calming the severity of the hurricane, and tended to diminish the
+electric tension of the atmosphere.
+
+Thanks to the kind care of M. Letourneur and Miss Herbey, I recovered
+consciousness, but I believe that it is to Robert Curtis that I owe my
+real deliverance, for he it was that prevented me from being carried
+away by a second heavy wave.
+
+The tempest, fierce as it was, did not last more than a few hours;
+but even in that short space of time what an irreparable loss we have
+sustained, and what a load of misery seems stored up for us in the
+future!
+
+Of the two sailors who perished in the storm, one was Austin, a fine
+active young man of about eight-and-twenty; the other was old O'Ready,
+the survivor of so many ship wrecks. Our party is thus reduced to
+sixteen souls, leaving a total barely exceeding half the number of those
+who embarked on board the "Chancellor" at Charleston.
+
+Curtis's first care had been to take a strict account of the remnant of
+our provisions. Of all the torrents of rain that fell in the night we
+were unhappily unable to catch a single drop; but water will not fail us
+yet, for about fourteen gallons still remain in the bottom of the broken
+barrel, whilst the second barrel has not yet been touched. But of food
+we have next to nothing. The cases containing the dried meat, and the
+fish that we had preserved, have both been washed away, and all that now
+remains to us is about sixty pounds of biscuit. Sixty pounds of biscuit
+between sixteen persons! Eight days, with half a pound a day apiece,
+will consume it all.
+
+The day has passed away in silence. A general depression has fallen
+upon all: the spectre of famine has appeared amongst us, and each
+has remained wrapped in his own gloomy meditations, though each has
+doubtless but one idea dominant in his mind.
+
+Once, as I passed near the group of sailors lying on the fore part of
+the raft, I heard Flaypole say with a sneer,--
+
+"Those who are going to die had better make haste about it."
+
+"Yes," said Owen, "leave their share of food to others."
+
+At the regular hour each person received his half-pound of biscuit.
+Some, I noticed, swallowed it ravenously, others reserved it for another
+time. Falsten divided his ration into several portions, corresponding,
+I believe, to the number of meals to which he was ordinarily accustomed.
+What prudence he shows! If any one survives this misery, I think it will
+be he.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVII.
+
+DECEMBER 23rd to 30th--After the storm the wind settled back into its
+old quarter, blowing pretty briskly from the north-east. As the breeze
+was all in our favour it was important to make the most of it, and
+after Dowlas had carefully readjusted the mast, the sail was once more
+hoisted, and we were carried along at the rate of two or two and a half
+knots an hour. A new rudder, formed of a spar and a good-sized plank,
+has been fitted in the place of the one we lost, but with the wind in
+its present quarter it is in little requisition. The platform of the
+raft has been repaired, the disjointed planks have been closed by means
+of ropes and wedges, and that portion of the parapet that was washed
+away has been replaced, so that we are no longer wetted by the waves. In
+fact, nothing has been left undone to insure the solidity of our raft,
+and to render it capable of resisting the wear and tear of the wind and
+waves. But the dangers of wind and waves are not those which we have
+most to dread.
+
+Together with the unclouded sky came a return of the tropical
+heat, which during the preceding days had caused us such serious
+inconvenience; fortunately on the 23rd the excessive warmth was somewhat
+tempered by the breeze, and as the tent was once again put up, we were
+able to find shelter under it by turns.
+
+But the want of food was beginning to tell upon us sadly, and our sunken
+cheeks and wasted forms were visible tokens of what we were enduring.
+With most of us hunger seemed to attack the entire nervous system, and
+the constriction of the stomach produced an acute sensation of pain. A
+narcotic, such as opium or tobacco, might have availed to soothe, if not
+to cure, the gnawing agony; but of sedatives we had none, so the pain
+must be endured.
+
+One alone there was amongst us who did not feel the pangs of hunger.
+Lieutenant Walter seemed as it were to feed upon the fever that raged
+within him; but then he was the victim of the most torturing thirst,
+Miss Herbey, besides reserving for him a portion of her own insufficient
+allowance, obtained from the captain a small extra supply of water, with
+which every quarter of an hour she moistened the parched lips of the
+young man, who almost too weak to speak, could only express his thanks
+by a grateful smile. Poor fellow! all our care cannot avail to save him
+now; he is doomed, most surely doomed to die.
+
+On the 23rd he seemed to be conscious of his condition, for he made
+a sign to me to sit down by his side, and then summoning up all his
+strength to speak, he asked me in a few broken words how long I
+thought he had to live? Slight as my hesitation was, Walter noticed it
+immediately.
+
+"The truth," he said; "tell me the plain truth."
+
+"My dear fellow, I am not a doctor, you know," I began, "and I can
+scarcely judge--"
+
+"Never mind," he interrupted, "tell me just what you think."
+
+I looked at him attentively for some moments, then laid my ear against
+his chest. In the last few days his malady had made fearfully rapid
+strides, and it was only too evident that one lung had already ceased
+to act, whilst the other was scarcely capable of performing the work of
+respiration. The young man was now suffering from the fever which is the
+sure symptom of the approaching end in all tuberculous complaints.
+
+The lieutenant kept his eye fixed upon me with a look of eager inquiry.
+I knew not what to say, and sought to evade his question.
+
+"My dear boy," I said, "in our present circumstances not one of us can
+tell how long he has to live. Not one of us knows what may happen in the
+course of the next eight days."
+
+"The next eight days," he murmured, as he looked eagerly into my face.
+
+And then, turning away his head, he seemed to fall into a sort of doze.
+
+The 24th, 25th, and 26th passed without any alteration in our
+circumstances, and strange, nay, incredible as it may sound, we began to
+get accustomed to our condition of starvation. Often, when reading the
+histories of shipwrecks, I have suspected the accounts to be greatly
+exaggerated; but now I fully realize their truth, and marvel when I find
+on how little nutriment it is possible to exist for so long a time. To
+our daily half-pound of biscuit the captain has thought to add a few
+drops of brandy, and the stimulant helps considerably to sustain our
+strength. If we had the same provisions for two months, or even for one,
+there might be room for hope; but our supplies diminish rapidly, and the
+time is fast approaching when of food and drink there will be none.
+
+The sea had furnished us with food once, and, difficult as the task of
+fishing had now become, at all hazards the attempt must be made again.
+Accordingly the carpenter and the boatswain set to work and made lines
+out of some untwisted hemp, to which they fixed some nails that they
+pulled out of the flooring of the raft, and bent into proper shape. The
+boatswain regarded his device with evident satisfaction.
+
+"I don't mean to say," said he to me, "that these nails are first-rate
+fish-hooks; but one thing I do know, and that is, with proper bait they
+will act as well as the best. But this biscuit is no good at all. Let me
+but just get hold of one fish, and I shall know fast enough how to use
+it to catch some more."
+
+And the true difficulty was how to catch the first fish. It was evident
+that fish were not abundant in these waters, nevertheless the lines were
+cast. But the biscuit with which they were baited dissolved at once in
+the water, and we did not get a single bite. For two days the attempt
+was made in vain, and as it only involved what seemed a lavish waste of
+our only means of subsistence, it was given up in despair.
+
+To-day, the 30th, as a last resource, the boatswain tried what a piece
+of coloured rag might do by way of attracting some voracious fish, and
+having obtained from Miss Herbey a little piece of the red shawl she
+wears, he fastened it to his hook. But still no success; for when,
+after several hours, he examined his lines, the crimson shred was still
+hanging intact as he had fixed it. The man was quite discouraged at his
+failure.
+
+"But there will be plenty of bait before long," he said to me in a
+solemn undertone.
+
+"What do you mean?" said I, struck by his significant manner.
+
+"You'll know soon enough," he answered.
+
+What did he insinuate? The words, coming from a man usually so reserved,
+have haunted me all night.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVIII.
+
+JANUARY 1st to 5th.--More than three months had elapsed since we left
+Charleston in the "Chancellor," and for no less than twenty days had
+we now been borne along on our raft at the mercy of the wind and waves.
+Whether we were approaching the American coast, or whether we were
+drifting farther and farther to sea, it was now impossible to determine,
+for, in addition to the other disasters caused by the hurricane, the
+captain's instruments had been hopelessly smashed, and Curtis had no
+longer any compass by which to direct his course, nor a sextant by which
+he might make an observation.
+
+Desperate, however, as our condition might be judged, hope did not
+entirely abandon our hearts, and day after day, hour after hour were
+our eyes strained towards the horizon, and many and many a time did our
+imagination shape out the distant land. But ever and again the illusion
+vanished; a cloud, a mist, perhaps even a wave, was all that had
+deceived us; no land, no sail ever broke the grey line that united sea
+and sky, and our raft remained the centre of the wide and dreary waste.
+
+On the 1st of January we swallowed our last morsel of biscuit. The
+1st of January! New Year's Day! What a rush of sorrowful recollections
+overwhelmed our minds! Had we not always associated the opening of
+another year with new hopes, new plans, and coming joys? And now, where
+were we? Could we dare to look at one another, and breathe a new year's
+greeting?
+
+The boatswain approached me with a peculiar look on his countenance.
+
+"You are surely not going to wish me a happy new year?" I said.
+
+"No indeed, sir," he replied, "I was only going to wish you well through
+the first day of it; and that is pretty good assurance on my part, for
+we have not another crumb to eat."
+
+True as it was, we scarcely realized the fact of there being actually
+nothing until on the following morning the hour came round for the
+distribution of the scanty ration, and then, indeed, the truth was
+forced upon us in a new and startling light. Towards evening I was
+seized with violent pains in the stomach, accompanied by a constant
+desire to yawn and gape that was most distressing; but in a couple of
+hours the extreme agony passed away, and on the 3rd I was surprised to
+find that I did not suffer more. I felt, it is true, that there was some
+great void within myself, but the sensation was quite as much moral
+as physical. My head was so heavy that I could not hold it up; it was
+swimming with giddiness, as though I were looking over a precipice.
+
+My symptoms were not shared by all my companions, some of whom endured
+the most frightful tortures. Dowlas and the boatswain especially, who
+were naturally large eaters, uttered involuntary cries of agony,
+and were obliged to gird themselves tightly with ropes to subdue the
+excruciating pain that was gnawing their very vitals.
+
+And this was only the second day of our misery! what would we not have
+given for half, nay, for a quarter of the meagre ration which a few days
+back we had deemed so inadequate to supply our wants, and which now,
+eked out crumb by crumb, might, perhaps, serve for several days? In the
+streets of a besieged city, dire as the distress may be, some gutter,
+some rubbish-heap, some corner may yet be found that will furnish a
+dry bone or a scrap of refuse that may for a moment allay the pangs
+of hunger; but these bare planks, so many times washed clean by the
+relentless waves, offer nothing to our eager search, and after every
+fragment of food that the wind carried into their interstices has been
+scraped out devoured, our resources are literally at an end.
+
+The nights seem even longer than the days. Sleep, when it comes, brings
+no relief; it is rather a feverish stupour, broken and disturbed by
+frightful nightmares. Last night, however, overcome by fatigue, I
+managed to rest for several hours.
+
+At six o'clock this morning I was roused by the sound of angry voices,
+and, starting up, I saw Owen and Jynxstrop, with Flaypole, Wilson,
+Burke, and Sandon, standing in a threatening attitude. They had taken
+possession of the carpenter's tools, and now, armed with hatchets,
+chisels, and hammers, they were preparing to attack the captain, the
+boatswain, and Dowlas. I attached myself in a moment to Curtis's party.
+Falsten followed my example, and although our knives were the only
+weapons at our disposal, we were ready to defend ourselves to the very
+last extremity.
+
+Owen and his men advanced towards us. The miserable wretches were
+all drunk, for during the night they had knocked a hole in the
+brandy-barrel, and had recklessly swallowed its contents. What they
+wanted they scarcely seemed to know, but Owen and Jynxstrop, not quite
+so much intoxicated as the rest; seemed to be urging them on to massacre
+the captain and the officers.
+
+"Down with the captain! Overboard with Curtis! Owen shall take the
+command!" they shouted from time to time in their drunken fury; and,
+armed as they were, they appeared completely masters of the situation.
+
+"Now, then, down with your arms!" said Curtis sternly, as he advanced to
+meet them.
+
+"Overboard with the captain!" howled Owen, as by word and gesture he
+urged on his accomplices.
+
+Curtis' pushed aside the excited rascals, and, walking straight up to
+Owen, asked him what he wanted.
+
+"What do we want? Why, we want no more captains; we are all equals now."
+
+Poor stupid fool! as though misery and privation had not already reduced
+us all to the same level.
+
+"Owen," said the captain once, again, "down with your arms!"
+
+"Come on, all of you," shouted Owen to his companions, without giving
+the slightest heed to Curtis's words.
+
+A regular struggle ensued. Owen and Wilson attacked Curtis, who defended
+himself with a piece of a spar; Burke and Flaypole rushed upon Falsten
+and the boatswain, whilst I was left to confront the negro Jynxstrop, who
+attempted to strike me with the hammer which he brandished in his hand.
+I endeavoured to paralyze his movements by pinioning his arms, but the
+rascal was my superior in muscular strength. After wrestling for a few
+moments, I felt that he was getting the mastery over me when all of a
+sudden he rolled over on to the platform, dragging me with him. Andre
+Letourneur had caught hold of one of his legs, and thus saved my life.
+Jynxstrop dropped his weapon in his fall; I seized it instantly, and
+was about to cleave the fellow's skull, when I was myself arrested by
+Andre's hand upon my arm.
+
+By this time the mutineers had been driven back to the forepart of the
+raft, and Curtis, who had managed to parry the blows which had been
+aimed at him, had caught hold of a hatchet, with which he was preparing
+to strike at Owen. But Owen made a sidelong movement to avoid the blow,
+and the weapon caught Wilson full in the chest. The unfortunate man
+rolled over the side of the raft and instantly disappeared.
+
+"Save him! save him!" shouted the boatswain.
+
+"It's too late; he's dead!" said Dowlas.
+
+"Ah, well! he'll do for--" began the boatswain; but he did not finish
+his sentence.
+
+Wilson's death, however, put an end to the fray. Flaypole and Burke were
+lying prostrate in a drunken stupour, and Jynxstrop was soon overpowered,
+and lashed tightly to the foot of the mast. The carpenter and the
+boatswain seized hold of Owen.
+
+"Now then," said Curtis, as he raised his blood-stained hatchet, "make
+your peace with God, for you have not a moment to live."
+
+"Oh, you want to eat me, do you?" sneered Owen, with the most hardened
+effrontery.
+
+But the audacious reply saved his life; Curtis turned as pale as death,
+the hatchet dropped from his hand, and he went and seated himself
+moodily on the farthest corner of the raft.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIX.
+
+JANUARY 5th and 6th.--The whole scene made a deep impression on our
+minds, and Owen's speech coming as a sort of climax, brought before us
+our misery with a force that was well-nigh overwhelming.
+
+As soon as I recovered my composure, I did not forget to thank Andre
+Letourneur for the act of intervention that had saved my life.
+
+"Do you thank me for that; Mr. Kazallon?" he said; "it has only served
+to prolong your misery."
+
+"Never mind, M. Letourneur," said Miss Herbey; "you did your duty."
+
+Enfeebled and emaciated as the young girl is, her sense of duty never
+deserts her, and although her torn and bedraggled garments float
+dejectedly about her body, she never utters a word of complaint, and
+never loses courage.
+
+"Mr. Kazallon," she said to me, "do you think we are fated to die of
+hunger?"
+
+"Yes; Miss Herbey, I do," I replied in a hard, cold tone.
+
+"How long do you suppose we have to live?" she asked again.
+
+"I cannot say; perhaps we shall linger on longer than we imagine."
+
+"The strongest constitutions suffer the most, do they not?" she said.
+
+"Yes; but they have one consolation; they die the soonest;" I replied
+coldly.
+
+Had every spark of humanity died out of my breast that I thus brought
+the girl face to face with the terrible truth without a word of hope
+or comfort? The eyes of Andre and his father, dilated with hunger, were
+fixed upon me, and I saw reproach and astonishment written in their
+faces.
+
+Afterwards, when we were quite alone, Miss Herbey asked me if I would
+grant her a favour.
+
+"Certainly, Miss Herbey; anything you like to ask," I replied; and this
+time my manner was kinder and more genial.
+
+"Mr. Kazallon," she said, "I am weaker than you, and shall probably die
+first. Promise me that, if I do, you will throw my body into the sea."
+
+"Oh, Miss Herbey," I began, "it was very wrong of me to speak to you as
+I did!"
+
+"No, no," she replied, half smiling; "you were quite right. But it is
+a weakness of mine; I don't mind what they do with me as long as I am
+alive, but when I am dead--" she stopped and shuddered. "Oh, promise me
+that you will throw me into, the sea!"
+
+I gave her the melancholy promise, which she acknowledged by pressing my
+hand feebly with her emaciated fingers.
+
+Another night passed away. At times my sufferings were so intense that
+cries of agony involuntarily escaped my lips; then I became calmer, and
+sank into a kind of lethargy. When I awoke, I was surprised to find my
+companions still alive.
+
+The one of our party who seems to bear his privations the best is Hobart
+the steward, a man with whom hitherto I have had very little to do. He
+is small, with a fawning expression remarkable for its indecision, and
+has a smile which is incessantly playing round his lips; he goes about
+with his eyes half-closed, as though he wished to conceal his thoughts,
+and there is something altogether false and hypocritical about his whole
+demeanour. I cannot say that he bears his privations without a murmur,
+for he sighs and moans incessantly; but, with it all, I cannot but
+think that there is a want of genuineness in his manner, and that the
+privation has not really told upon him as much as it has upon the rest
+of us. I have my suspicions about the man, and intend to watch him
+carefully. To-day, the 6th, M. Letourneur drew me aside to the stern of
+the raft, saying that he had a secret to communicate, but that he wished
+neither to be seen nor heard speaking to me. I withdrew with him to
+the larboard corner of the raft; and, as it was growing dusk, nobody
+observed what we were doing.
+
+"Mr. Kazallon," M. Letourneur began in a low voice, "Andre is dying of
+hunger: he is growing weaker and weaker, and oh! I cannot, will not see
+him die!"
+
+He spoke passionately, almost fiercely, and I fully understood his
+feelings. Taking his hand, I tried to reassure him.
+
+"We will not despair yet," I said, "perhaps some passing ship--"
+
+"Ship!" he cried impatiently, "don't try to console me with empty
+commonplaces; you know as well as I do that there is no chance of
+falling in with a passing ship." Then, breaking off suddenly, he
+asked,--"How long is it since my son and all of you have had anything to
+eat?"
+
+Astonished at his question, I replied that it was now four days since
+the biscuit had failed.
+
+"Four days," he repeated; "well, then, it is eight since I have tasted
+anything. I have been saving my share for my son."
+
+Tears rushed to my eyes; for a few moments I was unable to speak, and
+could only once more grasp his hand in silence.
+
+"What do you want me to do?" I asked at length.
+
+"Hush! not so loud; some one will hear us," he said, lowering his voice,
+"I want you to offer it to Andre as though it came from yourself. He
+would not accept it from me; he would think I had been depriving myself
+for him. Let me implore you to do me this service and for your trouble,"
+and here he gently stroked my hand, "for your trouble you shall have a
+morsel for yourself."
+
+I trembled like a child as I listened to the poor father's words, and
+my heart was ready to burst when I felt a tiny piece of biscuit slipped
+into my hand.
+
+"Give it him," M. Letourneur went on under his breath, "give it him; but
+do not let any one see you; the monsters would murder you if they knew
+it. This is only for to-day; I will give you some more to-morrow."
+
+The poor fellow did not trust me, and well he might not, for I had the
+greatest difficulty to withstand the temptation to carry the biscuit to
+my mouth, But I resisted the impulse, and those alone who have suffered
+like me can know what the effort was.
+
+Night came on with the rapidity peculiar to these low latitudes, and I
+glided gently up to Andre and slipped the piece of biscuit into his hand
+as "a present from myself." The young man clutched at it eagerly.
+
+"But my father?" he said inquiringly.
+
+I assured him that his father and I had each had our share, and that he
+must eat this now, and, perhaps, I should be able to bring him some more
+another time. Andre asked no more questions, and eagerly devoured the
+morsel of food.
+
+So this evening at least, notwithstanding M. Letourneur's offer, I have
+tasted nothing.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XL.
+
+JANUARY 7th.--During the last few days since the wind has freshened, the
+salt water constantly dashing over the raft has terribly punished the
+feet and legs of some of the sailors. Owen, whom the boatswain ever
+since the revolt kept bound to the mast, is in a deplorable state, and
+at our request has been released from his restraint. Sandon and Burke
+are also suffering from the severe smarting caused in this way, and
+it is only owing to our more sheltered position on the aft-part of the
+raft, that we have not; all shared the same inconvenience.
+
+Today the boatswain, maddened by starvation, laid hands upon everything
+that met his voracious eyes, and I could hear the grating of his teeth
+as he gnawed at fragments of sails and bits of wood, instinctively
+endeavouring to fill his stomach by putting the mucus' into circulation
+at length, by dint of an eager search, he came upon a piece of leather
+hanging to one of the spars that supported the platform. He snatched
+it off and devoured it greedily, and as it was animal matter, it really
+seemed as though the absorption of the substance afforded him some
+temporary relief. Instantly we all followed his example; a leather hat,
+the rims of caps, in short, anything that contained any animal matter
+at all, were gnawed and sucked with the utmost avidity. Never shall I
+forget the scene. We were no longer human, the impulses and instincts of
+brute beasts seemed to actuate our every movement.
+
+For a moment the pangs of hunger were somewhat allayed; but some of us
+revolted against the loathsome food, and were seized either with
+violent nausea or absolute sickness. I must be pardoned for giving these
+distressing details, but how otherwise can I depict the misery, moral
+and physical, which we are enduring? And with it all, I dare not venture
+to hope that we have reached the climax of our sufferings.
+
+The conduct of Hobart during the scene that I have just described has
+only served to confirm my previous suspicions of him. He took no part
+in the almost fiendish energy with which we gnawed at our scraps of
+leather, and although by his conduct and perpetual groanings, he might
+be considered to be dying of inanition, yet to me he has the appearance
+of being singularly exempt from the tortures which we are all enduring.
+But whether the hypocrite is being sustained, by some secret store of
+food, I have been unable to discover.
+
+Whenever the breeze drops the heat is overpowering; but although our
+allowance of water is very meagre, at present the pangs of hunger far
+exceed the pain of thirst. It has often been remarked that extreme
+thirst is far less endurable than extreme hunger. Is it possible that
+still greater agonies are in store for us? I cannot, dare not, believe
+it. Fortunately, the broken barrel still contains a few pints of water,
+and the other one has not yet been opened. But I am glad to say that
+notwithstanding our diminished numbers, and in spite of some opposition,
+the captain has thought right to reduce the daily allowance to half a
+pint for each person. As for the brandy, of which there is only a quart
+now left, it has been stowed away safely in the stern of the raft.
+
+This evening has ended the sufferings of another of our companions,
+making our number now only fourteen. My attentions and Miss Herbey's
+nursing could do nothing for Lieutenant Walter, and about half-past
+seven he expired in my arms.
+
+Before he died, in a few broken words he thanked Miss Herbey and myself
+for the kindness we had shown him. A crumpled letter fell from his hand,
+and in a voice that was scarcely audible from weakness, he said,--
+
+"It is my mother's letter: the last I had from her--she was expecting me
+home; but she will never see me more. Oh, put it to my lips--let me kiss
+it before I die. Mother! mother! Oh my God!"
+
+I placed the letter in his cold hand, and raised it to his lips; his eye
+lighted for a moment; we heard the faint sound of a kiss, and all was
+over!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLI.
+
+JANUARY 8th.--All night I remained by the side of the poor fellow's
+corpse, and several times Miss Herbey joined me in my mournful watch.
+
+Before daylight dawned the body was quite cold, and as I knew there must
+be no delay in throwing it overboard, I asked Curtis to assist me in
+the sad office. The body was frightfully emaciated, and I had every hope
+that it would not float.
+
+As soon as it was quite light, taking every precaution that no one
+should see what we were about, Curtis and I proceeded to our melancholy
+task. We took a few articles from the lieutenant's pockets, which we
+purposed, if either of us should survive, to remit to his mother. But as
+we wrapped him in his tattered garments that would have to suffice for
+his winding-sheet, I started back with a thrill of horror. The right
+foot had gone, leaving the leg a bleeding stump!
+
+No doubt that, overcome by fatigue, I must have fallen asleep for
+an interval during the night, and some one had taken advantage of my
+slumber to mutilate the corpse. But who could have been guilty of so
+foul a deed! Curtis looked around with anger flashing In his eye; but
+all seemed as usual, and the silence was only broken by a few groans of
+agony.
+
+But there was no time to be lost; perhaps we were already observed, and
+more horrible scenes might be likely to occur. Curtis said a few short
+prayers, and we cast the body into the sea. It sank immediately.
+
+"They are feeding the sharks well, and no mistake," said a voice behind
+me.
+
+I turned round quickly, and found that it was Jynxstrop who had spoken.
+
+As the boatswain now approached, I asked him whether he thought it
+possible that any of the wretched men could have taken the dead man's
+foot.
+
+"Oh yes, I dare say," he replied, in a significant tone "and perhaps
+they thought they were right."
+
+"Right! what do you mean?" I exclaimed.
+
+"Well, sir," he said coldly, "isn't it better to eat a dead man than a
+living one?"
+
+I was at a loss to comprehend him, and, turning away, laid myself down
+at the end of the raft.
+
+Towards eleven o'clock, a most suspicious incident occurred. The
+boatswain, who had cast his lines early in the morning, caught three
+large cod, each more than thirty inches long, of the species which, when
+dried, is known by the name of stock-fish. Scarcely had he hauled them
+on board, when the sailors made a dash at them, and it was with the
+utmost difficulty that Curtis, Falsten, and myself could restore order,
+so that we might divide the fish into equal portions. Three cod were not
+much amongst fourteen starving persons, but, small as the quantity was,
+it was allotted in strictly equal shares. Most of us devoured the food
+raw, almost I might say, alive; only Curtis, Andre and Miss Herbey
+having the patience to wait until their allowance had been boiled at a
+fire which they made with a few scraps of wood. For myself, I confess
+that I swallowed my portion of fish just as it was,--raw and bleeding.
+M. Letourneur followed my example; the poor man devoured his food like
+a famished wolf, and it is only a wonder to me how, after his lengthened
+fast, he came to be alive at all.
+
+The boatswain's delight at his success was, excessive, and amounted
+almost to delirium. I went up to him, and encouraged him to repeat his
+attempt.
+
+"Oh, yes," he said; "I'll try again. I'll try again."
+
+"And why not try at once," I asked.
+
+"Not now," he said evasively; "the night is the best time for catching
+large fish. Besides, I must manage to get some bait, for we have been
+improvident enough not to save a single scrap."
+
+"But you have succeeded once without bait; why may you not succeed
+again?"
+
+"Oh! I had some very good bait last night," he said. I stared at him in
+amazement. He steadily returned my gaze, but said nothing.
+
+"Have you none left?" at last I asked.
+
+"Yes!" he almost whispered and left me without another word.
+
+Our meal, meagre as it had been, served to rally our shattered energies;
+our hopes were slightly raised; there was no reason why the boatswain
+should not have the same good luck again.
+
+One evidence of the degree to which our spirits were revived was that
+our minds were no longer fixed upon the miserable present and hopeless
+future, but we began to recall and discuss the past; and M. Letourneur,
+Andre Mr. Falsten, and I held a long conversation with the captain
+about the various incidents of our eventful voyage, speaking of our lost
+companions, of the fire, of the stranding of the ship, of our sojourn
+on Ham Rock, of the springing of the leak, of our terrible voyage in the
+top-masts, of the construction of the raft, and of the storm. All these
+things seemed to have happened so long ago, and yet we were living
+still. Living, did I say? Ay, if such an existence as ours could be
+called a life, fourteen of us were living still. Who would be the next
+to go? We should then be thirteen.
+
+"An unlucky number!" said Andre with a mournful smile.
+
+During the night the boatswain cast his lines from the stern of the
+raft, and, unwilling to trust them to any one else, remained watching
+them himself. In the morning I went to ascertain what success had
+attended his patience. It was scarcely light, and with eager eyes he was
+peering down into the water. He had neither seen nor heard me coming.
+
+"Well, boatswain!" I said, touching him on the shoulder.
+
+He turned round quickly.
+
+"Those villainous sharks have eaten every morsel of my bait," he said,
+in a desponding voice.
+
+"And you have no more left?" I asked.
+
+"No more," he said. Then grasping my arm he added, "and that only shows
+me that it is no good doing things by halves."
+
+The truth flashed upon me at once, and I laid my hand upon his mouth.
+Poor Walter!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLII.
+
+JANUARY 9th and 10th.--On the 9th the wind dropped, and there was a dead
+calm; not a ripple disturbed the surface of the long undulations as
+they rose and fell beneath us; and if it were not for the slight current
+which is carrying us we know not whither, the raft would be absolutely
+stationary.
+
+The heat was intolerable; our thirst more intolerable still; and now it
+was that for the first time I fully realized how the insufficiency of
+drink could cause torture more unendurable than the pangs of hunger.
+Mouth, throat, pharynx, all alike were parched and dry, every gland
+becoming hard as horn under the action of the hot air we breathed. At
+my urgent solicitation the captain was for once induced to double our
+allowance of water; and this relaxation of the ordinary rule enabled us
+to attempt to slake our thirst four times in the day, instead of only
+twice. I use the word "attempt" advisedly; for the water at the bottom
+of the barrel, though kept covered by a sail, became so warm that it was
+perfectly flat and unrefreshing.
+
+It was a most trying day, and the sailors relapsed into a condition of
+deep despondency. The moon was nearly full, but when she rose the breeze
+did not return. Continuance of high temperature in daytime is a sure
+proof that we have been carried far to the south, and here, on this
+illimitable ocean, we have long ceased even to look for land; it might
+almost seem as though this globe of ours had veritably become a liquid
+sphere!
+
+To-day we are still becalmed, and the temperature is as high as ever.
+The air is heated like a furnace, and the sun scorches like fire. The
+torments of famine are all forgotten: our thoughts are concentrated with
+fevered expectation upon the longed-for moment when Curtis shall dole
+out the scanty measure of lukewarm water that makes up our ration. O for
+one good draught, even if it should exhaust the whole supply! At least,
+it seems as if we then could die in peace!
+
+About noon we were startled by sharp cries of agony, and looking round I
+saw Owen writhing in the most horrible convulsions. I went towards him,
+for, detestable as his conduct had been, common humanity prompted me to
+see whether I could afford him any relief. But before I reached him, a
+shout from Flaypole arrested my attention.
+
+The man was up in the mast, and with great excitement pointing to the
+east.
+
+"A ship! A ship!" he cried.
+
+In an instant all were on their feet. Even Owen stopped his cries
+and stood erect. It was quite true that in the direction indicated by
+Flaypole there was a white speck visible upon the horizon. But did it
+move? Would the sailors with their keen vision pronounce it to be a
+sail? A silence the most profound fell upon us all. I glanced at Curtis
+as he stood with folded arms intently gazing at the distant point. His
+brow was furrowed, and he contracted every feature, as with half-closed
+eyes, he concentrated his power of vision upon that one faint spot in
+the far-off horizon.
+
+But at length he dropped his arms and shook his head. I looked again,
+but the spot was no longer there. If it were a ship, that ship had
+disappeared; but probably it had been a mere reflection, or, more likely
+still, only the crest of some curling wave.
+
+A deep dejection followed this phantom ray of hope. All returned to
+their accustomed places. Curtis alone remained motionless, but his eye
+no longer scanned the distant view.
+
+Owen now began to shriek more wildly than ever. He presented truly a
+most melancholy sight; he writhed with the most hideous contortions,
+and had all the appearance of suffering from tetanus. His throat was
+contracted by repeated spasms, his tongue was parched, his body swollen,
+and his pulse, though feeble, was rapid and irregular. The poor wretch's
+symptoms were precisely such as to lead us to suspect that he had
+taken some corrosive poison. Of course it was quite out of our power
+to administer any antidote; all that we could devise was to make him
+swallow something that might act as an emetic. I asked Curtis for a
+little of the lukewarm water. As the contents of the broken barrel were
+now exhausted, the captain, in order to comply with my request, was
+about to tap the other barrel, when Owen started suddenly to his knees,
+and with a wild, unearthly shriek, exclaimed,--
+
+"No! no! no! of that water I will not touch a drop."
+
+I supposed he did not understand what we were going to do, and
+endeavoured to explain; but all in vain; he persisted in refusing to
+taste the water in the second barrel. I then tried to induce vomiting
+by tickling his uvula, and he brought off some bluish secretion from his
+stomach, the character of which confirmed our previous suspicions--that
+he had been poisoned by oxide of copper. We now felt convinced that
+any efforts on our part to save him would be of no avail. The vomiting,
+however, had for the time relieved him, and he was able to speak.
+
+Curtis and I both implored him to let us know what he had taken to bring
+about consequences so serious. His reply fell upon us as a startling
+blow.
+
+The ill fated wretch had stolen several pints of water from the barrel
+that had been untouched, and that water had poisoned him!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIII.
+
+JANUARY 11th to 14th.--Owen's convulsions returned with increased
+violence, and in the course of the night he expired in terrible agony.
+His body was thrown overboard almost directly; it had decomposed so
+rapidly that the flesh had not even consistency enough for any fragments
+of it to be reserved for the boatswain to use to bait his lines. A
+plague the man had been to us in his life; in his death he was now of no
+service!
+
+And now, perhaps, still more than ever, did the horror of our situation
+stare us in the face. There was no doubt that the poisoned barrel had
+at some time or other contained copperas; but what strange fatality had
+converted it into a water-cask, or what fatality, stranger still, had
+caused it to be brought on board the raft, was a problem that none could
+solve. Little, however, did it matter now: the fact was evident; the
+barrel was poisoned, and of water we had not a drop.
+
+One and all, we fell into the gloomiest silence. We were too irritable
+to bear the sound of each other's voices; and it did not require a
+word, a mere look or gesture was enough, to provoke us to anger that was
+little short of madness. How it was that we did not all become raving
+maniacs, I cannot tell.
+
+Throughout the 12th no drain of moisture crossed our lips, and not
+a cloud arose to warrant the expectation of a passing shower; in
+the shade, if shade it might be called, the thermometer would have
+registered at least 100deg., and, perhaps, considerably more.
+
+No change next day. The salt water began to chafe my legs, but although
+the smarting was at times severe, it was an inconvenience to which I
+gave little heed; others who had suffered from the same trouble had
+become no worse. Oh! if this water that surrounds us could be reduced to
+vapour or to ice! its particles of salt extracted, it would be available
+for drink. But no! we have no appliances, and we must suffer on.
+
+At the risk of being devoured by the sharks, the boatswain and two
+sailors took a morning bath, and as their plunge seemed to refresh them,
+I and three of my companions resolved to follow their example. We had
+never learnt to swim, and had to be fastened to the end of a rope and
+lowered into the water; while Curtis during the half-hour of our bath,
+kept a sharp look-out to give warning of any danger from approaching
+sharks. No recommendation, however, on our part, nor any representation
+of the benefit we felt we had derived, could induce Miss Herbey to allay
+her sufferings in the same way.
+
+At about eleven o'clock, the captain came up to me, and whispered in my
+ear,--
+
+"Don't say a word, Mr. Kazallon; I do not want to raise false hopes, but
+I think I see a ship."
+
+It was as well that the captain had warned me; otherwise, I should
+have raised an involuntary shout of joy; as it was, I had the greatest
+difficulty in restraining my expressions of delight.
+
+"Look behind to larboard," he continued in an undertone.
+
+Affecting an indifference which I was far from feeling, I cast an
+anxious glance to that quarter of the horizon of which he spoke, and
+there, although mine is not a nautical eye, I could plainly distinguish
+the outline of a ship under sail.
+
+Almost at the same moment the boatswain who happened to be looking in
+the same direction, raised the cry, "Ship ahoy!"
+
+Whether it was that no one believed it, or whether all energies were
+exhausted, certain it is that the announcement produced none of
+the effects that might have been expected. Not a soul exhibited the
+slightest emotion, and it was only when the boatswain had several times
+sung out his tidings that all eyes turned to the horizon. There, most
+undeniably, was the ship, and the question rose at once to the minds of
+all, and to the lips of many, "Would she see us?"
+
+The sailors immediately began discussing the build of the vessel, and
+made all sorts of conjectures as to the direction she was taking. Curtis
+was far more deliberate in his judgment. After examining her attentively
+for some time, he said, "She is a brig running close upon the wind, on
+the starboard tack, If she keeps her course for a couple of hours, she
+will come right athwart our track."
+
+A couple of hours! The words sounded to our ears like a couple of
+centuries. The ship might change her course at any moment; closely
+trimmed as she was, it was very probable that she was only tacking about
+to catch the wind, in which case, as soon as she felt a breeze, she
+would resume her larboard tack and make away again. On the other hand,
+if she were really sailing with the wind, she would come nearer to us,
+and there would be good ground for hope.
+
+Meantime, no exertion must be spared, and no means left untried, to make
+our position known. The brig was about twelve miles to the east of us,
+so that it was out of the question to think of any cries of ours being
+overheard; but Curtis gave directions that every possible signal should
+be made. We had no fire-arms by which we could attract attention, and
+nothing else occurred to us beyond hoisting a flag of distress. Miss
+Herbey's red shawl, as being of a colour most distinguishable against
+the background of sea and sky, was run up to the mast-head, and was
+caught by the light breeze that just then was ruffling the surface of
+the water. As a drowning man clutches at a straw, so our hearts bounded
+with hope every time that our poor flag fluttered in the wind.
+
+For an hour our feelings alternated between hope and despair. The ship
+was evidently making her way in the direction of the raft, but every
+now and then she seemed to stop, and then our hearts would almost stand
+still with agony lest she was going to put about. She carried all
+her canvas, even to her royals and stay-sails, but her hull was only
+partially visible above the horizon.
+
+How slowly she advanced! The breeze was very, very feeble, and perhaps
+soon it would drop altogether! We felt that we would give years of our
+life to know the result of the coming hour!
+
+At half-past twelve the captain and the boatswain considered that the
+brig was about nine miles away; she had, therefore, gained only three
+miles in an hour and a half, and it was doubtful whether the light
+breeze that had been passing over our heads had reached her at all. I
+fancied, too, that her sails were no longer filled, but were hanging
+loose against her masts. Turning to the direction of the wind I tried to
+make out some chance of a rising breeze; but no, the waves were calm and
+torpid, and the little puff of air that had aroused our hopes had died
+away across the sea.
+
+I stood aft with M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss Herbey, and our glances
+perpetually wandered from the distant ship to our captain's face. Curtis
+stood leaning against the mast, with the boatswain by his side; their
+eyes seemed never for a moment to cease to watch the brig, but their
+countenances clearly expressed the varying emotions that passed through
+their minds. Not a word was uttered, nor was the silence broken, until
+the carpenter exclaimed, in accents of despair,--
+
+"She's putting about!"
+
+All started up: some to their knees, others to their feet, The boatswain
+dropped a frightful oath. The ship was still nine miles away, and at
+such a distance it was impossible for our signal to be seen; our
+tiny raft, a mere speck upon the waters, would be lost in the intense
+irradiation of the sunbeams. If only we could be seen, no doubt all
+would be well; no captain would have the barbarous inhumanity to leave
+us to our fate; but there had been no chance; only too well we knew that
+we had not been within the range of sight.
+
+"My friends," said Curtis, "we must make a fire; it is our last and only
+chance."
+
+Some planks were quickly loosened and thrown into a heap upon the fore
+part of the raft. They were damp and troublesome to light; but the very
+dampness made the smoke more dense, and ere long a tall column of dusky
+fumes was rising straight upwards in the air. If darkness should come
+on before the brig was completely out of view, the flames we hoped might
+still be visible. But the hours passed on; the fire died out; and yet no
+signs of help.
+
+The temper of resignation now deserted me entirely; faith, hope,
+confidence--all vanished from my mind, and like the boatswain, I swore
+long and loudly. A gentle hand was laid upon my arm, and turning round I
+saw Miss Herbey with her finger pointing to the sky. I could stand it
+no longer, but gliding underneath the tent I hid my face in my hands and
+wept aloud.
+
+Meanwhile the brig had altered her tack, and was moving slowly to the
+east. Three hours later and the keenest eye could not have discerned her
+top-sails above the horizon.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIV.
+
+JANUARY 15th.--After this further shattering of our excited hopes death
+alone now stares us in the face; slow and lingering as that death may
+be, sooner or later it must inevitably come.
+
+To-day some clouds that rose in the west have brought us a few puffs
+of wind; and in spite of our prostration, we appreciate the moderation,
+slight as it is, in the temperature. To my parched throat the air seemed
+a little less trying but it is now seven days since the boatswain took
+his haul of fish, and during that period we have eaten nothing even
+Andre Letourneur finished yesterday the last morsel of the biscuit which
+his sorrowful and self-denying father had entrusted to my charge.
+
+Jynxstrop the negro has broken loose from his confinement, but Curtis has
+taken no measures for putting him again under restraint. It is not to be
+apprehended that the miserable fellow and his accomplices, weakened as
+they are by their protracted fast, will attempt to do us any mischief
+now.
+
+Some huge sharks made their appearance to-day, cleaving the water
+rapidly with their great black fins. The monsters came close up to the
+edge of the raft, and Flaypole, who was leaning over, narrowly escaped
+having his arm snapped off by one of them. I could not help regarding
+them as living sepulchres, which ere long might swallow up our miserable
+carcasses; yet, withal, I profess that my feelings were rather those of
+fascination than of horror.
+
+The boatswain, who stood with clenched teeth and dilated eye, regarded
+these sharks from quite another point of view. He thought about
+devouring the sharks, not about the sharks devouring him; and if he
+could succeed in catching one, I doubt if one of us would reject the
+tough and untempting flesh. He determined to make the attempt, and as
+he had no whirl which he could fasten to his rope he set to work to
+find something that might serve as a substitute. Curtis and Dowlas
+were consulted, and after a short conversation, during which they kept
+throwing bits of rope and spars into the water in order to entice the
+sharks to remain by the raft, Dowlas went and fetched his carpenter's
+tool, which is at once a hatchet and a hammer. Of this he proposed to
+make the whirl of which they were in need, under the hope that either
+the sharp edge of the adze or the pointed extremity opposite would stick
+firmly into the jaws of any shark that might swallow it. The wooden
+handle of the hammer was secured to the rope, which, in its turn, was
+tightly fastened to the raft.
+
+With eager, almost breathless, excitement we stood watching the
+preparations, at the same time using every means in our power to
+attract the attention of the sharks. As soon as the whirl was ready the
+boatswain began to think about bait; and, talking rapidly to himself,
+ransacked every corner of the raft, as though he expected to find some
+dead body coming opportunely to sight. But his search ended in nothing;
+and the only plan that suggested itself was again to have recourse to
+Miss Herbey's red shawl, of which a fragment was wrapped round the
+head of the hammer. After testing the strength of his line, and
+reassuring-himself that it was fastened firmly both to the hammer and to
+the raft, the boatswain lowered it into the water.
+
+The sea was quite transparent, and any object was clearly visible to
+a depth of two hundred feet below the surface. Leaning over the low
+parapet of the raft we looked on in breathless silence, as the scarlet
+rag, distinct as it was against the blue mass of water, made its slow
+descent. But one by one the sharks seemed to disappear, They could not,
+however, have gone far away, and it was not likely that anything in the
+shape of bait dropped near them would long escape their keen voracity.
+
+Suddenly, without speaking, the boatswain raised his hand and pointed to
+a dark mass skimming along the surface of the water, and making straight
+in our direction. It was a shark, certainly not less than twelve feet
+long. As soon as the creature was about four fathoms from the raft, the
+boatswain gently drew in his line until the whirl was in such a position
+that the shark must cross right over it; at the same time he shook the
+line a little, that he might give the whirl the appearance, if he could,
+of being something alive and moving. As the creature came near, my heart
+beat violently; I could see its eyes flashing above the waves; and its
+gaping jaws, as it turned half over on its back, exhibited long rows of
+pointed teeth.
+
+I know not who it was, but some one at that moment uttered an
+involuntary cry of horror. The shark came to a standstill, turned about,
+and escaped quite out of sight. The boatswain was pale with anger.
+
+"The first man who speaks," he said, "I will kill him on the spot."
+
+Again he applied himself to his task. The whirl again was lowered, this
+time to the depth of twenty fathoms, but for half an hour or more not a
+shark could be distinguished; but as the waters far below seemed somehow
+to be troubled I could not help believing that some of the brutes at
+least were still there.
+
+All at once, with a violent jerk, the cord was wrested from the
+boatswain's hands; firmly attached, however, as it was to the raft, it
+was not lost. The bait had been seized by a shark, and the iron had made
+good its hold upon the creature's flesh.
+
+"Now, then, my lads," cried the boatswain, "haul away!"
+
+Passengers and sailors, one and all, put forth what strength they had
+to drag the rope, but so violent were the creature's struggles that
+it required all our efforts (and it is needless to say that they were
+willing enough) to bring it to the surface, At length, after exertions
+that almost exhausted us, the water became agitated by the violent
+flappings of the tail and fins; and looking down I saw the huge carcase
+of the shark writhing convulsively amidst waves that were stained with
+blood.
+
+"Steady! steady!" said the boatswain, as the head appeared above.
+
+The whirl had passed right through the jaw into the middle of the
+throat; so that no struggle on the part of the animal could possibly
+release it. Dowlas seized his hatchet, ready to despatch the brute the
+moment if should be landed on the raft. A short sharp snap was heard.
+The shark had closed its jaws, and bitten through the wooden handle of
+the hammer. Another moment and it had turned round and was completely
+gone.
+
+A howl of despair burst from all our lips. All the labour and the
+patience, all had been in vain. Dowlas made a few more unsuccessful
+attempts, but as the whirl was lost, and they had no means of replacing
+it, there was no further room for hope. They did, indeed, lower some
+cords twisted into running knots, but (as might have been expected)
+these only slipped over, without holding, the slimy bodies of the
+sharks. As a last resource the boatswain allowed his naked leg to
+hang over the side of the raft; the monsters, however, were proof even
+against this attraction.
+
+Reduced once again to a gloomy despondency, all turned to their places,
+to await the end that cannot now be long deferred.
+
+Just as I moved away I heard the boatswain say to Curtis,--
+
+"Captain, when shall we draw lots?"
+
+The captain made no reply.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLV.
+
+JANUARY 16th.--If the crew of any passing vessel had caught sight of us
+as we lay still and inanimate upon our sail-cloth, they would scarcely,
+at first sight, have hesitated to pronounce us dead.
+
+My sufferings were terrible; tongue, lips, and throat were so parched
+and swollen that if food had been at hand I question whether I could
+have swallowed it. So exasperated were the feelings of us all, however,
+that we glanced at each other with looks as savage as though we were
+about to slaughter and without delay eat up one another.
+
+The heat was aggravated by the atmosphere being somewhat stormy. Heavy
+vapours gathered on the horizon, and there was a look as if it were
+raining all around. Longing eyes and gasping mouths turned involuntarily
+towards the clouds, and M. Letourneur, on bended knee, was raising his
+hands, as it might be in supplication to the relentless skies.
+
+It was eleven o'clock in the morning. I listened for distant rumblings
+which might announce an approaching storm, but although the vapours had
+obstructed the sun's rays, they no longer presented the appearance
+of being charged with electricity. Thus our prognostications ended in
+disappointment; the clouds, which in the early morning had been marked
+by the distinctness of their outline, had melted one into another and
+assumed an uniform dull grey tint; in fact, we were enveloped in an
+ordinary fog. But was it not still possible that this fog might turn to
+rain?
+
+Happily this hope was destined to be realized; for in a very short time,
+Dowlas, with a shout of delight, declared that rain was actually coming;
+and sure enough, not half a mile from the raft, the dark parallel
+streaks against the sky testified that there at least the rain was
+falling. I fancied I could see the drops rebounding from the surface of
+the water. The wind was fresh and bringing the cloud right on towards
+us, yet we could not suppress our trepidation lest it; should exhaust
+itself before it reached us.
+
+But no: very soon large heavy drops began to fall, and the storm-cloud,
+passing over our heads, was outpouring its contents upon us. The shower,
+however, was very transient; already a bright streak of light along
+the horizon marked the limit of the cloud and warned us that we must be
+quick to make the most of what it had to give us. Curtis had placed the
+broken barrel in the position that was most exposed, and every sail was
+spread out to the fullest extent our dimensions would allow.
+
+We all laid ourselves down flat upon our backs and kept our mouths wide
+open. The rain splashed into my face, wetted my lips, and trickled down
+my throat. Never can I describe the ecstasy with which I imbibed that
+renovating moisture. The parched and swollen glands relaxed, I breathed
+afresh, and my whole being seemed revived with a strange and requickened
+life.
+
+The rain lasted about twenty minutes, when the cloud, still only half
+exhausted, passed quite away from over us.
+
+We grasped each other's hands as we rose from the platform on which
+we had been lying, and mutual congratulations, mingled with gratitude,
+poured forth from our long silent lips. Hope, however evanescent it
+might be, for the moment had returned, and we yielded to the expectation
+that, ere long, other and more abundant clouds might come and replenish
+our store.
+
+The next consideration was how to preserve and economize what little had
+been collected by the barrel, or imbibed by the outspread sails. It was
+found that only a few pints of rain-water had fallen into the barrel
+to this small quantity the sailors were about to add what they could
+by wringing out the saturated sails, when Curtis made them desist from
+their intention.
+
+"Stop, stop!" he said, "we must wait a moment; we must see whether this
+water from the sails is drinkable."
+
+I looked at him in amazement. Why should not this be as drinkable as the
+other? He squeezed a few drops out of one of the folds of a sail into
+the tin pot, and put it to his lips. To my surprise, he rejected it
+immediately, and upon tasting it for myself I found it not merely
+brackish, but briny as the sea itself. The fact was that the canvas
+had been so long exposed to the action of the waves, that it had become
+thoroughly impregnated by salt, which of course was taken up again by
+the water that fell upon it. Disappointed we were; but with several
+pints of water in our possession, we were not only contented for the
+present, but sanguine in our prospect for the future.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVI.
+
+JANUARY 17th.--As a natural consequence of the alleviation of our
+thirst, the pangs of hunger returned more violently than ever. Although
+we had no bait, and even if we had we could not use it for want of
+a whirl, we could not help asking whether no possible means could
+be devised for securing one out of the many sharks that were still
+perpetually swarming about the raft. Armed with knives, like the Indians
+in the pearl fisheries, was it not practicable to attack the monsters in
+their own element? Curtis expressed his willingness personally to make
+the attempt, but so numerous were the sharks that we would not for one
+moment hear of his risking his life in a venture of which the danger was
+as great as the success was doubtful.
+
+By plunging into the sea, or by gnawing at a piece of metal, we could
+always, or at least often, do something that cheated us into believing
+that we were mitigating the pains of thirst; but with hunger it was
+different. The prospect, too, of rain seemed hopeful, whilst for getting
+food there appeared no chance; and, as we knew that nothing could
+compensate for the lack of nutritive matter, we were soon all cast down
+again. Shocking to confess, it would be untrue to deny that we surveyed
+each other with the eye of an eager longing; and I need hardly explain
+to what a degree of savageness the one idea that haunted us had reduced
+our feelings.
+
+Ever since the storm-cloud brought us the too transient shower the
+sky has been tolerably clear, and although at that time the wind had
+slightly freshened, it has since dropped, and the sail hangs idly
+against our mast. Except for the trifling relief it brings by modifying
+the temperature we care little now for any breeze. Ignorant as we are as
+to what quarter of the Atlantic we have been carried by the currents, it
+matters very little to us from what direction the wind may blow if
+only it would bring, in rain or dew, the moisture of which we are so
+dreadfully in need.
+
+The moon was entering her last quarter, so that it was dark till nearly
+midnight, and the stars were misty, not glowing with that lustre which
+is so often characteristic of cool nights. Half frantic with that sense
+of hunger which invariably returns with redoubled vigour at the close of
+every day, I threw myself, in a kind of frenzy, upon a bundle of sails
+that was lying on the starboard of the raft, and leaning over, I tried
+to get some measure of relief by inhaling the moist coolness that rarely
+fails to circulate just above the water. My brain was haunted by the
+most horrible nightmares; not that I suppose I was in any way more
+distressed than my companions, who were lying in their usual places,
+vainly endeavouring to forget their sufferings in sleep.
+
+After a time I fell into a restless, dreamy doze. I was neither asleep
+nor awake. How long I remained in that state of stupor I could hardly
+say, but at length a strange sensation half brought me to myself. Was
+I dreaming, or was there not really some unaccustomed odour floating in
+the air? My nostrils became distended, and I could scarcely suppress a
+cry of astonishment; but some instinct kept me quiet, and I laid myself
+down again with the puzzled sensation sometimes experienced when we
+have forgotten a word or name. Only a few minutes, however, had elapsed
+before another still more savoury puff induced me to take several
+long inhalations. Suddenly, the truth seemed to dash across my mind.
+"Surely," I muttered to myself "this must be cooked meat that I can
+smell."
+
+Again and again I sniffed and became more convinced than ever that my
+senses were not deceiving me. But from what part of the raft could the
+smell proceed? I rose to my knees, and having satisfied myself that the
+odour came from the front, I crept stealthily as a cat under the sails
+and between the spars in that direction. Following the promptings of
+my scent, rather than my vision, like a bloodhound in the track of his
+prey, I searched everywhere I could, now finding, now losing, the smell
+according to my change of position, or the dropping of the wind. At
+length I got the true scent; once for all, so that I could go straight
+to the object for which I was in search.
+
+Approaching the starboard angle of the raft, I came to the conclusion
+that the smell that had thus keenly excited my cravings was the smell
+of smoked bacon; the membranes of my tongue almost bristled with the
+intenseness of my longing.
+
+Crawling along a little farther, under a thick roll of sail-cloth, I was
+not long in securing my prize. Forcing my arm below the roll, I felt my
+hand in contact with something wrapped up in paper. I clutched it up,
+and carried it off to a place where I could examine it by the help
+of the light of the moon that had now made its appearance above the
+horizon. I almost shrieked for joy. It was a piece of bacon. True,
+it did not weigh many ounces, but small as it was it would suffice to
+alleviate the pangs of hunger for one day at least. I was just on the
+point of raising it to my mouth, when a hand was laid upon my arm. It
+was only by a most determined effort that I kept myself from screaming
+out one instant more, and I found myself face to face with Hobart.
+
+In a moment I understood all. Plainly this rascal Hobart had saved some
+provision from the wreck, upon which he had been subsisting ever since.
+The steward had provided for himself, whilst all around him were dying
+of starvation. Detestable wretch! This accounts for the inconsistency of
+his well-to-do looks and his pitiable groans. Vile hypocrite!
+
+Yet why, it struck me, should I complain? Was not I reaping the benefit
+of that secret store that he, for himself, had saved?
+
+But Hobart had no idea of allowing me the peaceable possession of what
+he held to be his own. He made a dash at the fragment of bacon, and
+seemed determined to wrest it from my grasp. We struggled with each
+other, but although our wrestling was very violent, it was very
+noiseless. We were both of us aware that it was absolutely necessary
+that not one of those on board should know anything at all about
+the prize for which we were contending. Nor was my own determination
+lessened by hearing him groan out that it was his last, his only morsel.
+"His!" I thought; "it shall be mine now!"
+
+And still careful that no noise of commotion should arise, I threw him
+on his back, and grasping his throat so that it gurgled again, I held
+him down until, in rapid mouthfuls, I had swallowed up the last scrap of
+the food for which we had fought so hard.
+
+I released my prisoner, and quietly crept back to my own quarters.
+
+And not a soul is aware that I have broken my fast!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVII.
+
+JANUARY 18th.--After this excitement I awaited the approach of day with
+a strange anxiety. My conscience told me that Hobart had the right to
+denounce me in the presence of all my fellow-passengers; yet my alarm
+was vain. The idea of my proceedings being exposed by him was quite
+absurd; in a moment he would himself be murdered without pity by the
+crew, if it should be revealed that, unknown to them, he had been living
+on some private store which, by clandestine cunning, he had reserved.
+But, in spite of my anxiety, I had a longing for day to come.
+
+The bit of food that I had thus stolen was very small; but small as it
+was it had alleviated my hunger, and I was now tortured with remorse,
+because I had not shared the meagre morsel with my fellow-sufferers.
+Miss Herbey, Andre, his father, all had been forgotten, and from the
+bottom of my heart I repented of my cruel selfishness.
+
+Meantime the moon rose high in the heavens, and the first streaks of
+dawn appeared. There is no twilight in these low latitudes, and the
+full daylight came well nigh at once. I had not closed my eyes since my
+encounter with the steward, and ever since the first blush of day I had
+laboured under the impression that I could see some unusual dark mass
+half way up the mast. But although it again and again caught my eye, it
+hardly roused my curiosity, and I did not rise from the bundle of sails
+on which I was lying to ascertain what it really was. But no sooner did
+the rays of the sun fall full upon it than I saw at once that it was
+the body of a man, attached to a rope, and swinging to and fro with the
+motion of the raft.
+
+A horrible presentiment carried me to the foot of the mast, and, just
+as I had guessed, Hobart had hanged himself. I could not for a moment;
+doubt that it was I myself that had impelled him to the suicide. A cry
+of horror had scarcely escaped my lips, when my fellow-passengers were
+at my side, and the rope was cut. Then came the sailors. And what was it
+that made the group gather so eagerly around the body? Was it a humane
+desire to see whether any spark of life remained? No, indeed; the corpse
+was cold, and the limbs were rigid; there was no chance that animation
+should be restored. What then was it that kept them lingering so close
+around? It was only too apparent what they were about to do.
+
+But I did not, could not, look. I refused to take part in the horrible
+repast that was proposed. Neither would Miss Herbey, Andre nor his
+father, consent to alleviate their pangs of hunger by such revolting
+means. I know nothing for certain as to what Curtis did, and I did not
+venture to inquire; but of the others,--Falsten, Dowlas, the boatswain,
+and all the rest,--I know that, to assuage their cravings, they
+consented to reduce themselves to the level of beasts of prey; they were
+transformed from human beings into ravenous brutes.
+
+The four of us who sickened at the idea of partaking of the horrid
+meal withdrew to the seclusion of our tent; it was bad enough to hear;
+without witnessing the appalling operation. But, in truth, I had the
+greatest difficulty in the world in preventing Andre from rushing out
+upon the cannibals, and snatching the odious food from their clutches.
+I represented to him the hopelessness of his attempt, and tried to
+reconcile him by telling him that if they liked the food they had a
+right to it. Hobart had not been murdered; he had died by his own hand;
+and, after all, as the boatswain had once remarked to me, "it was better
+to eat a dead man than a live one."
+
+Do what I would, however, I could not quiet Andre's feeling of
+abhorrence; in his disgust and loathing he seemed for the time to have
+quite forgotten his own sufferings.
+
+Meanwhile, there was no concealing the truth that we were ourselves
+dying of starvation, whilst our eight companions would probably, by
+their loathsome diet, escape that frightful destiny. Owing to his secret
+hoard of provisions Hobart had been by far the strongest amongst us; he
+had been supported, so that no organic disease had affected his tissues,
+and really might be said to be in good health when his chagrin drove him
+to his desperate suicide. But what was I thinking of! whither were
+my meditations carrying me away? was it not coming to pass that the
+cannibals were rousing my envy instead of exciting my horror?
+
+Very shortly after this I heard Dowlas talking about the possibility
+of obtaining salt by evaporating sea-water in the sun; "and then," he
+added, "we can salt down the rest."
+
+The boatswain assented to what the carpenter had said, and probably the
+suggestion was adopted.
+
+Silence, the most profound, now reigns upon the raft. I presume that
+nearly all have gone to sleep. One thing I do know, that they are no
+longer hungry!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVIII.
+
+JANUARY 19th.--All through the day the sky remained unclouded and
+the heat intense; and night came on without bringing much sensible
+moderation in the temperature. I was unable to get any sleep, and,
+towards morning, was disturbed by hearing an angry clamour going on
+outside the tent; it aroused M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss Herbey,
+as much as myself, and we were anxious to ascertain the cause of the
+tumult.
+
+The boatswain, Dowlas, and all the sailors were storming at each other
+in frightful rage; and Curtis, who had come forward from the stern, was
+vainly endeavouring to pacify them.
+
+"But who has done it? we must know who has done it," said Dowlas,
+scowling with vindictive passion on the group around him.
+
+"There's a thief," howled out the boatswain, "and he shall be found!
+Let's know who has taken it."
+
+"I haven't taken it!" "Nor I!" "Nor I!" cried the sailors one after
+another.
+
+And then they set to work again to ransack every quarter of the raft;
+they rolled every spar aside, they overturned everything on board,
+and only grew more and more incensed with anger as their search proved
+fruitless.
+
+"Can YOU tell us," said the boatswain, coming up to me, "who is the
+thief?"
+
+"Thief!" I replied. "I don't know what you mean."
+
+And while we were speaking the others all came up together, and told me
+that they had looked everywhere else, and that they were going now to
+search the tent.
+
+"Shame!" I said. "You ought to allow those whom you know to be dying of
+hunger at least to die in peace. There is not one of us who has left the
+tent all night. Why suspect us?"
+
+"Now just look here, Mr. Kazallon," said the boatswain, in a voice which
+he was endeavouring to calm down into moderation, "we are not accusing
+you of anything; we know well enough you, and all the rest of you, had
+a right to your shares as much as anybody; but that isn't it. It's all
+gone somewhere, every bit."
+
+"Yes," said Sandon gruffly; "it's all gone somewheres, and we are a
+going to search the tent."
+
+Resistance was useless, and Miss Herbey, M. Letourneur, and Andre were
+all turned out.
+
+I confess I was very fearful. I had a strong suspicion that for the sake
+of his son, for whom he was ready to venture anything, M. Letourneur
+had committed the theft; in that case I knew that nothing would have
+prevented the infuriated men from tearing the devoted father to pieces.
+I beckoned to Curtis for protection, and he came and stood beside me. He
+said nothing, but waited with his hands in his pockets, and I think I am
+not mistaken in my belief that there was some sort of a weapon in each.
+
+To my great relief the search was ineffectual. There was no doubt that
+the carcase of the suicide had been thrown overboard, and the rage of
+the disappointed cannibals knew no bounds.
+
+Yet who had ventured to do the deed! I looked at M. Letourneur and Miss
+Herbey; but their countenances at once betrayed their ignorance. Andre
+turned his face away, and his eyes did not meet my own. Probably it is
+he; but, if it be, I wonder whether he has reckoned up the consequences
+of so rash an act.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIX.
+
+JANUARY 20th to 22nd.--For the day or two after the horrible repast of
+the 18th those who had partaken of it appeared to suffer comparatively
+little either from hunger or thirst; but for the four of us who had
+tasted nothing, the agony of suffering grew more and more intense. It
+was enough to make us repine over the loss of the provision that had so
+mysteriously gone; and if any one of us should die, I doubt whether the
+survivors would a second time resist the temptation to assuage their
+pangs by tasting human flesh.
+
+Before long, all the cravings of hunger began to return to the sailors,
+and I could see their eyes greedily glancing upon us, starved as they
+knew us to be, as though they were reckoning our hours, and already were
+preparing to consume us as their prey.
+
+As is always the case with shipwrecked men, we were tormented by thirst
+far more than by hunger; and if, in the height of our sufferings, we had
+been offered our choice between a few drops of water and a few crumbs
+of biscuit, I do not doubt that we should, without exception, have
+preferred to take the water.
+
+And what a mockery to our condition did it seem that all this while
+there was water, water, nothing but water, everywhere around us! Again
+and again, incapable of comprehending how powerless it was to relieve
+me, I put a few drops within my lips, but only with the invariable
+result of bringing on a most trying nausea, and rendering my thirst more
+unendurable than before.
+
+Forty-two days had passed since we quitted the sinking "Chancellor."
+There could be no hope now; all of us must die, and by the most
+deplorable of deaths. I was quite conscious that a mist was gathering
+over my brain; I felt my senses sinking into a condition of torpor; I
+made an effort, but all in vain, to master the delirium that I was aware
+was taking possession of my reason. It is out of my power to decide for
+how long I lost my consciousness; but when I came to myself I found
+that Miss Herbey had folded some wet bandages around my forehead. I am
+somewhat better; but I am weakened, mind and body, and I am conscious
+that I have not long to live.
+
+A frightful fatality occurred to-day. The scene was terrible. Jynxstrop
+the negro went raving mad. Curtis and several of the men tried their
+utmost to control him, but in spite of everything he broke loose,
+and tore up and down the raft, uttering fearful yells. He had gained
+possession of a handspike, and rushed upon us all with the ferocity
+of an infuriated tiger; how we contrived to escape mischief from his
+attacks, I know not. All at once, by one of those unaccountable impulses
+of madness, his rage turned against himself. With his teeth and nails he
+gnawed and tore away at his own flesh; dashing the blood into our faces,
+he shrieked out with a demoniacal grin, "Drink, drink!" and flinging us
+gory morsels, kept saying "Eat, eat!" In the midst of his insane shrieks
+he made a sudden pause, then dashing back again from the stern to the
+front, he made a bound and disappeared beneath the waves.
+
+Falsten, Dowlas, and the boatswain, made a rush that at least they might
+secure the body; but it was too late; all that they could see was a
+crimson circle in the water, and some huge sharks disporting themselves
+around the spot.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER L.
+
+JANUARY 23rd.--Only eleven of us now remain; and the probability is very
+great that every day must now carry off at least its one victim, and
+perhaps more. The end of the tragedy is rapidly approaching, and save
+for the chance, which is next to an impossibility, of our sighting land,
+or being picked up by a passing vessel, ere another week has elapsed not
+a single survivor of the "Chancellor" will remain.
+
+The wind freshened considerably in the night, and it is now blowing
+pretty briskly from the north-east. It has filled our sail, and
+the white foam in our wake is an indication that we are making some
+progress. The captain reckons that we must be advancing at the rate of
+about three miles an hour.
+
+Curtis and Falsten are certainly in the best condition amongst us, and
+in spite of their extreme emaciation they bear up wonderfully under
+the protracted hardships we have all endured. Words cannot describe the
+melancholy state to which poor Miss Herbey bodily is reduced; her whole
+being seems absorbed into her soul, but that soul is brave and resolute
+as ever, living in heaven rather than on earth. The boatswain, strong,
+energetic man that he was, has shrunk into a mere shadow of his former
+self, and I doubt whether any one would recognize him to be the same
+man. He keeps perpetually to one corner of the raft, his head dropped
+upon his chest, and his long, bony hands lying upon knees that project
+sharply from his worn-out trowsers. Unlike Miss Herbey, his spirit seems
+to have sunk into apathy, and it is at times difficult to believe that
+he is living at all, so motionless and statue-like does he sit.
+
+Silence continues to reign upon the raft. Not a sound, not even a groan,
+escapes our lips. We do not exchange ten words in the course of the
+day, and the few syllables that our parched tongue and swollen lips can
+pronounce are almost unintelligible. Wasted and bloodless, we are no
+longer human beings; we are spectres.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LI.
+
+JANUARY 24th.--I have inquired more than once of Curtis if he has the
+faintest idea to what quarter of the Atlantic we have drifted, and each
+time he has been unable to give me a decided answer, though from
+his general observation of the direction of the wind and currents he
+imagines that we have been carried westwards, that is to say, towards
+the land.
+
+To-day the breeze has dropped entirely, but the heavy swell is still
+upon the sea, and is an unquestionable sign that a tempest has been
+raging at no great distance. The raft labours hard against the waves,
+and Curtis, Falsten, and the boatswain, employ the little energy that
+remains to them in strengthening the joints. Why do they give themselves
+such trouble? Why not let the few frail planks part asunder, and allow
+the ocean to terminate our miserable existence? Certain it seems that
+our sufferings must have reached their utmost limit, and nothing could
+exceed the torture that we are enduring. The sky pours down upon us a
+heat like that of molten lead, and the sweat that saturates the tattered
+clothes that hang about our bodies goes far to aggravate the agonies
+of our thirst. No words of mine can describe this dire distress; these
+sufferings are beyond human estimate.
+
+Even bathing, the only means of refreshment that we possessed, has now
+become impossible, for ever since Jynxstrop's death the sharks have hung
+about the raft in shoals.
+
+To-day I tried to gain a few drops of fresh water by evaporation, but
+even with the exercise of the greatest patience, it was with the utmost
+difficulty that I obtained enough to moisten a little scrap of linen;
+and the only kettle that we had was so old and battered, that it would
+not bear the fire, so that I was obliged to give up the attempt in
+despair.
+
+Falsten is now almost exhausted, and if he survives us at all, it can
+only be for a few days. Whenever I raised my head I always failed to see
+him, but he was probably lying sheltered somewhere beneath the sails.
+Curtis was the only man who remained on his feet, but with indomitable
+pluck he continued to stand on the front of the raft, waiting, watching,
+hoping. To look at him, with his unflagging energy, almost tempted me to
+imagine that he did well to hope, but I dared nor entertain one sanguine
+thought; and there I lay, waiting, nay, longing for death.
+
+How many hours passed away thus I cannot tell, but after a time a loud
+peal of laughter burst upon my ear Some one else, then, was going mad,
+I thought; but the idea did not rouse me in the least. The laughter was
+repeated with greater vehemence, but I never raised my head. Presently I
+caught a few incoherent words.
+
+"Fields, fields, gardens and trees! Look, there's an inn under the
+trees! Quick, quick! brandy, gin, water! a guinea a drop! I'll pay for
+it! I've lots of money! lots! lots!"
+
+Poor deluded wretch! I thought again; the wealth of a nation could not
+buy a drop of water here. There was silence for a minute, when all of a
+sudden I heard the shout of "Land! land!"
+
+The words acted upon me like an electric shock, and, with a frantic
+effort, I started to my feet. No land, indeed, was visible, but
+Flaypole, laughing, singing, and gesticulating, was raging up and down
+the raft. Sight, taste and hearing--all were gone; but the cerebral
+derangement supplied their place, and in imagination the maniac was
+conversing with absent friends, inviting them into the George Inn at
+Cardiff, offering them gin, whisky, and, above all water! Stumbling at
+every step, and singing in a cracked, discordant voice, he staggered
+about amongst us like an intoxicated man. With the loss of his senses
+all his sufferings had vanished, and his thirst was appeased. It was
+hard not to wish to be a partaker of his hallucination.
+
+Dowlas, Falsten, and the boatswain, seemed to think that the unfortunate
+wretch would, like Jynxstrop, put an end to himself by leaping into the
+sea; but, determined this time to preserve the body, that it might serve
+a better purpose than merely feeding the sharks, they rose and followed
+the madman everywhere he went, keeping a strict eye upon his every
+movement.
+
+But the matter did not end as they expected. As though he were really
+intoxicated by the stimulants of which he had been raving, Flaypole at
+last sank down in a heap in a corner of the raft, where he lay lost in a
+heavy slumber.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LII.
+
+JANUARY 25th.--Last night was very misty, and for some unaccountable
+reason, one of the hottest that can be imagined. The atmosphere was
+really so stifling, that it seemed as if it only required a spark to set
+it alight. The raft was not only quite stationary, but did not even rise
+and fall with any motion of the waves.
+
+During the night I tried to count how many there were now on board,
+but I was utterly unable to collect my ideas sufficiently to make the
+enumeration. Sometimes I counted ten, sometimes twelve, and although
+I knew that eleven, since Jynxstrop was dead, was the correct number, I
+could never bring my reckoning right. Of one thing I felt quite sure,
+and that was that the number would very soon be ten. I was convinced
+that I could myself last but very little longer. All the events and
+associations of my life passed rapidly through my brain, My country, my
+friends, and my family all appeared as it were in a vision, and seemed
+as though they had come to bid me a last farewell.
+
+Towards morning I woke from my sleep, if the languid stupour into
+which I had fallen was worthy of that name. One fixed idea had taken
+possession of my brain; I would put an end to myself, and I felt a
+sort of pleasure as I gloated over the power that I had to terminate my
+sufferings. I told Curtis, with the utmost composure, of my intention,
+and he received the intelligence as calmly as it was delivered.
+
+"Of course you will do as you please," he said; "for, my own part, I
+shall not abandon my post. It is my duty to remain here, and unless
+death comes to carry me away, I shall stay where I am to the very last."
+
+The dull grey fog still hung heavily over the ocean, but the sun was
+evidently shining above the mist, and would, in course of time, dispel
+the vapour. Towards seven o'clock I fancied I heard the cries of birds
+above my head. The sound was repeated three times, and as I went up to
+the captain to ask him about it, I heard him mutter to himself,--
+
+"Birds! why, that looks as if land were not far off."
+
+But although Curtis might still cling to the hope of reaching land,
+I knew not what it was to have one sanguine thought. For me there was
+neither continent nor island; the world was one fluid sphere,
+uniform, monotonous, as in the most primitive period of its formation.
+Nevertheless it must be owned that it was with a certain amount of
+impatience that I awaited the rising of the mist, for I was anxious to
+shake off the phantom fallacies that Curtis's words had suggested to my
+mind.
+
+Not till eleven o'clock did the fog begin to break, and as it rolled in
+heavy folds along the surface of the water, I could every now and then
+catch glimpses of a clear blue sky beyond. Fierce sunbeams pierced the
+cloud-rifts, scorching and burning our bodies like red-hot iron; but
+it was only above our heads that there was any sunlight to condense the
+vapour; the horizon was still quite invisible. There was no wind, and
+for half an hour longer the fog hung heavily round the raft; whilst
+Curtis, leaning against the side, strove to penetrate the obscurity. At
+length the sun burst forth in full power, and, sweeping the surface of
+the ocean, dispelled the fog, and left the horizon opened to our eyes.
+
+There, exactly as we had seen it for the last six weeks, was the circle
+that bounded sea and sky, unbroken, definite, distinct as ever! Curtis
+gazed with intensest scrutiny, but did not speak a word. I pitied him
+sincerely, for he alone of us all felt that he had not the right to put
+an end to his misery. For myself I had fully determined that if I
+lived till the following day, I would die by my own hand. Whether my
+companions were still alive, I hardly cared to know; it seemed as though
+days had passed since I had seen them.
+
+Night drew on, but I could not sleep for a moment. Towards two o'clock
+in the morning my thirst was so intense that I was unable to suppress
+loud cries of agony. Was there nothing that would serve to quench the
+fire that was burning within me? What if instead of drinking the blood
+of others I were to drink my own? It would be all unavailing, I was well
+aware, but scarcely had the thought crossed my mind, than I proceeded to
+put it into execution. I unclasped my knife, and, stripping my arm, with
+a steady thrust I opened a small vein. The blood oozed out slowly, drop
+by drop, and as I eagerly swallowed the source of my very life, I felt
+that for a moment my torments were relieved, But only for a moment; all
+energy had failed my pulses, and almost immediately the blood had ceased
+to flow.
+
+How long it seemed before the morning dawned! and when that morning came
+it brought another fog, heavy as before that again shut out the horizon.
+The fog was hot as the burning steam that issues from a boiler. It was
+to be my last day upon earth, and I felt that I would like to press the
+hand of a friend before I died. Curtis was standing near, and crawling
+up to him, I took his hand in my own. He seemed to know that I was
+taking my farewell, and with one last lingering hope he endeavoured to
+restrain me. But all in vain, my mind was finally made up.
+
+I should have like to speak once again to M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss
+Herbey, but my courage failed me. I knew that the young girl would read
+my resolution in my eyes, and that she would speak to me of duty and of
+God, and of eternity, and I dared not meet her gaze; and I would not
+run the risk of being persuaded to wait until a lingering death should
+overtake me. I returned to the back of the raft, and after making
+several efforts, I managed to get on to my feet. I cast one long look at
+the pitiless ocean and the unbroken horizon; if a sail or the outline of
+a coast bad broken on my view, I believe that I should only have deemed
+myself the victim of an illusion; but nothing of the kind appeared, and
+the sea was dreary as a desert.
+
+It was ten o'clock in the morning. The pangs of hunger and the torments
+of thirst were racking me with redoubled vigour. All instinct of
+self-preservation had left me, and I felt that the hour had come when
+I must cease to suffer. Just as I was on the point of casting myself
+headlong into the sea, a voice, which I recognized as Dowlas's; broke
+upon my ear.
+
+"Captain," he said, "we are going to draw lots."
+
+Involuntarily I paused; I did not take my plunge, but returned to my
+place upon the raft.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LIII.
+
+JANUARY 26th.--All heard and understood the proposition; in fact, it had
+been in contemplation for several days, but no one had ventured to put
+the idea into words. However, it was done now; lots were to be drawn,
+and to each would be assigned his share of the body of the one ordained
+by fate to be the victim. For my own part, I profess that I was quite
+resigned for the lot to fall upon myself. I thought I heard Andre
+Letourneur beg for an exception to be made in favour of Miss Herbey, but
+the sailors raised a murmur of dissent. As there were eleven of us on
+board, there were ten chances to one in each one's favour, a proportion
+which would be diminished if Miss Herbey were excluded, so that the
+young lady was forced to take her chance among the rest.
+
+It was then half-past ten, and the boatswain, who had been roused from
+his lethargy by what the carpenter had said, insisted that the drawing
+should take place immediately. There was no reason for postponing the
+fatal lottery. There was not one of us that clung in the least to life,
+and we knew that at the worst, whoever should be doomed to die, would
+only precede the rest by a few days, or even hours. All that we desired
+was just once to slake our raging thirst and moderate our gnawing
+hunger.
+
+How all the names found their way to the bottom of a hat I cannot
+tell. Very likely Falsten wrote them upon a leaf torn from his
+memorandum-book. But be that as it may, the eleven names were there, and
+it was unanimously agreed that the last name drawn should be the victim.
+
+But who would draw the names? There was hesitation for a moment; then,
+"I will," said a voice behind me. Turning round, I beheld M. Letourneur
+standing with outstretched hand, and with his long white hair falling
+over his thin livid face that was almost sublime in its calmness. I
+divined at once the reason of this voluntary offer; I knew that it was
+the father's devotion in self-sacrifice that led him to undertake the
+office.
+
+"As soon as you please," said the boatswain, and handed him the hat.
+
+M. Letourneur proceeded to draw out the folded strips of paper one by
+one, and after reading out aloud the name upon it, handed it to its
+owner.
+
+The first name called was that of Burke, who uttered a cry of delight;
+then followed Flaypole and the boatswain. What his name really was I
+never could exactly learn. Then came Falsten, Curtis, Sandon. More
+than half had now been called, and my name had not yet been drawn. I
+calculated my remaining chance; it was still four to one in my favour.
+
+M. Letourneur continued his painful task. Since Burke's first
+exclamation of joy not a sound had escaped our lips, but all were
+listening in breathless silence. The seventh name was Miss Herbey's, but
+the young girl heard it without a start. Then came mine, yes, mine! and
+the ninth was that of Letourneur.
+
+"Which one?" asked the boatswain.
+
+"Andre," said M. Letourneur.
+
+With one cry Andre fell back senseless. Only two names now remained in
+the hat; those of Dowlas and of M. Letourneur himself.
+
+"Go on," almost roared the carpenter, surveying his partner in peril as
+though he could devour him. M. Letourneur almost had a smile upon
+his lips, as he drew forth the last paper but one, and with a firm,
+unfaltering voice, marvelous for his age, unfolded it slowly, and read
+the name of Dowlas. The carpenter gave a yell of relief as he heard the
+word.
+
+M. Letourneur took the last bit of paper from the hat, and without
+looking at it, tore it to pieces. But, unperceived by all but myself,
+one little fragment flew into a corner of the raft. I crawled towards it
+and picked it up. On one side of it was written Andr--; the rest of
+the word was torn away. M. Letourneur saw what I had done, and rushing
+towards me, snatched the paper from my hands, and flung it into the sea.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LIV.
+
+JANUARY 26th.--I understood it all; the devoted father having nothing
+more to give, had given his life for his son.
+
+M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the famished
+creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to their cravings.
+At the very sight of the victim thus provided, all the tortures of
+hunger returned with redoubled violence. With lips distended, and teeth
+displayed, they waited like a herd of carnivora until they could attack
+their prey with brutal voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they
+would not fall upon him while he was still alive. It seemed impossible
+that any appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any
+weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it may
+seem, prevailed.
+
+Just as the boatswain was about to act the part of butcher, and Dowlas
+stood, hatchet in hand, ready to complete the barbarous work, Miss
+Herbey advanced, or rather crawled, towards them.
+
+"My friends," she pleaded, "will you not wait just one more day? If no
+land or ship is in sight to-morrow, then I suppose our poor companion
+must become your victim. But allow him one more day; in the name of
+mercy I entreat, I implore you."
+
+My heart bounded as she made her pitiful appeal. It seemed to me as
+though the noble girl had spoken with an inspiration on her lips, and I
+fancied that, perhaps, in super-natural vision she had viewed the coast
+or the ship of which she spoke; and one more day was not much to us who
+had already suffered so long, and endured so much.
+
+Curtis and Falsten agreed with me, and we all united to support Miss
+Herbey's merciful petition. The sailors did not utter a murmur, and the
+boatswain in a smothered voice said,--
+
+"Very well, we will wait till daybreak tomorrow," and threw down his
+hatchet.
+
+To-morrow, then, unless land or a sail appear, the horrible sacrifice
+will be accomplished. Stifling their sufferings by a strenuous effort,
+all returned to their places. The sailors crouched beneath the sails,
+caring nothing about scanning the ocean. Food was in store for them
+to-morrow, and that was enough for them.
+
+As soon as Andre Letourneur came to his senses, his first thought was
+for his father, and I saw him count the passengers on the raft. He
+looked puzzled; when he lost consciousness there had been only two
+names left in the hat, those of his father and the carpenter; and yet M.
+Letourneur and Dowlas were both there still. Miss Herbey went up to
+him and told him quietly that the drawing of the lots had not yet been
+finished. Andre asked no further question, but took his father's
+hand. M. Letourneur's countenance was calm and serene; he seemed to be
+conscious of nothing except that the life of his son was spared, and as
+the two sat conversing in an undertone at the back of the raft, their
+whole existence seemed bound up in each other.
+
+Meantime, I could not disabuse my mind of the impression caused by Miss
+Herbey's intervention. Something told me that help was near at hand, and
+that we were approaching the termination of our suspense and misery; the
+chimeras that were floating through my brain resolved themselves into
+realities, so that nothing appeared to me more certain than that either
+land or sail, be they miles away, would be discovered somewhere to
+leeward.
+
+I imparted my convictions to M. Letourneur and his son. Andre was as
+sanguine as myself; poor boy! he little thinks what a loss there is in
+store for him tomorrow. His father listened gravely to all we said,
+and whatever he might think in his own mind, he did not give us any
+discouragement; Heaven, he said, he was sure would still spare the
+survivors of the "Chancellor," and then he lavished on his son caresses
+which he deemed to be his last.
+
+Some time afterwards, when I was alone with him, M. Letourneur whispered
+in my ear,--
+
+"Mr. Kazallon, I commend my boy to your care, and mark you, he must
+never know--"
+
+His voice was choked with tears, and he could not finish his sentence.
+
+But I was full of hope, and, without a moment's intermission, I kept my
+eyes fixed upon the unbroken horizon, Curtis, Miss Herbey, Falsten, and
+even the boatswain, were also eagerly scanning the broad expanse of sea.
+
+Night has come on; but I have still a profound conviction that through
+the darkness some ship will approach, and that at daybreak our raft will
+be observed.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LV.
+
+JANUARY 27th.--I did not close my eyes all night, and was keenly alive
+to the faintest sounds, and every ripple of the water, and every murmur
+of the waves, broke distinctly on my ear. One thing I noticed and
+accepted as a happy omen; not a single shark now lingered-round the
+raft. The waning moon rose at a quarter to one, and through the feeble
+glimmer which she cast across the ocean, many and many a time I fancied
+I caught sight of the longed-for sail, lying only a few cables' lengths
+away.
+
+But when morning came, the sun rose once again upon a desert ocean, and
+my hopes began to fade. Neither ship nor shore had appeared, and as the
+shocking hour of execution drew near, my dreams of deliverance melted
+away; I shuddered in my very soul as I was brought face to face with the
+stern reality. I dared not look upon the victim, and whenever his eyes,
+so full of calmness and resignation, met my own, I turned away my
+head. I felt choked with horror, and my brain reeled as though I were
+intoxicated.
+
+It was now six o'clock, and all hope had vanished from my breast; my
+heart beat rapidly, and a cold sweat of agony broke out all over me.
+Curtis and the boatswain stood by the mast attentively scanning the
+horizon. The boatswain's countenance was terrible to look upon;
+one could see that although he would not forestall the hour, he was
+determined not to wait a moment after it arrived. As for the captain, it
+was impossible to tell what really passed within his mind; his face was
+livid, and his whole existence seemed concentrated in the exercise of
+his power of vision. The sailors were crawling about the platform, with
+their eyes gleaming, like wild beasts ready to pounce upon their devoted
+prey.
+
+I could no longer keep my place, and glided along to the front of the
+raft. The boatswain was still standing intent on his watch, but all of a
+sudden, in a voice that made me start he shouted,--
+
+"Now then, time's up!" and followed by Dowlas, Burke, Flaypole, and
+Sandon, ran to the back of the raft. As Dowlas seized the hatchet
+convulsively, Miss Herbey could not suppress a cry of terror. Andre
+started to his feet.
+
+"What are you going to do to my father?" he asked in accents choked with
+emotion.
+
+"My boy," said M. Letourneur, "the lot has fallen upon me, and I must
+die!"
+
+"Never!" shrieked Andre, throwing his arms about his father, "They shall
+kill me first. It was I who threw Hobart's body into the sea, and it is
+I who ought to die!"
+
+But the words of the unhappy youth had no other effect than to increase
+the fury of the men who were so staunchly bent upon their bloody
+purpose.
+
+"Come, come, no more fuss," said Dowlas, as he tore the young man away
+from his father's embrace.
+
+Andre fell upon his back, in which position two of the sailors held him
+down so tightly that he could not move, whilst Burke and Sandon carried
+off their victim to the front.
+
+All this had taken place much more rapidly than I have been able to
+describe it. I was transfixed with horror, and much as I wished to throw
+myself between M. Letourneur and his executioners, I seemed to be rooted
+to the spot where I was standing.
+
+Meantime the sailors had been taking off some of M. Letourneur's
+clothes, and his neck and shoulders were already bare.
+
+"Stop a moment!" he said in a tone in which was the ring of indomitable
+courage. "Stop! I don't want to deprive you of your ration; but I
+suppose you will not require to eat the whole of me today."
+
+The sailors, taken aback by his suggestion, stared at him with
+amazement.
+
+"There are ten of you," he went on. "My two arms will give you each a
+meal; cut them off for to-day, and to-morrow you shall have the rest of
+me."
+
+"Agreed!" cried Dowlas; and as M. Letourneur held out his bare arms,
+quick as lightning the carpenter raised his hatchet.
+
+Curtis and I could bear this scene no longer; whilst we were alive
+to prevent it, this butchery should not be permitted, and we rushed
+forwards simultaneously to snatch the victim from his murderers. A
+furious struggle ensued, and in the midst of the MELEE I was seized by
+one of the sailors, and hurled violently into the sea.
+
+Closing my lips, I tried to die of suffocation in the water; but in
+spite of myself, my mouth opened, and a few drops trickled down my
+throat.
+
+Merciful Heaven! the water was fresh!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LVI.
+
+JANUARY 27th CONTINUED.--A change came over me as if by miracle. No
+longer had I any wish to die, and already Curtis, who had heard my
+cries, was throwing me a rope. I seized it eagerly, and was hauled up on
+to the raft, "Fresh water!" were the first words I uttered.
+
+"Fresh water?" cried Curtis, "why then, my friends, we are not far from
+land!"
+
+It was not too late; the blow had not been struck, and so the victim
+had not yet fallen. Curtis and Andre (who had regained his liberty)
+had fought with the cannibals, and it was just as they were yielding to
+overpowering numbers that my voice had made itself heard.
+
+The struggle came to an end. As soon as the words "Fresh water" had
+escaped my lips, I leaned over the side of the raft and swallowed the
+life-giving liquid in greedy draughts. Miss Herbey was the first to
+follow my example, but soon Curtis, Falsten, and all the rest were on
+their knees and drinking eagerly, The rough sailors seemed as if by a
+magic touch transformed back from ravenous beasts to human beings, and
+I saw several of them raise their hands to heaven in silent gratitude,
+Andre and his father were the last to drink.
+
+"But where are we?" I asked at length.
+
+"The land is there," said Curtis pointing towards 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 centre 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.
+
+JANUARY 27th 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 onwards 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 lat. 0deg. 12min. N., so that since we
+abandoned the "Chancellor" we had drifted at least fifteen degrees to
+the south-west. 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 honoured 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 so richly she deserves?
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Survivors of the Chancellor, by Jules Verne
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+*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END*
+
+
+
+
+
+THE SURVIVORS OF THE CHANCELLOR.
+
+DIARY OF J.R.KAZALLON, PASSENGER.
+
+By JULES VERNE.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+CHARLESTON, SEPTEMBER 27th, 1869.--It is high tide, and three
+o'clock in the afternoon when we leave the Battery-quay; the ebb
+carries us off shore, and as Captain Huntly has hoisted both main
+and top sails, the northerly breeze drives the "Chancellor"
+briskly across the bay.  Fort Sumter ere long is doubled, the
+sweeping batteries of the mainland on our left are soon passed,
+and by four o'clock the rapid current of the ebbing tide has
+carried us through the harbour-mouth.
+
+But as yet we have not reached the open sea; we have still to
+thread our way through the narrow channels which the surge has
+hollowed out amongst the sand-banks.  The captain takes a south-
+west course, rounding the lighthouse at the corner of the fort;
+the sails are closely trimmed; the last sandy point is safely
+coasted, and at length, at seven o'clock in the evening; we are
+out free upon the wide Atlantic.
+
+The "Chancellor" is a fine square-rigged three-master, of 900
+tons burden, and belongs to the wealthy Liverpool firm of Laird
+Brothers.  She is two years old, is sheathed and secured with
+copper, her decks being of teak, and the base of all her masts,
+except the mizen, with all their fittings, being of iron.  She is
+registered first class A I, and is now on her third voyage
+between Charleston and Liverpool.  As she wended her way through
+the channels of Charleston harbour, it was the British flag that
+was lowered from her mast-head; but without colours at all, no
+sailor could have hesitated for a moment in telling her
+nationality,--for English she was, and nothing but English from
+her water-line upwards to the truck of her masts.
+
+I must now relate how it happens that I have taken my passage on
+board the "Chancellor" on her return voyage to England.
+At present there is no direct steamship service between South
+Carolina and Great Britain, and all who wish to cross must go
+either northwards to New York or southwards to New Orleans.  It
+is quite true that if I had chosen to start from New York I might
+have found plenty of vessels belonging to English, French, or
+Hamburg lines, any of which would have conveyed me by a rapid
+voyage to my destination; and it is equally true that if I had
+selected New Orleans for my embarkation I could readily have
+reached Europe by one of the vessels of the National Steam
+Navigation Company, which join the French Transatlantic line of
+Colon and Aspinwall.  But it was fated to be otherwise.
+
+One day, as I was loitering about the Charleston quays, my eye
+lighted upon this vessel.  There was something about the
+"Chancellor" that pleased me, and a kind of involuntary impulse
+took me on board, where I found the internal arrangements
+perfectly comfortable.  Yielding to the idea that a voyage in a
+sailing vessel had certain charms beyond the transit in a
+steamer, and reckoning that with wind and wave in my favour there
+would be little material difference in time; considering,
+moreover, that in these low latitudes the weather in early autumn
+is fine and unbroken, I came to my decision, and proceeded
+forthwith to secure my passage by this route to Europe.
+
+Have I done right or wrong?  Whether I shall have reason to
+regret my determination is a problem to be solved in the future.
+However, I will begin to record the incidents of our daily
+experience, dubious as I feel whether the lines of my chronicle
+will ever find a reader.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+SEPTEMBER 28th.--John Silas Huntly, the captain of the
+"Chancellor," has the reputation of being an experienced
+navigator of the Atlantic.  He is a Scotchman, a native of
+Dundee, and is about fifty years of age.  He is of middle height
+and slight build, and has a small head, which he has a habit of
+holding a little over his left shoulder.  I do not pretend to be
+much of a physiognomist, but I am inclined to believe that my few
+hours' acquaintance with our captain has given me considerable
+insight into his character.  That he is a good seaman and
+thoroughly understands his duties I could not for a moment
+venture to deny; but that he is a man of resolute temperament, or
+that he possesses the amount of courage that would render him,
+physically or morally, capable of coping with any great
+emergency, I confess I cannot believe.  I observe a certain
+heaviness and dejection about his whole carriage.  His wavering
+glances, the listless motions of his hands, and his slow,
+unsteady gait, all seem to me to indicate a weak and sluggish
+disposition.  He does not appear as though he could be energetic
+enough ever to be stubborn; he never frowns, sets his teeth, or
+clenches his fist. There is something enigmatical about him;
+however, I shall study him closely and do what I can to
+understand the man who, as commander of a vessel, should be to
+those around him "second only to God."
+
+Unless I am greatly mistaken there is another man on board who,
+if circumstances should require it, would take the more prominent
+position--I mean the mate.  I have hitherto, however, had such
+little opportunity of observing his character, that I must defer
+saying more about him at present.
+
+Besides the captain and this mate, whose name is Robert Curtis,
+our crew consists of Walter, the lieutenant, the boatswain, and
+fourteen sailors, all English or Scotch, making eighteen
+altogether, a number quite sufficient for working a vessel of 900
+tons burden.  Up to this time my sole experience of their
+capabilities is, that under the command of the mate, they brought
+us skilfully enough through the narrow channels of Charleston;
+and I have no reason to doubt but that they are well up to their
+work.
+
+My list of the ship's officials is incomplete unless I mention
+Hobart, the steward, and Jynxstrop, the negro cook.
+
+In addition to these, the "Chancellor" carries eight passengers,
+including myself.  Hitherto, the bustle of embarkation, the
+arrangement of cabins, and all the variety of preparations
+inseparable from starting on a voyage for at least twenty or
+five-and-twenty days have precluded the formation of any
+acquaintanceships; but the monotony of the voyage, the close
+proximity into which we must be thrown, and the natural curiosity
+to know something of each other's affairs, will doubtless lead us
+in due time to an interchange of ideas.  Two days have elapsed
+and I have not even seen all the passengers.  Probably sea-
+sickness has prevented some of them from making their appearance
+at the common table.  One thing, however, I do know; namely, that
+there are two ladies occupying the stern-cabins, the windows of
+which are in the aft-board of the vessel.
+
+I have seen the ship's list and subjoin a list of the passengers.
+They are as follow:-- Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Americans, of Buffalo.
+Miss Herbey, a young English lady, companion to Mrs. Kear.  M.
+Letourneur and his son Andre, Frenchmen, of Havre.  William
+Falsten, a Manchester engineer.  John Ruby, a Cardiff merchant;
+and myself, J. R. Kazallon, of London.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+SEPTEMBER 29th.--Captain Huntly's bill of lading, that is to say,
+the document that describes the "Chancellor's" cargo and the
+conditions of transport, is couched in the following terms:--
+
+"BRONSFIELD AND CO., AGENTS, CHARLESTON.
+
+"I, John Silas Huntly, of Dundee, Scotland, commander of the ship
+'Chancellor,' of about 900 tons burden, now at Charleston, do
+purpose, by the blessing of God, at the earliest convenient
+season, and by the direct route, to sail for the port of
+Liverpool, where I shall obtain my discharge.  I do hereby
+acknowledge that I have received from you, Messrs. Bronsfield and
+Co., Commission Agents, Charleston, and have placed the same
+under the gun-deck of the aforesaid ship, seventeen hundred bales
+of cotton, of the estimated value of 26,000l., all in good
+condition, marked and numbered as in the margin; which goods I do
+undertake to transport to Liverpool, and there to deliver, free
+from injury (save only such injury as shall have been caused by
+the chances of the sea), to Messrs. Laird Brothers, or to their
+order, or to their representative, who shall on due delivery of
+the said freight pay me the sum of 2000l. inclusive, according
+to the charter-party and damages in addition, according to the
+usages and customs of the sea.
+
+"And for the fulfilment of the above covenant, I have pledged and
+do pledge my person, my property, and my interest in the vessel
+aforesaid, with all its appurtenances.  In witness whereof, I
+have signed three agreements, all of the same purport; on the
+condition that when the terms of one are accomplished, the other
+two shall be absolutely null and void.
+
+"Given at Charleston, September 13th, 1869,
+                            "J. S. HUNTLY."
+
+From the foregoing document it will be understood that the
+"Chancellor" is conveying 1700 bales of cotton to Liverpool; that
+the shippers are Bronsfield, of Charleston, and the consignees
+are Laird Brothers, of Liverpool.  The ship was constructed with
+the especial design of carrying cotton, and the entire hold, with
+the exception of a very limited space reserved for passengers'
+luggage, is closely packed with the bales, The lading was
+performed with the utmost care, each bale being pressed into its
+proper place by the aid of screw-jacks, so that the whole freight
+forms one solid and compact mass; not an inch of space is wasted,
+and the vessel is thus made capable of carrying her full
+complement of cargo.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+SEPTEMBER 30th to OCTOBER 6th.--The "Chancellor" is a rapid
+sailer, and more than a match for many a vessel of the same
+dimensions.  She scuds along merrily in the freshening breeze,
+leaving in her wake, far as the eye can reach, a long white line
+of foam as well defined as a delicate strip of lace stretched
+upon an azure ground.
+
+The Atlantic is not visited by many gales, and I have every
+reason to believe that the rolling and pitching of the vessel no
+longer incommode any of the passengers, who are all more or less
+accustomed to the sea.  A vacant seat at our table is now very
+rare; we are beginning to know something about each other, and
+our daily life, in consequence, is becoming somewhat less
+monotonous.
+
+M. Letourneur, our French fellow-passenger, often has a chat with
+me.  He is a fine tall man, about fifty years of age, with white
+hair and a grizzly beard. To say the truth, he looks older than
+he really is:  his drooping head, his dejected manner, and his
+eye, ever and again suffused with tears, indicate that he is
+haunted by some deep and abiding sorrow.  He never laughs; he
+rarely even smiles, and then only on his son:  his countenance
+ordinarily bearing a look of bitterness tempered by affection,
+while his general expression is one of caressing tenderness.  It
+excites an involuntary commiseration to learn that M. Letourneur
+is consuming himself by exaggerated reproaches on account of the
+infirmity of an afflicted son.
+
+Andre Letourneur is about twenty years of age, with a gentle,
+interesting countenance, but, to the irrepressible grief of his
+father, is a hopeless cripple.  His left leg is miserably
+deformed, and he is quite unable to walk without the assistance
+of a stick.  It is obvious that the father's life is bound up
+with that of his son; his devotion is unceasing; every thought,
+every glance is for Andre; he seems to anticipate his most
+trifling wish, watches his slightest movement, and his arm is
+ever ready to support or otherwise assist the child whose
+sufferings he more than shares.
+
+M. Letourneur seems to have taken a peculiar fancy to myself, and
+constantly talks about Andre.  This morning, in the course of
+conversation, I said,--
+
+"You have a good son, M. Letourneur.  I have just been talking to
+him.  He is a most intelligent young man."
+
+"Yes, Mr. Kazallon," replied M. Letourneur, brightening up into a
+smile, "his afflicted frame contains a noble mind.  He is like
+his mother, who died at his birth."
+
+"He is full of reverence and love for you, sir," I remarked.
+
+"Dear boy!"  muttered the father half to himself.  "Ah, Mr.
+Kazallon," he continued, "you do not know what it is to a father
+to have a son a cripple, beyond hope of cure."
+
+"M. Letourneur," I answered, "you take more than your share of
+the affliction which has fallen upon you and your son.  That M.
+Andre is entitled to the very greatest commiseration no one can
+deny; but you should remember, that after all a physical
+infirmity is not so hard to bear as mental grief.  Now, I have
+watched your son pretty closely, and unless I am much mistaken
+there is nothing, that troubles him so much as the sight of your
+own sorrow."
+
+"But I never let him see it," he broke in hastily.  "My sole
+thought is how to divert him.  I have discovered, that in spite
+of his physical weakness, he delights in travelling; so for the
+last few years we have been constantly on the move.  We first
+went all over Europe, and are now returning from visiting the
+principal places in the United States.  I never allowed my son to
+go to college, but instructed him entirely myself, and these
+travels, I hope, will serve to complete his education.  He is
+very intelligent, and has a lively imagination, and I am
+sometimes tempted to hope that in contemplating the wonders of
+nature he forgets his own infirmity."
+
+"Yes, sir, of course he does," I assented.
+
+"But," continued M. Letourneur, taking my hand, "although,
+perhaps, HE may forget, I can never forget.  Ah, sir, do you
+suppose that Andre can ever forgive his parents for bringing him
+into the world a cripple?"
+
+The remorse of the unhappy father was very distressing, and I was
+about to say a few kind words of sympathy when Andre himself made
+his appearance.  M. Letourneur hastened toward him and assisted
+him up the few steep steps that led to the poop.
+
+As soon as Andre was comfortably seated on one of the benches,
+and his father had taken his place by his side, I joined them,
+and we fell into conversation upon ordinary topics, discussing
+the various points of the "Chancellor," the probable length of
+the passage, and the different details of our life on board.  I
+find that M. Letourneur's estimate of Captain Huntly's character
+very much coincided with my own, and that, like me, he is
+impressed with the man's undecided manner and sluggish
+appearance.  Like me, too, he has formed a very favourable
+opinion of Robert Curtis, the mate, a man of about thirty years
+of age, of great muscular power, with a frame and a will that
+seem ever ready for action.
+
+Whilst we were still talking of him, Curtis himself came on deck,
+and as I watched his movements I could not help being struck with
+his physical development; his erect and easy carriage, his
+fearless glance and slightly contracted brow all betokened a man
+of energy, thoroughly endowed with the calmness and courage that
+are indispensable to the true sailor.  He seems a kind-hearted
+fellow, too, and is always ready to assist and amuse young
+Letourneur, who evidently enjoys his company.  After he had
+scanned the weather and examined the trim of the sails, he joined
+our party and proceeded to give us some information about those
+of our fellow-passengers with whom at present we have made but
+slight acquaintance.
+
+Mr. Kear, the American, who is accompanied by his wife, has made
+a large fortune in the petroleum springs in the United States.
+He is a man of about fifty, a most uninteresting companion, being
+overwhelmed with a sense of his own wealth and importance, and
+consequently supremely indifferent to all around him.  His hands
+are always in his pockets, and the chink of money seems to follow
+him wherever he goes.  Vain and conceited, a fool as well as an
+egotist, he struts about like a peacock showing its plumage, and
+to borrow the words of the physiognomist Gratiolet, "il se
+flaire, il se savoure, il se goute."  Why he should have taken
+his passage on board a mere merchant vessel instead of enjoying
+the luxuries of a Transatlantic steamer, I am altogether at a
+loss to explain.
+
+The wife is an insignificant, insipid woman, of about forty years
+of age.  She never reads, never talks, and I believe I am not
+wrong in saying, never thinks.  She seems to look without seeing,
+and listen without hearing, and her sole occupation consists in
+giving her orders to her companion, Miss Herbey, a young English
+girl of about twenty.
+
+Miss Herbey is extremely pretty.  Her complexion is fair and her
+eyes deep blue, whilst her pleasing countenance is altogether
+free from that insignificance of feature which is not
+unfrequently alleged to be characteristic of English beauty.  Her
+mouth would be charming if she ever smiled, but exposed as she is
+to the ridiculous whims and fancies of a capricious mistress, her
+lips rarely relax from their ordinary grave expression.  Yet
+humiliating as her position must be, she never utters a word of
+open complaint, but quietly and gracefully performs her duties
+accepting without a murmur the paltry salary which the bumptious
+petroleum-merchant condescends to allow her.
+
+The Manchester engineer, William Falsten, looks like a thorough
+Englishman.  He has the management of some extensive hydraulic
+works in South Carolina, and is now on his way to Europe to
+obtain some improved apparatus, and more especially to visit the
+mines worked by centrifugal force, belonging to the firm of
+Messrs. Cail.  He is forty-five years of age, with all his
+interests so entirely absorbed by his machinery that he seems to
+have neither a thought nor a care beyond his mechanical
+calculations.  Once let him engage you in conversation, and there
+is no chance of escape; you have no help for it but to listen as
+patiently as you can until he has completed the explanation of
+his designs.
+
+The last of our fellow-passengers, Mr. Ruby, is the type of a
+vulgar tradesman.  Without any originality or magnanimity in his
+composition, he has spent twenty years of his life in mere buying
+and selling, and as he has generally contrived to do business at
+a profit, he has realized a considerable fortune.  What he is
+going to do with the money, be does not seem able to say:  his
+ideas do not go beyond retail trade, his mind having been so long
+closed to all other impressions that it appears incapable of
+thought or reflection on any subject besides.  Pascal says,
+"L'homme est visiblement fait pour penser.  C'est toute sa
+dignite et tout-son merite;" but to Mr. Ruby the phrase seems
+altogether inapplicable.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+OCTOBER 7th.--This is the tenth day since we left Charleston, and
+I should think our progress has been very rapid.  Robert Curtis,
+the mate, with whom I continue to have many a friendly chat,
+informed me that we could not be far off Cape Hatteras in the
+Bermudas; the ship's bearings, he said were lat. 32deg. 20min. N.
+and long. 64deg. 50min. W., so that he had every reason to
+believe that we should sight St. George's Island before night.
+
+"The Bermudas!"  I exclaimed.  "But how is it we are off the
+Bermudas?  I should have thought that a vessel sailing from
+Charleston to Liverpool, would have kept northwards, and have
+followed the track of the Gulf Stream."
+
+"Yes, indeed; sir," replied Curtis, "that is the usual course;
+but you see that this time the captain hasn't chosen to take it."
+
+"But why not?"  I persisted.
+
+"That's not for me to say, sir; he ordered us eastwards, and
+eastwards we go."
+
+"Haven't you called his attention to it?"  I inquired.
+
+Curtis acknowledged that he had already pointed out what an
+unusual route they were taking, but that the captain had said
+that he was quite aware what he was about.  The mate made no
+further remark; but the knit of his brow, as he passed his hand
+mechanically across his forehead, made me fancy that he was
+inclined to speak out more strongly.
+
+"All very well, Curtis," I said, "but I don't know what to think
+about trying new routes.  Here we are at the 7th of October, and
+if we are to reach Europe before the bad weather sets in, I
+should suppose there is not a day to be lost."
+
+"Right, sir, quite right; there is not a day to be lost."
+
+Struck by his manner, I ventured to add, "Do you mind, Mr. Curtis
+giving me your honest opinion of Captain Huntly?"
+
+He hesitated a moment, and then replied shortly, "He is my
+captain, sir."
+
+This evasive answer of course put an end to any further
+interrogation on my part, but it only set me thinking the more.
+
+Curtis was not mistaken.  At about three o'clock the lookout man
+sung out that there was land to windward, and descried what
+seemed as if it might be a line of smoke in the north-east
+horizon.  At six, I went on deck with M. Letourneur and his son,
+and we could then distinctly make out the low group of the
+Bermudas, encircled by their formidable chain of breakers.
+
+"There," said Andre Letourneur to me, as we stood gazing at the
+distant land, "there lies the enchanted Archipelago, sung by your
+poet Moore.  The exile Waller, too, as long ago as 1643, wrote an
+enthusiastic panegyric on the islands, and I have been told that
+at one time English ladies would wear no other bonnets than such
+as were made of the leaves of the Bermuda palm."
+
+"Yes," I replied, "the Bermudas were all the rage in the
+seventeenth century, although laterly they have fallen into
+comparative oblivion."
+
+"But let me tell you, M. Andre," interposed Curtis, who had as
+usual joined our party, "that although poets may rave, and be as
+enthusiastic as they like about these islands, sailors will tell
+a different tale.  The hidden reefs that lie in a semicircle
+about two or three leagues from shore make the attempt to land a
+very dangerous piece of business.  And another thing, I know.
+Let the natives boast as they will about their splendid climate,
+they, are visited by the most frightful hurricanes.  They get the
+fag-end of the storms that rage over the Antilles; and the fag-
+end of a storm is like the tail of a whale; it's just the
+strongest bit of it.  I don't think you'll find a sailor
+listening much to your poets,--your Moores, and your Wallers."
+
+"No, doubt you are right, Mr. Curtis," said Andre, smiling, "but
+poets are like proverbs; you can always find one to contradict
+another.  Although Waller and Moore have chosen to sing the
+praises of the Bermudas, it has been supposed that Shakspeare was
+depicting them in the terrible scenes that are found in 'The
+Tempest.'"
+
+The whole vicinity of these islands is beyond a question
+extremely perilous to mariners.  Situated between the Antilles
+and Nova Scotia, the Bermudas have ever since their discovery
+belonged to the English, who have mainly used them for a military
+station.  But this little archipelago, comprising some hundred
+and fifty different isles and islets, is destined to increase,
+and that, perhaps, on a larger scale than has yet been
+anticipated.  Beneath the waves there are madrepores, in infinity
+of number, silently but ceaselessly pursuing their labours; and
+with time, that fundamental element in nature's workings, who
+shall tell whether these may not gradually build up island after
+island, which shall unite and form another continent?
+
+I may mention that there was not another of our fellow-passengers
+who took the trouble to come on deck and give a glance at this
+strange cluster of islands.  Miss Herbey, it is true, was making
+an attempt to join us, but she had barely reached the poop, when
+Mrs. Kear's languid voice was heard recalling her for some
+trifling service to her side.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+OCTOBER 8th to OCTOBER 13th.--The wind is blowing hard from the
+north-east; and the "Chancellor" under low-reefed top-sail and
+fore-sail, and labouring against a heavy sea, has been obliged to
+be brought ahull.  The joists and girders all creak again until
+one's teeth are set on edge.  I am the only passenger not
+remaining below; but I prefer being on deck notwithstanding the
+driving rain, fine as dust, which penetrates to my very skin.  We
+have been driven along in this fashion for the best part of two
+days; the "stiffish breeze" has gradually freshened into "a
+gale;" the top-gallants have been lowered, and, as I write, the
+wind is blowing with a velocity of fifty or sixty miles an hour.
+Although the "Chancellor" has many good points, her drift is
+considerable, and we have been carried far to the south we can
+only guess at our precise position, as the cloudy atmosphere
+entirely precludes us from taking the sun's altitude.
+
+All along throughout this period, my fellow-passengers are
+totally ignorant of the extraordinary course that we are taking
+England lies to the NORTH-EAST, yet we are sailing directly
+SOUTH-EAST, and Robert Curtis owns that he is quite bewildered;
+he cannot comprehend why the captain, ever since this north-
+easterly gale has been blowing, should persist in allowing the
+ship to drive to the south, instead of tacking to the north-west
+until she gets into better quarters.
+
+I was alone with Curtis to-day upon the poop, and could not help
+saying to him "Curtis, is your captain mad?"
+
+"Perhaps, sir, I might be allowed to ask what YOU think upon that
+matter," was his cautious reply.
+
+"Well to say the truth," I answered, "I can hardly tell; but I
+confess there is every now and then a wandering in his eye, and
+an odd look on his face that I do not like.  Have you ever sailed
+with him before?"
+
+"No; this is our first voyage together.  Again last night I spoke
+to him about the route we were taking, but he only said he knew
+all about it, and that it was all right."
+
+"What do Lieutenant Walter and your boatswain think of it all?"
+I inquired.
+
+"Think; why they think just the same as I do," replied the mate;
+"but if the captain chooses to take the ship to China we should
+obey his orders."
+
+"But surely," I exclaimed, "there must be some limit to your
+obedience!  Suppose the man is actually mad, what then?"
+
+"If he should be mad enough, Mr. Kazallon, to bring the vessel
+into any real danger, I shall know what to do."
+
+With this assurance I am forced to be content.  Matters, however,
+have taken a different turn to what I bargained for when I took
+my passage on board the "Chancellor."  The weather has become
+worse and worse.  As I have already said, the ship under her
+large low-reefed top-sail and fore stay-sail has been brought
+ahull, that is to say, she copes directly with the wind, by
+presenting her broad bows to the sea; and so we go on still
+drift, drift, continually to the south.
+
+How southerly our course has been is very apparent; for upon the
+night of the 11th we fairly entered upon that portion of the
+Atlantic which is known as the Sargassos Sea.  An extensive tract
+of water is this, enclosed by the warm current of the Gulf
+Stream, and thickly covered with the wrack, called by the
+Spaniards "sargasso," the abundance of which so seriously impeded
+the progress of Columbus's vessels on his first voyage across the
+ocean.
+
+Each morning at daybreak the Atlantic has presented an aspect so
+remarkable, that at my solicitation, M. Letourneur and his son
+have ventured upon deck to witness the unusual spectacle.  The
+squally gusts make the metal shrouds vibrate like harp-strings;
+and unless we were on our guard to keep our clothes wrapped
+tightly to us, they would have been torn off our backs in shreds.
+The scene presented to our eyes is one of strangest interest.
+The sea, carpeted thickly with masses of prolific fucus, is a
+vast unbroken plain of vegetation, through which the vessel makes
+her way as a plough.  Long strips of seaweed caught up by the
+wind become entangled in the rigging, and hang between the masts
+in festoons of verdure; whilst others, varying from two to three
+hundred feet in length, twine themselves up to the very mast-
+heads, from whence they float like streaming pendants.  For many
+hours now, the "Chancellor" has been contending with this
+formidable accumulation of algae; her masts are circled with
+hydrophytes; her rigging is wreathed everywhere with creepers,
+fantastic as the untrammelled tendrils of a vine, and as she
+works her arduous course, there are times when I can only compare
+her to an animated grove of verdure making its mysterious way
+over some illimitable prairie.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+OCTOBER 14th.--At last we are free from the sea of vegetation,
+the boisterous gale has moderated into a steady breeze, the sun
+is shining brightly, the weather is warm and genial, and thus,
+two reefs in her top-sails, briskly and merrily sails the
+"Chancellor."
+
+Under conditions so favourable, we have been able to take the
+ship's bearings:  our latitude, we find, is 21deg. 33min. N., our
+longitude 50deg. 17min. W.
+
+Incomprehensible altogether is the conduct of Captain Huntly.
+Here we are, already more than ten degrees south of the point
+from which, we started, and yet still we are persistently
+following a south-easterly course!  I cannot bring myself to the
+conclusion that the man is mad.  I have had various conversations
+with him:  he has always spoken rationally and sensibly.  He
+shows no tokens of insanity.  Perhaps his case is one of those in
+which insanity is partial, and where the mania is of a character
+which extends only to the matters connected with his profession.
+Yet it is unaccountable.
+
+I can get nothing out of Curtis; he listens coldly whenever I
+allude to the subject, and only repeats what he has said before,
+that nothing short of an overt act of madness on the part of the
+captain could induce him to supersede the captain's authority and
+that the imminent peril of the ship could alone justify him in
+taking so decided a measure.
+
+Last evening I went to my cabin about eight o'clock, and after an
+hour's reading by the light of my cabin-lamp, I retired to my
+berth and was soon asleep.  Some hours later I was aroused by an
+unaccustomed noise on deck.  There were heavy footsteps hurrying
+to and fro, and the voices of the men were loud and eager, as if
+the crew were agitated by some strange disturbance.  My first
+impression was, that some tacking had been ordered which rendered
+it needful to fathom the yards; but the vessel continuing to lie
+to starboard convinced me that this was not the origin of the
+commotion, I was curious to know the truth, and made all haste I
+could to go on deck; but before I was ready, the noise had
+ceased.  I heard Captain Huntly return to his cabin, and
+accordingly I retired again to my own berth.  Whatever may have
+been the meaning of the manoeuvre, I cannot tell; it did not seem
+to have resulted in any improvement in the ship's pace; still it
+must be owned there was not much wind to speed us along.
+
+At six o'clock this morning I mounted the poop and made as keen a
+scrutiny as I could of everything on board.  Everything appeared
+as usual.  The "Chancellor" was running on the larboard tack, and
+carried low-sails, top-sails, and gallant-sails.  Well braced she
+was; and under a fresh, but not uneasy breeze, was making no less
+than eleven knots an hour.
+
+Shortly afterwards M. Letourneur and Andre came an deck.  The
+young man enjoyed the early morning air, laden with its briny
+fragrance, and I assisted him to mount the poop.  In answer to my
+inquiry as to whether they had been disturbed by any bustle in
+the night, Andre replied that he did not wake at all, and had
+heard nothing.
+
+"I am glad, my boy," said his father, that you have slept so
+soundly.  I heard the noise of which Mr. Kazallon speaks.  It
+must have; been about three o'clock this morning, and it seemed
+to me as though they were shouting.  I thought I heard them say,
+'Here, quick, look to the hatches!' but as nobody was called up,
+I presumed that nothing serious was the matter."
+
+As he spoke I cast my eye at the panel-slides, which fore and aft
+of the main-mast open into the hold.  They seemed to be all close
+as usual, but I now observed for the first time that they were
+covered with heavy tarpauling.  Wondering; in my own mind what
+could be the reason for these extra precautions I did not say
+anything to M. Letourneur, but determined to wait until the mate
+should come on watch, when he would doubtless give me, I thought,
+an explanation of the mystery.
+
+The sun rose gloriously, with every promise of a fine dry day.
+The waning moon was yet above the western horizon, for as it
+still wants three days to her last quarter she does not set until
+10.57 am.  On consulting my almanac, I find that there will be a
+new moon on the 24th, and that on that day, little as it may
+affect us here in mid ocean, the phenomenon of the high sygyzian
+tides will take place on the shores of every continent and
+island.
+
+At the breakfast hour M. Letourneur and Andre went below for a
+cup of tea, and I remained on the poop alone.  As I expected,
+Curtis appeared, that he might relieve Lieutenant Walter of the
+watch.  I advanced to meet him, but before he even wished me good
+morning, I saw him cast a quick and searching glance upon the
+deck, and then, with a slightly contracted brow, proceed to
+examine the state of the weather and the trim of the sails.
+
+"Where is Captain Huntly?"  he said to Walter.
+
+"I have seen nothing of him," answered the lieutenant "is there
+anything fresh up?"
+
+"Nothing, whatever," was the curt reply.
+
+They then conversed for a few moments in an undertone, and I
+could see that Walter by his gesture gave a negative answer to
+some question which the mate had asked him.  "Send me the
+boatswain, Walter," said Curtis aloud as the lieutenant moved
+away.
+
+The boatswain immediately appeared, and another conversation was
+carried on in whispers.  The man repeatedly shook his head as he
+replied to Curtis's inquiries, and then, in obedience to orders,
+called the men who were on watch, and made them plentifully water
+the tarpauling that covered the great hatchway.
+
+Curious to fathom the mystery I went up to Curtis and began to
+talk to him upon ordinary topics, hoping that he would himself
+introduce the subject that was uppermost in my mind; finding,
+however, that he did not allude to it; I asked him point blank.
+
+"What was the matter in the night, Curtis?"
+
+He looked at me steadily, but made no reply.
+
+"What was it?"  I repeated.  "M. Letourneur and myself were both
+of us disturbed by a very unusual commotion overhead."
+
+"Oh, a mere nothing," he said at length; "the man at the helm had
+made a false move, and we had to pipe hands to brace the ship a
+bit; but it was soon all put to rights.  It was nothing, nothing
+at all."
+
+I said no more; but I cannot resist the impression that Robert
+Curtis has not acted with me in his usual straightforward manner.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+OCTOBER 15th to OCTOBER 18th.--The wind is still in the north-
+east.  There is no change in the "Chancellor's" course, and to an
+unprejudiced eye all would appear to be going on as usual.  But I
+have an uneasy consciousness that something is not quite right.
+Why should the hatchways be so hermetically closed as though a
+mutinous crew was imprisoned between decks?  I cannot help
+thinking too that there is something in the sailors so constantly
+standing in groups and breaking off their talk so suddenly
+whenever we approach; and several times I have caught the word
+"hatches" which arrested M. Letourneur's attention on the night
+of the disturbance.
+
+On the 15th, while I was walking on the forecastle, I overheard
+one of the sailors, a man named Owen say to his mates,--
+
+"Now I just give you all warning that I am not going to wait
+until the last minute.  Every one for himself, say I."
+
+"Why, what do you mean to do?"  asked Jynxstrop, the cook.
+
+"Pshaw!"  said Owen, "do you suppose that longboats were only
+made for porpoises?"
+
+Something at that moment occurred to interrupt the conversation,
+and I heard no more.  It occurred to me whether there was not
+some conspiracy among the crew, of which probably Curtis had
+already detected the symptoms.  I am quite aware that some
+sailors are most rebelliously disposed, and require to be ruled
+with a rod of iron.
+
+Yesterday and to-day I have observed Curtis remonstrating
+somewhat vehemently with Captain Huntly, but there is no obvious
+result arising from their interviews; the Captain apparently
+being bent upon some purpose, of which it is only too manifest
+that the mate decidedly disapproves.
+
+Captain Huntly is undoubtedly labouring under strong nervous
+excitement; and M. Letourneur has more than once remarked how
+silent he has become at meal-times; for although Curtis
+continually endeavours to start some subject of general interest,
+yet neither Mr. Falsten, Mr. Kear, nor Mr. Ruby are the men to
+take it up, and consequently the conversation flags hopelessly,
+and soon drops.  The passengers too are now, with good cause,
+beginning to murmur at the length of the voyage, and Mr. Kear,
+who considers that the very elements ought to yield to his
+convenience, lets the captain know by his consequential and
+haughty manner that he holds him responsible for the delay.
+
+During the course of yesterday the mate gave repeated orders for
+the deck to be watered again and again, and although as a general
+rule this is a business which is done, once for all, in the early
+morning, the crew did not utter a word of complaint at the
+additional work thus imposed upon them.  The tarpaulins on the
+hatches have thus been kept continually wet, so that their close
+and heavy texture is rendered quite impervious to the air, The
+"Chancellor's" pumps afford a copious supply of water, so that I
+should not suppose that even the daintiest and most luxurious
+craft belonging to an aristocratic yacht-club was ever subject to
+a more thorough scouring.  I tried to reconcile myself to the
+belief that it was the high temperature of the tropical regions
+upon which we are entering, that rendered such extra sousings a
+necessity, and recalled to my recollection how, during the night
+of the 13th, I had found the atmosphere below deck so stifling
+that in spite of the heavy swell I was obliged to open the
+porthole of my cabin, on the starboard side, to get a breath of
+air.
+
+This morning at daybreak I went on deck.  The sun had scarcely
+risen, and the air was fresh and cool, in strange contrast to the
+heat which below the poop had been quite oppressive.  The sailors
+as usual were washing the deck, A great sheet of water, supplied
+continuously by the pumps was rolling in tiny wavelets, and
+escaping now to starboard, now to larboard through the scupper-
+holes.  After watching the men for a while as they ran about
+bare-footed, I could not resist the desire to join them, so
+taking off my shoes and stockings I proceeded to dabble in the
+flowing water.
+
+Great was my amazement to find the deck perfectly hot to my feet!
+Curtis heard my exclamation of surprise, and before I could put
+my thoughts into words, said,--
+
+"Yes!  there is fire on board!"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+OCTOBER 19th.--Eveything, then, is clear.  The uneasiness of the
+crew, their frequent conferences, Owen's mysterious words, the
+constant scourings of the deck and the oppressive heat of the
+cabins which had been noticed even by my fellow-passengers, all
+are explained.
+
+After his grave communication, Curtis remained silent.  I
+shivered with a thrill of horror; a calamity the most terrible
+that can befall a voyager stared me in the face, and it was some
+seconds before I could recover sufficient composure to inquire
+when the fire was first discovered.
+
+"Six days ago," replied the mate.
+
+"Six days ago!"  I exclaimed; "why, then, it was that night."
+
+"Yes," he said, interrupting me; "it was the night you heard the
+disturbance upon deck.  The men on watch noticed a slight smoke
+issuing from the large hatchway and immediately called Captain
+Huntly and myself.  We found beyond all doubt, that the cargo was
+on fire, and what was worse,that there was no possibility of
+getting at the seat of the combustion.  What could we do?  Why;
+we took the only precaution that was practicable under the
+circumstances, and resolved most carefully to exclude every
+breath of air from penetrating into the hold, For some time I
+hoped that we had been successful.  I thought that the fire was
+stifled; but during the last three days there is every reason to
+make us know that it has been gaining strength.  Do what we will,
+the deck gets hotter and hotter, and unless it were kept
+constantly wet, it would be unbearable to the feet.  But I am
+glad, Mr. Kazallon," he added; "that you have made the discovery.
+It is better that you should know it."
+
+I listened in silence, I was now fully aroused to the gravity of
+the situation and thoroughly comprehended how we were in the very
+face of a calamity which it seemed that no human power could
+avert.
+
+"Do you know what has caused the fire?"  I presently inquired.
+
+"It probably arose," he answered, "from the spontaneous
+combustion of the cotton.  The case is rare, but it is far from
+unknown.  Unless the cotton is perfectly dry when it is shipped,
+its confinement in a damp or ill-ventilated hold will sometimes
+cause it to ignite; and I have no doubt it is this that has
+brought about our misfortune."
+
+"But after all," I said, "the cause matters very little.  Is
+there no remedy?  Is there nothing to be done?"
+
+"Nothing; Mr. Kazallon," he said.  "As I told you before, we have
+adopted the only possible measure within our power to check the
+fire.  At one time I thought of knocking a hole in the ship's
+timbers just on her waterline, and letting in just as much water
+as the pumps could afterwards get rid of again; but we found the
+combustion was right in the middle of the cargo and that we
+should be obliged to flood the entire hold before we could get at
+the right place.  That scheme consequently was no good.  During
+the night, I had the deck bored in various places and water
+poured down through the holes; but that again seemed all of no
+use.  There is only one thing that can be done; we must persevere
+in excluding most carefully every breath of outer air, so that
+perhaps the conflagration deprived of oxygen may smoulder itself
+out.  That is our only hope."
+
+"But, you say the fire is increasing?"
+
+"Yes; and that shows that in spite of all our care there is some
+aperture which we have not beep able to discover, by which,
+somehow or other, air gets into the hold."
+
+"Have you ever heard of a vessel surviving such circumstances?"
+I asked.
+
+"Yes, Mr. Kazallon," said Curtis; "it is not at all an unusual
+thing for ships laden with cotton to arrive at Liverpool or Havre
+with a portion of their cargo consumed; and I have myself known
+more than one captain run into port with his deck scorching his
+very feet, and who, to save his vessel and the remainder of his
+freight has been compelled to unload with the utmost expedition.
+But, in such cases, of course the fire has been more or less
+under control throughout the voyage; with us, it is increasing
+day by day, and I tell you I am convinced there is an aperture
+somewhere which has escaped our notice."
+
+"But would it not be advisable for us to retrace our course, and
+make for the nearest land?"
+
+"Perhaps it would," he answered.  "Walter and I, and the
+boatswain, are going to talk the matter over seriously with the
+captain to-day.  But, between ourselves, I have taken the
+responsibility upon myself; I have already changed the tack to
+the south-west; we are now straight before the wind, and
+consequently we are sailing towards the coast."
+
+"I need hardly ask," I added; "whether any of the other
+passengers are at all aware of the imminent danger in which we
+are placed."
+
+"None of them," he said; "not in the least; and I hope you will
+not enlighten them.  We don't want terrified women and cowardly
+men to add to our embarrassment; the crew are under orders to
+keep a strict silence on the subject.  Silence is indispensable."
+
+I promised to keep the matter a profound secret, as I fully
+entered into Curtis's views as to the absolute necessity for
+concealment.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+OCTOBER 20th AND 21st.--The "Chancellor" is now crowded with all
+the canvas she can carry, and at times her top-masts threaten to
+snap with the pressure.  But Curtis is ever on the alert; he
+never leaves his post beside the man at the helm, and without
+compromising the safety of the vessel, he contrives by tacking to
+the breeze, to urge her on at her utmost speed.
+
+All day long on the 20th, the passengers were assembled on the
+poop.  Evidently they found the heat of the cabins painfully
+oppressive, and most of them lay stretched upon benches and
+quietly enjoyed the gentle rolling of the vessel.  The increasing
+heat of the deck did not reveal itself to their well-shod feet
+and the constant scouring of the boards did not excite any
+suspicion in their torpid minds.  M. Letourneur, it is true, did
+express his surprise that the crew of an ordinary merchant vessel
+should be distinguished by such extraordinary cleanliness, but as
+I replied to him in a very casual tone, he passed no further
+remark.  I could not help regretting that I had given Curtis my
+pledge of silence, and longed intensely to communicate the
+melancholy secret to the energetic Frenchman; for at times when I
+reflect upon the eight-and-twenty victims who may probably, only
+too soon, be a prey to the relentless flames, my heart seems
+ready to burst.
+
+The important consultation between captain, mate, lieutenant, and
+boatswain has taken place.  Curtis has confided the result to me.
+He says that Huntly, the captain, is completely demoralized; he
+has lost all power and energy; and practically leaves the command
+of the ship to him.  It is now certain the fire is beyond
+control, and that sooner or later it will burst out in full
+violence The temperature of the crew's quarters has already
+become almost unbearable.  One solitary hope remained; it is that
+we may reach the shore before the final catastrophe occurs.  The
+Lesser Antilles are the nearest land; and although they are some
+five or six hundred miles away, if the wind remains north-east
+there is yet a chance of reaching them in time.
+
+Carrying royals and studding-sails, the "Chancellor" during the
+last four-and-twenty hours has held a steady course.  M.
+Letourneur is the only one of all the passengers who has remarked
+the change of tack; Curtis however, has set all speculation on
+his part to rest by telling him that he wanted to get ahead of
+the wind, and that he was tacking to the west to catch a
+favourable current.
+
+To-day, the 21st, all has gone on as usual; and as far as the
+observation of the passengers has reached, the ordinary routine
+has been undisturbed.  Curtis indulges the hope even yet that by
+excluding the air, the fire may be stifled before it ignites the
+general cargo; he has hermetically closed every accessible
+aperture, and has even taken the precaution of plugging the
+orifices of the pumps, under the impression that their suction-
+tubes, running as they do to the bottom of the hold, may possibly
+be channels for conveying some molecules of air.  Altogether, he
+considers it a good sign that the combustion has not betrayed
+itself by some external issue of smoke.
+
+The day would have passed without any incident worth recording if
+I had not chanced to overhear a fragment of a conversation which
+demonstrated that our situation hitherto precarious enough, had
+now become most appalling.
+
+As I was sitting on the poop, two of my fellow-passengers,
+Falsten, the engineer, and Ruby, the merchant whom I had observed
+to be often in company, were engaged in conversation almost close
+to me.  What they said was evidently not intended for my hearing,
+but my attention was directed towards them by some very emphatic
+gestures of dissatisfaction on the part of Falsten, and I could
+not forbear listening to what followed.
+
+"Preposterous!  shameful!"  exclaimed Falsten; "nothing could be
+more imprudent."
+
+"Pooh!  pooh!"  replied Ruby; "it's all right; it is not the
+first time I have done it."
+
+"But don't you know that any shock at any time might cause an
+explosion?"
+
+"Oh, it's all properly secured," said Ruby, "tight enough; I have
+no fears on that score, Mr, Falsten."
+
+"But why," asked Falsten, "did you not inform the captain?"
+
+"Just because if I had informed him, he would not have taken the
+case on board."
+
+The wind dropped for a few seconds; and for a brief interval I
+could not catch what passed; but I could see that Falsten
+continued to remonstrate, whilst Ruby answered by shrugging his
+shoulders.  At length I heard Falsten say,--
+
+"Well, at any rate the captain must be informed of this, and the
+package shall be thrown overboard.  I don't want, to be blown
+up."
+
+I started.  To what could the engineer be alluding?  Evidently he
+had not the remotest suspicion that the cargo was already on
+fire.  In another moment the words "picrate of potash" brought
+me to my feet?  and with an involuntary impulse I rushed up to
+Ruby, and seized him by the shoulder.
+
+"Is there picrate of potash on board?"  I almost shieked.
+
+"Yes," said Falsten, "a case containing thirty pounds."
+
+"Where is it?"  I cried.
+
+"Down in the hold, with the cargo."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+What my feelings were I cannot describe; but it was hardly in
+terror so much as with a kind of resignation that I made my way
+to Curtis on the forecastle, and made him aware that the alarming
+character of our situation was now complete, as there was enough
+explosive matter on board to blow up a mountain.  Curtis received
+the information as coolly as it was delivered, and after I had
+made him acquainted with all the particulars said,--
+
+"Not a word of this must be mentioned to any one else, Mr.
+Kazallon, where is Ruby now?"
+
+"On the poop," I said.
+
+"Will you then come with me, sir?"
+
+Ruby and Falsten were sitting just as I had left them.  Curtis
+walked straight up to Ruby, and asked him whether what he had
+been told was true.
+
+"Yes, quite true," said Ruby, complacently, thinking that the
+worst that could befall him would be that he might be convicted
+of a little smuggling.
+
+I observed that Curtis was obliged for a moment or two to clasp
+his hands tightly together behind his back to prevent himself
+from seizing the unfortunate passenger by the throat; but
+suppressing his indignation, he proceeded quietly, though
+sternly, to interrogate him about the facts of the case.  Ruby
+only confirmed what I had already told him.  With characteristic
+Anglo-Saxon incautiousness he had brought on board with the rest
+of his baggage, a case containing no less than thirty pounds of
+picrate, and had allowed the explosive matter to be stowed in the
+hold with as little compunction as a Frenchman would feel in
+smuggling a single bottle of wine.  He had not informed the
+captain of the dangerous nature of the contents of the package,
+because he was perfectly aware that he would have been refused
+permission to bring the package on board.
+
+"Any way," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders, "you can't
+hang me for it; and if the package gives you so much concern, you
+are quite at liberty to throw it into the sea.  My luggage is
+insured."
+
+I was beside myself with fury, and not being endowed with
+Curtis's reticence and self-control, before he could interfere to
+stop me, I cried out,--
+
+"You fool!  don't you know that there is fire on board?"
+
+In an instant I regretted my words.  Most earnestly I wished them
+unuttered, But it was too late:  their effect upon Ruby was
+electrical.  He was paralyzed with terror his limbs stiffened
+convulsively; his eye was dilated; he gasped for breath, and was
+speechless.  All of a sudden he threw up his arms and, as though
+he momentarily expected an explosion, he darted down from the
+poop, and paced franticly up and down the deck, gesticulating
+like a madman, and shouting,--
+
+"Fire on board!  Fire!  Fire!"
+
+On hearing the outcry, all the crew, supposing that the fire had
+now in reality broken out, rushed on deck; the rest of the
+passengers soon joined them, and the scene that ensued was one of
+the utmost confusion.  Mrs. Kear fell down senseless on the deck,
+and her husband, occupied in looking after himself, left her to
+the tender mercies of Miss Herbey.  Curtis endeavoured to silence
+Ruby's ravings, whilst I, in as few words as I could, made M.
+Letourneur aware of the extent to which the cargo was on fire.
+The father's first thought was for Andre but the young man
+preserved an admirable composure, and begged his father not to be
+alarmed, as the danger was not immediate.  Meanwhile the sailors
+had loosened all the tacklings of the long-boat; and were
+preparing to launch it, when Curtis's voice was heard
+peremptorily bidding them to desist; he assured them that the
+fire had made no further progress; that Mr. Ruby had been unduly
+excited and not conscious of what he had said; and he pledged his
+word that when the right moment should arrive he would allow them
+all to leave the ship; but that moment, he said, had not yet
+come.
+
+At the sound of a voice which they had learned to honour and
+respect, the crew paused in their operations, and the long-boat
+remained suspended in its place.  Fortunately, even Ruby himself
+in the midst of his ravings, had not dropped a word about the
+picrate that had been deposited in the hold; for although the
+mate had a power over the sailors that Captain Huntly had never
+possessed, I feel certain that if the true state of the case had
+been known, nothing on earth would have prevented some of them,
+in their consternation, from effecting an escape.  As it was,
+only Curtis, Falsten, and myself were cognizant of the terrible
+secret.
+
+As soon as order was restored, the mate and, I joined Falsten on
+the poop, where he had remained throughout the panic, and where
+we found him with folded arms, deep in thought, as it might be,
+solving some hard mechanical problem.  He promised, at my
+request, that he would reveal nothing of the new danger to which
+we were exposed through Ruby's imprudence.  Curtis himself took
+the responsibility of informing Captain Huntly of our critical
+situation.
+
+In order to insure complete secrecy, it was necessary to secure
+the person of the unhappy Ruby, who, quite beside himself,
+continued to rave up and down the deck with the incessant cry of
+"Fire!  fire!"  Accordingly Curtis gave orders to some of his men
+to seize him and gag him; and before he could make any resistance
+the miserable man was captured and safely lodged in confinement
+in his own cabin.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+OCTOBER 22nd.--Curtis has told the captain everything; for he
+persists in ostensibly recognizing him as his superior officer,
+and refuses to conceal from him our true situation.  Captain
+Huntly received the communication in perfect silence, and merely
+passing his hand across his forehead as though to, banish some
+distressing thought, re-entered his cabin without a word.
+
+Curtis, Lieutenant Walter, Falsten, and myself have been
+discussing the chances of our safety, and I am surprised to find
+with how much composure we can all survey our anxious
+predicament.
+
+"There is no doubt" said Curtis, "that we must abandon all hope
+of arresting the fire; the heat towards the bow has already
+become well-nigh unbearable, and the time must come when the
+flames will find a vent through the deck.  If the sea is calm
+enough for us to make use of the boats, well and good; we shall
+of course get quit of the ship as quietly as we can; if on the
+other hand, the weather should be adverse, or the wind be
+boisterous, we must stick to our place, and contend with the
+flames to the very last; perhaps, after all, we shall fare better
+with the fire as a declared enemy than as a hidden one."
+
+Falsten and I agreed with what he said, but I pointed out to him
+that he had quite overlooked the fact of there being thirty
+pounds of combustible matter in the hold.
+
+"No" he gravely replied, "I have not forgotten it, but it is a
+circumstance of which I do not trust myself to think I dare not
+run the risk of admitting air into the hold by going down to
+search for the powder, and yet I know not at what moment it may
+explode.  No; it is a matter that I cannot take at all into my
+reckoning, it must remain in higher hands than mine."
+
+We bowed our heads in a silence which was solemn.  In the present
+state of the weather, immediate flight was, we knew, impossible.
+
+After a considerable pause, Falsten, as calmly as though he were
+delivering some philosophic dogma, observed,--
+
+"The explosion, if I may use the formula of science, is not
+necessary, but contingent."
+
+"But tell me, Mr. Falsten," I asked, "is it possible for picrate
+of potash to ignite without concussion?"
+
+"Certainly it is," replied the engineer.  "Under-ordinary
+circumstances, picrate of potash although not MORE inflammable
+than common powder, yet possesses the same degree of
+inflammability."
+
+We now prepared to go on deck.  As we left the saloon, in which
+we had been sitting, Curtis seized my hand.
+
+"Oh, Mr. Kazallon," he exclaimed, "if you only knew the
+bitterness of the agony I feel at seeing this fine vessel doomed
+to be devoured by flames, and at being so powerless to save her."
+Then quickly recovering himself, he continued, "But I am
+forgetting myself; you, if no other, must know what I am
+suffering.  It is all over now," he said more cheerfully.
+
+"Is our condition quite desperate?"  I asked.
+
+"It is just this," he answered deliberately "we are over a mine,
+and already the match has been applied to the train.  How long
+that train may be, 'tis not for me to say."  And with these words
+he left me.
+
+The other passengers, in common with the crew, are still in
+entire ignorance of the extremity of peril to which we are
+exposed, although they are all aware that there is fire in the
+hold.  As soon as the fact was announced, Mr. Kear, after
+communicating to Curtis his instructions that he thought he
+should have the fire immediately extinguished and intimating that
+he held him responsible for all contingencies that might happen,
+retired to his cabin, where he has remained ever since, fully
+occupied in collecting and packing together the more cherished
+articles of his property and without the semblance of a care or a
+thought for his unfortunate wife, whose condition, in spite of
+her ludicrous complaints, was truly pitiable.  Miss Herbey,
+however, is unrelaxing in her attentions, and the unremitted
+diligence with which she fulfils her offices of duty, commands my
+highest admiration.
+
+OCTOBER 23rd.--This morning, Captain Huntly sent for Curtis into
+his cabin, and the mate has since made me acquainted with what
+passed between them.
+
+"Curtis," began the captain, his haggard eye betraying only too
+plainly some mental derangement, "I am a sailor, am I not?"
+
+"Certainly, captain," was the prompt acquiescence of the mate.
+
+"I do not know how it is," continued the captain, "but I seem
+bewildered; I cannot recollect anything.  Are we not bound for
+Liverpool?  Ah!  yes!  of course.  And have we kept a north-
+easterly direction since we left?"
+
+"No, sir, according to your orders we have been sailing south-
+east, and here we are in the tropics."
+
+"And what is the name of the ship?"
+
+"The 'Chancellor,' sir."
+
+"Yes, yes, the 'Chancellor,' so it is.  Well, Curtis, I really
+can't take her back to the north.  I hate the sea, the very sight
+of it makes me ill, I would much rather not leave my cabin."
+
+Curtis went on to tell me how he had tried to persuade him that
+with a little time and care he would soon recover his
+indisposition, and feel himself again; but the captain had
+interrupted him by saying,--
+
+"Well, well; we shall see by-and-by; but for the present you must
+take this for my positive order; you must, from this time, at
+once take the command of the ship, and act just as if I were not
+on board.  Under present circumstances, I can do nothing.  My
+brain is all on a whirl, you cannot tell what I am suffering;"
+and the unfortunate man pressed both his hands convulsively
+against his forehead.
+
+"I weighed the matter carefully for a moment," added Curtis, "and
+seeing what his condition too truly was, I acquiesced in all that
+he required and withdrew, promising him that all his orders
+should be obeyed."
+
+After hearing these particulars, I could not help remarking how
+fortunate it was that the captain had resigned of his own accord,
+for although he might not be actually insane, it was very evident
+that his brain was in a very morbid condition.
+
+"I succeed him at a very critical moment;" said Curtis
+thoughtfully; "but I shall endeavour to do my duty."
+
+A short time afterwards he sent for the boatswain, and ordered
+him to assemble the crew at the foot of the main-mast.  As soon
+as the men were together, he addressed them very calmly, but very
+firmly.
+
+"My men," he said, "I have to tell you that Captain Huntly, on
+account of the dangerous situation in which circumstances have
+placed us, and for other reasons known to myself, has thought
+right to resign his command to me.  From this time forward, I am
+captain of this vessel."
+
+Thus quietly and simply the change was effected, and we have the
+satisfaction of knowing that the "Chancellor" is now under the
+command of a conscientious, energetic man, who will shirk nothing
+that he believes to be for our common good.  M. Letourneur,
+Andre, Mr. Falsten, and myself immediately offered him our best
+wishes, in which Lieutenant Walter and the boatswain most
+cordially joined.
+
+The ship still holds her course south-west and Curtis crowds on
+all sail and makes as speedily as possible for the nearest of the
+Lesser Antilles.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+OCTOBER 24th to 29th.--For the last five days the sea has been
+very heavy, and although the "Chancellor" sails with wind and
+wave in her favour, yet her progress is considerably impeded.
+Here on board this veritable fireship I cannot help contemplating
+with a longing eye this vast ocean that surrounds us.  The water
+supply should be all we need.
+
+"Why not bore the deck?"  I said to Curtis.  "Why not admit the
+water by tons into the hold?  What could be the harm?  The fire
+would be quenched; and what would be easier than to pump the
+water out again?"
+
+"I have already told you, Mr. Kazallon," said Curtis, "that the
+very moment we admit the air, the flames will rush forth to the
+very top of the masts.  No; we must have courage and patience; we
+must wait.  There is nothing whatever to be done, except to close
+every aperture."
+
+The fire continued to progress even more rapidly than we had
+hitherto suspected.  The heat gradually drove the passengers
+nearly all, on deck, and the two stern cabins, lighted, as I
+said, by their windows in the aft-board were the only quarters
+below that were inhabitable.  Of these Mrs. Kear occupied one,
+and Curtis reserved the other for Ruby, who, a raving maniac, had
+to be kept rigidly under restraint.  I went down occasionally to
+see him, but invariably found him in a state of abject terror,
+uttering horrible shrieks, as though possessed with the idea that
+he was being scorched by the most excruciating heat.
+
+Once or twice, too, I looked in upon the ex-captain.  He was
+always calm and spoke quite rationally upon any subject except
+his own profession; but in connexion with that he prated away the
+merest nonsense.  He suffered greatly, but steadily declined all
+my offers of attention, and pertinaciously refused to leave his
+cabin.
+
+To-day, an acrid, nauseating smoke made its way through the
+panellings that partition off the quarters of the crew.  At once
+Curtis ordered the partition to be enveloped in wet tarpaulin,
+but the fumes penetrated even this, and filled the whole
+neighbourhood of the ship's bows with a reeking vapour that was
+positively stifling.  As we listened, too, we could hear a dull
+rumbling sound, but we were as mystified as ever to comprehend
+where the air could have entered that was evidently fanning the
+flames.  Only too certainly, it was now becoming a question not
+of days nor even of hours before we must be prepared for the
+final catastrophe.  The sea was still running high, and escape by
+the boats was plainly impossible.  Fortunately, as I have said,
+the main-mast and the mizen are of iron; otherwise the heat at
+their base would long ago have brought them down and our chances
+of safety would have been much imperilled; but by crowding on
+sail the "Chancellor" in the full north-east wind continued to
+make her way with undiminished speed.
+
+It is now a fortnight since the fire was first discovered, and
+the proper working of the ship has gradually become a more and
+more difficult matter.  Even with thick shoes any attempt to walk
+upon deck up to the forecastle was soon impracticable, and the
+poop, simply because its door is elevated somewhat above the
+level of the hold, is now the only available standing-place.
+Water began to lose its effect upon the scorched and shrivelling
+planks; the resin oozed out from the knots in the wood, the seams
+burst open, and the tar, melted by the heat, followed the
+rollings of the vessel, and formed fantastic patterns about the
+deck.
+
+Then to complete our perplexity, the wind shifted suddenly round
+to the north-west, whence it blew a perfect hurricane.  To no
+purpose did Curtis do everything in his power to bring the ship
+ahull; every effort was vain; the "Chancellor" could not bear her
+trysail, so there was nothing to be done but to let her go with
+the wind, and drift further and further from the land for which
+we are longing so eagerly.
+
+To-day, the 29th, the tempest seemed to reach its height; the
+waves appeared to us mountains high, and dashed the spray most
+violently across the deck.  A boat could not live for a moment in
+such a sea.
+
+Our situation is terrible.  We all wait in silence, some few on
+the forecastle, the great proportion of us on the poop.  As for
+the picrate, for the time we have quite forgotten its existence;
+indeed it might almost seem as though its explosion would come as
+a relief, for no catastrophe, however terrible, could far exceed
+the torture of our suspense.
+
+While he had still the remaining chance, Curtis rescued from the
+store-room such few provisions as the heat of the compartment
+allowed him to obtain; and a lot of cases of salt meat and
+biscuits, a cask of brandy, some barrels of fresh water, together
+with some sails and wraps, a compass and other instruments are
+now lying packed in a mass all ready for prompt removal to the
+boats whenever we shall be obliged to leave the ship.
+
+About eight o'clock in the evening, a noise is heard, distinct
+even above the raging of the hurricane.  The panels of the deck
+are upheaved, and volumes of black smoke issue upwards as if from
+a safety-valve.  An universal consternation seizes one and all:
+we must leave the volcano which is about to burst beneath our
+feet.  The crew run to Curtis for orders.  He hesitates; looks
+first at the huge and threatening waves; looks then at the boats.
+The long-boat is there, suspended right along the centre of the
+deck; but it is impossible to approach it now; the yawl, however,
+hoisted on the starboard side, and the whale-boat suspended aft,
+are still available.  The sailors make frantically for the yawl.
+
+"Stop, stop," shouts Curtis; "do you mean to cut off our last and
+only chance of safety?  Would you launch a boat in such a sea as
+this?"
+
+A few of them, with Owen at their head, give no heed to what he
+says.  Rushing to the poop, and seizing a cutlass, Curtis shouts
+again,--
+
+"Touch the tackling of the davit, one of you; only touch it, and
+I'll cleave your skull."
+
+Awed by his determined manner, the men retire, some clambering
+into the shrouds, whilst others mount to the very top of the
+masts.
+
+At eleven o'clock, several loud reports are heard, caused by the
+bursting asunder of the partitions of the hold.  Clouds of smoke
+issue from the front, followed by a long tongue of lambent flame
+that seems to encircle the mizen-mast.  The fire now reaches to
+the cabin occupied by Mrs. Kear, who, shrieking wildly, is
+brought on deck by Miss Herbey.  A moment more, and Silas Huntly
+makes his appearance, his face all blackened with the grimy
+smoke; he bows to Curtis, as he passes, and then proceeds in the
+calmest manner to mount the aft-shrouds, and installs himself at
+the very top of the mizen.
+
+The sight of Huntly recalls to my recollection the prisoner still
+below, and my first impulse is to rush to the staircase and do
+what I can to set him free.  But the maniac has already eluded
+his confinement, and with singed hair and his clothes already
+alight, rushes upon deck.  Like a salamander he passes across the
+burning deck with unscathed feet, and glides through the stifling
+smoke with unchoked breath.  Not a sound escapes his lips.
+
+Another loud report; the long-boat is shivered into fragments;
+the middle panel bursts the tarpaulin that covered it, and a
+stream of fire, free at length from the restraint that had held
+it, rises half-mast high.
+
+"The picrate!  the picrate!"  shrieks the madman; "we shall all
+be blown up!  the picrate will blow us all up."
+
+And in an instant, before we can get near him, he has hurled
+himself, through the open hatchway, down into the fiery furnace
+below.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+OCTOBER 29th:--NIGHT.--The scene, as night came on, was terrible
+indeed.  Notwithstanding the desperateness of our situation,
+however, there was not one of us so paralyzed by fear, but that
+we fully realized the horror of it all.
+
+Poor Ruby, indeed, is lost and gone, but his last words were
+productive of serious consequences.  The sailors caught his cry
+of "Picrate, picrate!"  and being thus for the first time made
+aware of the true nature of their peril, they resolved at every
+hazard to accomplish their escape.  Beside themselves with
+terror, they either did not or would not, see that no boat could
+brave the tremendous waves that were raging around, and
+accordingly they made a frantic rush towards the yawl.  Curtis
+again made a vigorous endeavour to prevent them, but this time
+all in vain; Owen urged them on, and already the tackling was
+loosened, so that the boat was swung over to the ship's side, For
+a moment it hung suspended in mid-air, and then, with a final
+effort from the sailors, it was quickly lowered into the sea.
+But scarcely had it touched the water, when it was caught by an
+enormous wave which, recoiling with resistless violence, dashed
+it to atoms against the "Chancellor's" side.
+
+The men stood aghast; they were dumbfoundered.  Long-boat and
+yawl both gone, there was nothing now remaining to us but a small
+whale-boat.  Not a word was spoken; not a sound was heard but the
+hoarse whistling of the wind, and the mournful roaring of the
+flames.  From the centre of the ship, which was hollowed out like
+a furnace, there issued a column of sooty vapour that ascended to
+the sky.  All the passengers, and several of the crew, took
+refuge in the aft-quarters of the poop.  Mrs. Kear was lying
+senseless on one of the hen-coops, with Miss Herbey sitting
+passively at her side; M. Letourneur held his son tightly clasped
+to his bosom.  I saw Falsten calmly consult his watch, and note
+down the time in his memorandum-book, but I was far from sharing
+his, composure, for I was overcome by a nervous agitation that I
+could not suppress.
+
+As far as we knew, Lieutenant Walter, the boatswain, and such of
+the crew as were not with us, were safe in the bow; but it was
+impossible to tell how they were faring because the sheet of fire
+intervened like a curtain, and cut off all communication between
+stem and stern.
+
+I broke the dismal silence, saying "All over now, Curtis."
+
+"No, sir, not yet," he replied, "now that the panel is open we
+will set to work, and pour water with all our might down into the
+furnace, and may be, we shall put it out, even yet."
+
+"But how can you work your pumps while the deck is burning?  and
+how can you get at your men beyond that sheet of flame?"
+
+He made no answer to my impetuous questions, and finding that he
+had nothing more to say, I repeated that it was all over now.
+
+After a pause, he said, "As long as a plank of the ship remains
+to stand on, Mr, Kazallon, I shall not give up my hope."
+
+But the conflagration raged with redoubled fury, the sea around
+us was lighted with a crimson glow, and the clouds above shone
+with a lurid glare.  Long jets of fire darted across the
+hatchways, and we were forced to take refuge on the taffrail at
+the extreme end of the poop.  Mrs. Kear was laid in the whale-
+boat that hung from the stern, Miss Herbey persisting to the last
+in retaining her post by her side.
+
+No pen could adequately portray the horrors of this fearful
+night.  The "Chancellor" under bare poles, was driven, like a
+gigantic fire-ship with frightful velocity across the raging
+ocean; her very speed as it were, making common cause with the
+hurricane to fan the fire that was consuming her.  Soon there
+could be no alternative between throwing ourselves into the sea,
+or perishing in the flames.
+
+But where, all this time, was the picrate?  perhaps, after all,
+Ruby had deceived us and there was no volcano, such as we
+dreaded, below our feet.
+
+At half-past eleven, when the tempest seems at its very height
+there is heard a peculiar roar distinguishable even above the
+crash of the elements.  The sailors in an instant recognize its
+import.
+
+"Breakers to starboard!"  is the cry.
+
+Curtis leaps on to the netting, casts a rapid glance at the snow-
+white billows, and turning to the helmsman shouts with all his
+might "Starboard the helm!"
+
+But it is too late.  There is a sudden shock; the ship is caught
+up by an enormous wave; she rises upon her beam ends; several
+times she strikes the ground; the mizen-mast snaps short off
+level with the deck, falls into the sea, and the "Chancellor" is
+motionless.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+THE NIGHT OF THE 29th CONTINUED.--It was not yet midnight; the
+darkness was most profound, and we could see nothing.  But was it
+probable that we had stranded on the coast of America?
+
+Very shortly after the ship had thus come to a standstill a
+clanking of chains was heard proceeding from her bows.
+
+"That is well," said Curtis; "Walter and the boatswain have cast
+both the anchors.  Let us hope they will hold."
+
+Then, clinging to the netting, he clambered along the starboard
+side, on which the ship had heeled, as far as the flames would
+allow him.  He clung to the holdfasts of the shrouds, and in
+spite of the heavy seas that dashed against the vessel he
+maintained his position for a considerable time, evidently
+listening to some sound that had caught his ear in the midst of
+the tempest.  In about a quarter of an hour he returned to the
+poop.
+
+"Heaven be praised!"  he said, "the water is coming in, and
+perhaps may get the better of the fire."
+
+"True," said I, "but what then?"
+
+"That," he replied, "is a question for by-and-by.  We can now
+only think of the present."
+
+Already I fancied that the violence of the flames was somewhat
+abated, and that the two opposing elements were in fierce
+contention.  Some plank in the ship's side was evidently stove
+in, admitting free passage for the waves.  But how, when the
+water had mastered the fire, should we be able to master the
+water?  Our natural course would be to use the pumps, but these,
+in the very midst of the conflagration, were quite unavailable.
+
+For three long hours, in anxious suspense, we watched and
+watched, and waited.  Where we were we could not tell.  One thing
+alone was certain:  the tide was ebbing beneath us, and the waves
+were relaxing in their violence.  Once let the fire be
+extinguished, and then, perhaps, there would be room to hope that
+the next high tide would set us afloat.
+
+Towards half-past four in the morning the curtain of fire and
+smoke, which had shut off communication between the two
+extremities of the ship, became less dense, and we could faintly
+distinguish that party of the crew who had taken refuge in the
+forecastle; and before long, although it was impracticable to
+step upon the deck, the lieutenant and the boatswain contrived to
+clamber over the gunwale, along the rails, and joined Curtis on
+the poop.
+
+Here they held a consultation, to which I was admitted.  They
+were all of opinion that nothing could be done until daylight
+should give us something of an idea of our actual position.  If
+we then found that we were near the shore, we would, weather
+permitting, endeavour to land, either in the boat or upon a raft.
+If, on the other hand, no land were in sight, and the
+"Chancellor" were ascertained to be stranded on some isolated
+reef, all we could do would be to get her afloat, and put her
+into condition for reaching the nearest coast.  Curtis told us
+that it was long since he had been able to take any observation
+of altitude, but there was no doubt the north-west wind had
+driven us far to the south; and he thought, as he was ignorant of
+the existence of any reef in this part of the Atlantic, that it
+was just possible that we had been driven on to the coast of some
+portion of South America.
+
+I reminded him that we were in momentary expectation of an
+explosion, and suggested that it would be advisable to abandon
+the ship and take refuge on the reef.  But he would not hear of
+such a proceeding, said that the reef would probably be covered
+at high tide, and persisted in the original resolution, that no
+decided action could be taken before the daylight appeared.
+
+I immediately reported this decision of the captain to my fellow
+passengers.  None of them seem to realize the new danger to which
+the "Chancellor" may be exposed by being cast upon an unknown
+reef, hundreds of miles it may be from land.  All are for the
+time possessed with one idea, one hope; and that is, that the
+fire may now be quenched and the explosion averted.
+
+And certainly their hopes seem in a fair way of being fulfilled.
+Already the raging flames that poured forth from the hatches have
+given place to dense black smoke, and although occasionally some
+fiery streaks dart across the dusky fumes, yet they are instantly
+extinguished.  The waves are doing what pumps and buckets could
+never have effected; by their inundation they are steadily
+stifling the fire which was as steadily spreading to the whole
+bulk of the 1700 bales of cotton.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+OCTOBER 30th.--At the first gleam of daylight we eagerly scanned
+the southern and western horizons, but the morning mists limited
+our view.  Land was nowhere to be seen.  The tide was now almost
+at its lowest ebb, and the colour of the few peaks of rock that
+jutted up around us showed that the reef on which we had stranded
+was of basaltic formation.  There were now only about six feet of
+water around the "Chancellor," though with a full freight she
+draws about fifteen.  It was remarkable how far she had been
+carried on to the shelf of rock, but the number of times that she
+had touched the bottom before she finally ran aground left us no
+doubt that she had been lifted up and borne along on the top of
+an enormous wave.  She now lies with her stern considerably
+higher than her bows, a position which renders walking upon the
+deck anything but an easy matter; moreover as the tide-receded
+she heeled over so much to larboard that at one time Curtis
+feared she would altogether capsize; that fear, however, since
+the tide has reached its lowest mark, has happily proved
+groundless.
+
+At six o'clock some violent blows were felt against the ship's
+side, and at the same time a voice was distinguished, shouting
+loudly, "Curtis!  Curtis!"  Following the direction of the cries
+we saw that the broken mizen-mast was being washed against the
+vessel, and in the dusky morning twilight we could make out the
+figure of a man clinging to the rigging.  Curtis, at the peril of
+his life, hastened to bring the man on board, It proved to be
+none other than Silas Huntly, who, after being carried overboard
+with the mast, had thus, almost by a miracle, escaped a watery
+grave.  Without a word of thanks to his deliverer, the ex-
+captain, passive, like an automaton, passed on and took his seat
+in the most secluded corner of the poop.  The broken mizen may,
+perhaps, be of service to us at some future time, and with that
+idea it has been rescued from the waves and lashed securely to
+the stern.
+
+By this time it was light enough to see for a distance of three
+miles round; but as yet nothing could be discerned to make us
+think that we were near a coast.  The line of breakers ran for
+about a mile from south-west to north-east, and two hundred
+fathoms to the north of the ship an irregular mass of rocks
+formed a small islet.  This islet rose about fifty feet above the
+sea, and was consequently above the level of the highest tides;
+whilst a sort of causeway, available at low water, would enable
+us to reach the island, if necessity required.  But there the
+reef ended; beyond it the sea again resumed its sombre hue,
+betokening deep water.  In all probability, then, this was a
+solitary shoal, unattached to a shore, and the gloom of a bitter
+disappointment began to weigh upon our spirits.
+
+In another hour the mists had totally disappeared, and it was
+broad daylight.  I and M. Letourneur stood watching Curtis as he
+continued eagerly to scan the western horizon.  Astonishment was
+written on his countenance; to him it appeared perfectly
+incredible that, after our course for so long had been due south
+from the Bermudas, no land should be in sight.  But not a speck,
+however minute, broke the clearly-defined line that joined sea
+and sky.  After a time Curtis made his way along the netting to
+the shrouds, and swung himself quickly up to the top of the
+mainmast.  For several minutes he remained there examining the
+open space around, then seizing one of the backstays he glided
+down and rejoined us on the poop.
+
+"No land in sight," he said, in answer to our eager looks of
+inquiry.
+
+At this point Mr. Kear interposed, and in a gruff, ill-tempered
+tone, asked Curtis where we were.  Curtis replied that he did not
+know.
+
+"You don't know, sir?  Then all I can say is that you ought to
+know!"  exclaimed the petroleum merchant.
+
+"That may be, sir; but at present I am as ignorant of our
+whereabouts as you are yourself," said Curtis.
+
+"Well," said Mr. Kear, "just please to know that I don't want to
+stay for ever on your everlasting ship, so I beg you will make
+haste and start off again."
+
+Curtis condescended to make no other reply than a shrug of the
+shoulders, and turning away he informed M. Letourneur and myself
+that if the sun came out he intended to take its altitude and
+find out to what part of the ocean we had been driven.  His next
+care was to distribute preserved meat and biscuit amongst the
+passengers and crew already half fainting with hunger and
+fatigue, and then he set to work to devise measures for setting
+the ship afloat.
+
+The conflagration was greatly abated; no flames now appeared, and
+although some black smoke still issued from the interior, yet its
+volume was far less than before.  The first step was to discover
+how much water had entered the hold.  The deck was still too hot
+to walk upon; but after two hours' irrigation the boards became
+sufficiently cool for the boatswain to proceed to take some
+soundings, and he shortly afterwards announced that there were
+five feet of water below.  This the captain determined should not
+be pumped out at present, as he wanted it thoroughly to do its
+duty before he got rid of it.
+
+The next subject for consideration was whether it would be
+advisable to abandon the vessel, and to take refuge on the reef.
+Curtis thought not; and the lieutenant and the boatswain agreed
+with him.  The chances of an explosion were greatly diminished,
+as it had been ascertained that the water had reached that part
+of the hold in which Ruby's luggage had been deposited; while, on
+the other hand, in the event of rough weather, our position even
+upon the most elevated points of rock might be very critical.  It
+was accordingly resolved that both passengers and crew were
+safest on board.
+
+Acting upon this decision we proceeded to make a kind of
+encampment on the poop, and the few mattresses that were rescued
+uninjured have been given up for the use of the two ladies.  Such
+of the crew as had saved their hammocks have been told to place
+them under the forecastle where they would have to stow
+themselves as best they could, their ordinary quarters being
+absolutely uninhabitable.
+
+Fortunately, although the store-room has been considerably
+exposed to the heat, its contents are not very seriously damaged,
+and all the barrels of water and the greater part of the
+provisions are quite intact.  The stack of spare sails, which had
+been packed away in front, is also free from injury.  The wind
+has dropped considerably since the early morning, and the swell
+in the sea is far less heavy.  On the whole our spirits are
+reviving, and we begin to think we may yet find a way out of our
+troubles.
+
+M. Letourneur, his son, and I, have just had a long conversation
+about the ship's officers.  We consider their conduct, under the
+late trying circumstances, to have been most exemplary, and their
+courage, energy, and endurance to have been beyond all praise.
+Lieutenant Walter, the boatswain, and Dowlas the carpenter have
+all alike distinguished themselves, and made us feel that they
+are men to be relied on.  As for Curtis, words can scarcely be
+found to express our admiration of his character; he is the same
+as he has ever been, the very life of his crew, cheering them on
+by word or gesture; finding an expedient for every difficulty,
+and always foremost in every action.
+
+The tide turned at seven this morning, and by eleven all the
+rocks were submerged, none of them being visible except the
+cluster of those which formed the rim of a small and almost
+circular basin from 250 to 300 feet in diameter, in the north
+angle of which the ship is lying.  As the tide rose the white
+breakers disappeared, and the sea, fortunately for the
+"Chancellor," was pretty calm; otherwise the dashing of the waves
+against her sides, as she lies motionless, might have been
+attended by serious consequences.
+
+As might be supposed, the height of the water in the hold
+increased with the tide from five feet to nine; but this was
+rather a matter for congratulation, inasmuch as it sufficed to
+inundate another layer of cotton.
+
+At half-past eleven the sun, which had been behind the clouds
+since ten o'clock, broke forth brightly.  The captain, who had
+already in the morning been able to calculate an horary angle,
+now prepared to take the meridian altitude, and succeeded at
+midday in making his observation most satisfactorily.  After
+retiring for a short time to calculate the result; he returned to
+the poop and announced that we are in lat; 18deg. 5min. N. and
+long. 45deg. 53min. W., but that the reef on which we are aground
+is not marked upon the charts.  The only explanation that can be
+given for the omission is that the islet must be of recent
+formation, and has been caused by some subterranean volcanic
+disturbance. But whatever may be the solution of the mystery,
+here we are 800 miles from land; for such, on consulting the map,
+we find to be the actual distance to the coast of Guiana, which
+is the nearest shore.  Such is the position to which we have been
+brought, in the first place, by Huntly's senseless obstinacy,
+and, secondly, by the furious north-west gale.
+
+Yet, after all, the captain's communication does not dishearten
+us.  As I said before, our spirits are reviving.  We have escaped
+the peril of fire; the fear of explosion is past and gone; and
+oblivious of the fact that the ship with a hold full of water is
+only too likely to founder when she puts out to sea, we feel a
+confidence in the future that forbids us to despond.
+
+Meanwhile Curtis prepares to do all that common sense demands.
+He proposes, when the fire is quite extinguished, to throw
+overboard the whole, or the greater portion of the cargo,
+including of course, the picrate; he will next plug up the leak,
+and then, with a lightened ship, he will take advantage of the
+first high tide to quit the reef as speedily as possible.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+OCTOBER 30th.--Once again I talked to M. Letourneur about our
+situation, and endeavoured to animate him with the hope that we
+should not be detained for long in our present predicament; but
+he could not be brought to take a very sanguine view of our
+prospects.
+
+"But surely," I protested, "it will not be difficult to throw
+overboard a few hundred bales of cotton; two or three days at
+most will suffice for that."
+
+"Likely enough," he replied, "when the business is once begun;
+but you must remember, Mr. Kazallon, that the very heart of the
+cargo is still smouldering, and that it will still be several
+days before any one will be able to venture into the hold.  Then
+the leak, too, that has to be caulked; and, unless it is stopped
+up very effectually, we shall be only doomed most certainly to
+perish at sea.  Don't, then, be deceiving yourself; it must be
+three weeks at least before you can expect to put out to sea.  I
+can only hope meanwhile that the weather will continue
+propitious; it wouldn't take many storms to knock the
+'Chancellor,' shattered as she is, completely into pieces."
+
+Here, then, was the suggestion of a new danger to which we were
+to be exposed; the fire might be extinguished, the water might be
+got rid of by the pumps, but, after all, we must be at the mercy
+of the wind and waves; and, although the rocky island might
+afford a temporary refuge from the tempest, what was to become of
+passengers and crew if the vessel should be reduced to a total
+wreck?  I made no remonstrance, however, to this view of our
+case, but merely asked M. Letourneur if he had confidence in
+Robert Curtis?
+
+"Perfect confidence," he answered; "and I acknowledge it most
+gratefully, as a providential circumstance, that Captain Huntly
+had given him the command in time.  Whatever man can do I know
+that Curtis will not leave undone to extricate us from our
+dilemma."
+
+Prompted by this conversation with M. Letourneur I took the first
+opportunity of trying to ascertain from Curtis himself, how long
+he reckoned we should be obliged to remain upon the reef; but he
+merely replied, that it must depend upon circumstances, and that
+he hoped the weather would continue favourable.  Fortunately the
+barometer is rising steadily, and there is every sign of a
+prolonged calm.
+
+Meantime Curtis is taking active measures for totally
+extinguishing the fire.  He is at no great pains to spare the
+cargo, and as the bales that lie just above the level of the
+water are still a-light he has resorted to the expedient of
+thoroughly saturating the upper layers of the cotton, in order
+that the combustion may be stifled between the moisture
+descending from above and that ascending from below.  This scheme
+has brought the pumps once more into requisition.  At present the
+crew are adequate to the task of working them, but I and some of
+our fellow passengers are ready to offer our assistance whenever
+it shall be necessary.
+
+With no immediate demand upon our labour, we are thrown upon our
+own resources for passing our time.  Letourneur, Andre and
+myself, have frequent conversations; I also devote an hour or two
+to my diary.  Falsten holds little communication with any of us,
+but remains absorbed in his calculations, and amuses himself by
+tracing mechanical diagrams with ground-plan, section, elevation,
+all complete.  It would be a happy inspiration if he could invent
+some mighty engine that could set us all afloat again.  Mr. and
+Mrs. Kear, too, hold themselves aloof from their fellow
+passengers, and we are not sorry to be relieved from the
+necessity of listening to their incessant grumbling;
+unfortunately, however, they carry off Miss Herbey with them, so
+that we enjoy little or nothing of the young lady's society.  As
+for Silas Huntly, he has become a complete nonentity; he exists,
+it is true, but merely, it would seem, to vegetate.
+
+Hobart, the steward, an obsequious, sly sort of fellow, goes
+through his routine of duties just as though the vessel were
+pursuing her ordinary course; and, as usual, is continually
+falling out with Jynxtrop, the cook, an impudent, ill-favoured
+negro, who interferes with the other sailors in a manner which, I
+think, ought not to be allowed.
+
+Since it appears likely that we shall have abundance of time on
+our hands, I have proposed to M. Letourneur and his son that we
+shall together explore the reef on which we are stranded.  It is
+not very probable that we shall be able to discover much about
+the origin of this strange accumulation of rock, yet the attempt
+will at least occupy us for some hours, and will relieve us from
+the monotony of our confinement on board.  Besides, as the reef
+is not marked in any of the maps, I could not but believe that it
+would be rendering a service to hydrography if we were to take an
+accurate plan of the rocks, of which Curtis could afterwards
+verify the true position by a second observation made with a
+closer precision than the one he has already taken.
+
+M. Letourneur agrees to my proposal, Curtis has promised to let
+us have the boat and some sounding-lines, and to allow one of the
+sailors to accompany us; so to-morrow morning, we hope to make
+our little voyage of investigation.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+OCTOBER 31st to NOVEMBER 5th.--Our first proceeding on the
+morning of the 31st was to make the proposed tour of the reef,
+which is about a quarter of a mile long.  With the aid of our
+sounding-lines we found that the water was deep, right up to the
+very rocks, and that no shelving shores prevented us coasting
+along them.  There was not a shadow of doubt as to the rock being
+of purely volcanic origin, upheaved by some mighty subterranean
+convulsion.  It is formed of blocks of basalt, arranged in
+perfect order, of which the regular prisms give the whole mass
+the effect of being one gigantic crystal; and the remarkable
+transparency of the sea enabled us plainly to observe the curious
+shafts of the prismatic columns that support the marvellous
+substructure.
+
+"This is indeed a singular island," said M. Letourneur;
+"evidently it is of quite a recent origin."
+
+"Yes, father," said Andre, "and I should think it has been caused
+by a phenomenon similar to those which produced the Julia Island,
+off the coast of Sicily, or the group of the Santorini, in the
+Grecian Archipelago.  One could almost fancy that it had been
+created expressly for the 'Chancellor' to stand upon."
+
+"It is very certain," I observed, "that some upheaving has
+lately taken place.  This is by no means an unfrequented part of
+the Atlantic, so that it is not at all likely that it could have
+escaped the notice of sailors if it had been always in existence;
+yet it is not marked even in the most modern charts.  We must try
+and explore it thoroughly and give future navigators the benefit
+of our observations."
+
+But, perhaps, it will disappear as it came," said Andre.  "You
+are no doubt aware, Mr. Kazallon, that these volcanic islands
+sometimes have a very transitory existence.  Not impossibly, by
+the time it gets marked upon the maps it may no longer be here."
+
+"Never mind, my boy," answered his father, "it is better to give
+warning of a danger that does not exist than overlook one that
+does.  I daresay the sailors will not grumble much, if they don't
+find a reef where we have marked one."
+
+"No, I daresay not, father," said Andre "and after all this
+island is very likely as firm as a continent.  However, if it is
+to disappear, I expect Captain Curtis would be glad to see it
+take its departure as soon as possible after he has finished his
+repairs; it would save him a world of trouble in getting his ship
+afloat."
+
+"Why, what a fellow you are Andre!"  I said, laughing, "I believe
+you would like to rule Nature with a magic wand; first of all,
+you would call up a reef from the depth of the ocean to give the
+'Chancellor' time to extinguish her flames, and then you would
+make it disappear just that the ship might be free again."
+
+Andre smiled; then, in a more serious tone, he expressed his
+gratitude for the timely help that had been vouchsafed us in our
+hour of need.
+
+The more we examined the rocks that formed the base of the little
+island, the more we became convinced that its formation was quite
+recent, Not a mollusc, not a tuft of seaweed was found clinging
+to the sides of the rocks; not a germ had the wind carried to its
+surface, not a bird had taken refuge amidst the crags upon its
+summits.  To a lover of natural history, the spot did not yield a
+single point of interest; the geologist alone would find subject
+of study in the basaltic mass.
+
+When we reached the southern point of the island I proposed that
+we should disembark.  My companions readily assented, young
+Letourneur jocosely observing that if the little island was
+destined to vanish, it was quite right that it should first be
+visited by human beings.  The boat was accordingly brought
+alongside, and we set, foot upon the reef, and began to ascend
+the gradual slope that leads to its highest elevation.
+
+The walking was not very rough, and as Andre could get along
+tolerably well without the assistance of an arm, he led the way,
+his father and I following close behind.  A quarter of an hour
+sufficed to bring us to the loftiest point in the islet, when we
+seated ourselves on the basaltic prism that crowned its summit.
+
+Andre took a sketch-book from his pocket, and proceeded to make a
+drawing of the reef.  Scarcely had he completed the outline when
+his father exclaimed,--
+
+"Why, Andre, you have drawn a ham!"
+
+"Something uncommonly like it, I confess," replied Andre.  "I
+think we had better ask Captain Curtis to let us call our island
+Ham Rock."
+
+"Good," said I; "though sailors will need to keep it at a
+respectful distance, for they will scarcely find that their teeth
+are strong enough to tackle with it."
+
+M. Letourneur was quite correct; the outline of the reef as it
+stood clearly defined against the deep green water resembled
+nothing so much, as a fine York ham, of which the little creek,
+where the "Chancellor" had been stranded, corresponded to the
+hollow place above the knuckle.  The tide at this time was low,
+and the ship now lay heeled over very much to the starboard side,
+the few points of rock that emerged in the extreme south of the
+reef plainly marking the narrow passage through which she had
+been forced before she finally ran aground.
+
+As soon as Andre had finished his sketch we descended by a slope
+as gradual as that by which we had come up, and made our way
+towards the west.  We had not gone very far when a beautiful
+grotto, perfect as an architectural structure, arrested our
+attention, M. Letourneur and Andre who have visited the Hebrides,
+pronounced it to be a Fingal's cave in miniature; a Gothic chapel
+that might form a fit vestibule for the cathedral cave of Staffa.
+The basaltic rocks had cooled down into the same regular
+concentric prisms; there was the same dark canopied roof with its
+interstices filled up with its yellow lutings; the same precision
+of outline in the prismatic angles, sharp as though chiselled by
+a sculptor's hand; the same sonorous vibration of the air across
+the basaltic rocks, of which the Gaelic poets have feigned that
+the harps of the Fingal minstrelsy were made.  But whereas at
+Staffa the floor of the cave is always covered with a sheet of
+water, here the grotto was beyond the reach of all but the
+highest waves, whilst the prismatic shafts themselves formed
+quite a solid pavement.
+
+After remaining nearly an hour in our newly-discovered grotto we
+returned to the "Chancellor," and communicated the result of our
+explorations to Curtis, who entered the island upon his chart by
+the name that Andre Letourneur had proposed.
+
+Since its discovery we have not permitted a day to pass without
+spending some time in our Ham Rock grotto.  Curtis has taken an
+opportunity of visiting it, but he is too preoccupied with other
+matters to have much interest to spare for the wonders of nature.
+Falsten, too, came once and examined the character of the rocks,
+knocking and chipping them about with all the mercilessness of a
+geologist.  Mr. Kear would not trouble himself to leave the ship;
+and although I asked his wife to join us in one of our excursions
+she declined, upon the plea that the fatigue, as well as the
+inconvenience of embarking in the boat, would be more than she
+could bear.
+
+Miss Herbey, only too thankful to escape even for an hour from
+her capricious mistress, eagerly accepted M. Letourneur's
+invitation to pay a visit to the reef but to her great
+disappointment Mrs. Kear at first refused point-blank to allow
+her to leave the ship.  I felt intensely annoyed, and resolved to
+intercede in Miss Herbey's favour; and as I had already rendered
+that self-indulgent lady sundry services which she thought she
+might probably be glad again to accept, I gained my point, and
+Miss Herbey has several times been permitted to accompany us
+across the rocks, where the young girl's delight at her freedom
+has been a pleasure to behold.
+
+Sometimes we fish along the shore, and, then enjoy a luncheon in
+the grotto, whilst the basalt columns vibrate like harps to the
+breeze.  This arid reef, little as it is, compared with the
+cramped limits of the "Chancellor's" deck is like some vast
+domain; soon there will be scarcely a stone with which we are not
+familiar, scarcely a portion of its surface which we have not
+merrily trodden, and I am sure that when the hour of departure
+arrives we shall leave it with regret.
+
+In the course of conversation, Andre Letourneur one day happened
+to say that he believed the island of Staffa belonged to the
+Macdonald family, who let it for the small sum of 12 pounds a
+year.
+
+"I suppose then," said Miss Herbey, "that we should hardly get
+more than half-a-crown a year for our pet little island."
+
+"I don't think you would get a penny for it, Miss Herbey; but are
+you thinking of taking a lease?" I said, laughing.
+
+"Not at present," she said; then added, with a half-suppressed
+sigh, "and yet it is a place where I have seemed to know what it
+is to be really happy."
+
+Andre murmured some expression of assent, and we all felt that
+there was something touching in the words of the orphaned,
+friendless girl who had found her long-lost sense of happiness on
+a lonely rock in the Atlantic.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+NOVEMBER 6th to NOVEMBER 15th.--For the first five days after the
+"Chancellor" had run aground, there was a dense black smoke
+continually rising from the hold; but it gradually diminished
+until the 6th of November, when we might consider that the fire
+was extinguished.  Curtis, nevertheless, deemed it prudent to
+persevere in working the pumps, which he did until the entire
+hull of the ship, right up to the deck, had been completely
+inundated.
+
+The rapidity, however, with which the water, at every retreat of
+the tide, drained off to the level of the sea, was an indication
+that the leak must be of considerable magnitude; and such, on
+investigation, proved to be the case.  One of the sailors, named
+Flaypole, dived one day at low water to examine the extent of the
+damage, and found that the hole was not much less than four feet
+square, and was situated thirty feet fore of the helm, and two
+feet above the rider of the keel; three planks had been stoved in
+by a sharp point of rock, and it was only a wonder that the
+violence with which the heavily-laden vessel had been thrown
+ashore did not result in the smashing in of many parts besides.
+
+As it would be a couple of days or more before the hold would be
+in a condition for the bales of cotton to be removed for the
+carpenter to examine the damage from the interior of the ship,
+Curtis employed the interval in having the broken mizen-mast
+repaired.  Dowlas the carpenter, with considerable skill,
+contrived to mortice it into its former stump, and made the
+junction thoroughly secure by strong iron-belts and bolts.  The
+shrouds, the stays and backstays, were then carefully refitted,
+some of the sails were changed, and the whole of the running
+rigging was renewed.  Injury, to some extent, had been done to
+the poop and to the crew's lockers, in the front; but time and
+labour were all that were wanted to make them good; and with such
+a will, did every one set to work that it was not long before all
+the cabins were again available for use.
+
+On the 8th the unlading of the ship commenced.  Pulleys and
+tackling were put over the hatches, and passengers and crew
+together proceeded to haul up the heavy bales which had been
+deluged so frequently by water that the cotton was all but
+spoiled.  One by one the sodden bales were placed in the boat to
+be transported to the reef.  After the first layer of cotton had
+been removed it became necessary to drain off part of the water
+that filled the hold.  For this purpose the leak in the side had
+somehow or other to be stopped, and this was an operation which
+was cleverly accomplished by Dowlas and Flaypole, who contrived
+to dive at low tide and nail a sheet of copper over the entire
+hole.  This, however, of itself would have been utterly
+inadequate to sustain the pressure that would arise from the
+action of the pumps; so Curtis ordered that a number of the bales
+should be piled up inside against the broken planks.  The scheme
+succeeded very well, and as the water got lower and lower in the
+hold the men were enabled to resume their task of unlading.
+
+Curtis thinks it quite probable that the leaks may be mended from
+the interior.  By far the best way of repairing the damage would
+be to careen the ship, and to shift the planking, but the
+appliances are wanting for such an undertaking; moreover, any bad
+weather which might occur while the ship was on her flank would
+only too certainly be fatal to her altogether.  But the captain
+has very little doubt that by some device or other he shall
+manage to patch up the hole in such a way as will insure our
+reaching land in safety.
+
+After two days' toil the water was entirely reduced and without
+further difficulty the unlading was completed.  All of us,
+including even Andre Letourneur, have been taking our turn at the
+pumps, for the work is so extremely fatiguing that the crew
+require some occasional respite; arms and back soon become
+strained and weary with the incessant swing of the handles, and I
+can well understand the dislike which sailors always express to
+the labour.
+
+One thing there is which is much in our favour; the ship lies on
+a firm and solid bottom, and we have the satisfaction of knowing
+that we are not contending with a flood that encroaches faster
+than it can be resisted.  Heaven grant that we may not be called
+to make like efforts, and to make them hopelessly, for a
+foundering ship!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+NOVEMBER 15th to 20th.--The examination of the hold has at last
+been made.  Amongst the first things that were found was the case
+of picrate, perfectly intact; having neither been injured by the
+water, nor of course reached by the flames.  Why it was not at
+once pitched into the sea I cannot say; but it was merely
+conveyed to the extremity of the island, and there it remains.
+
+While they were below, Curtis and Dowlas made themselves
+acquainted with the full extent of the mischief that had been
+done by the conflagration.  They found that the deck and the
+cross-beams that supported it had been much less injured than
+they expected, and the thick, heavy planks had only been scorched
+very superficially.  But the action of the fire on the flanks of
+the ship had been of a much more serious character; a long
+portion of the inside boarding had been burnt away, and the very
+ribs of the vessel were considerably damaged; the oakum caulkings
+had all started away from the butt-ends and seams; so much so
+that it was little short of a miracle that the whole ship had not
+long since gaped completely open.
+
+The captain and the carpenter returned to the deck with anxious
+faces.  Curtis lost no time in assembling passengers and crew,
+and announcing to them the facts of the case.
+
+"My friends," he said, "I am here to tell you that the
+'Chancellor' has sustained far greater injuries than we
+suspected, and that her hull is very seriously damaged.  If we
+had been stranded anywhere else than on a barren reef, that may
+at any time be overwhelmed by a tempestuous sea I should not have
+hesitated to take the ship to pieces, and construct a smaller
+vessel that might have carried us safely to land; but I dare not
+run the risk of remaining here.  We are now 800 miles from the
+coast of Paramaribo, the nearest portion of Dutch Guiana, and in
+ten or twelve days, if the weather should be favourable, I
+believe we could reach the shore.  What I now propose to do is to
+stop the leak by the best means we can command, and make at once
+for the nearest port."
+
+As no better plan seemed to suggest itself, Curtis's proposal was
+unanimously accepted Dowlas and his assistants immediately set to
+work to repair the charred frame-work of the ribs, and to stop
+the leak; they took care thoroughly to caulk from the outside all
+the seams that were above low water mark; lower than that they
+were unable to work, and had to content themselves with such
+repairs as they could effect in the interior.  But after all the
+pains there is no doubt the "Chancellor" is not fit for a long
+voyage, and would be condemned as unseaworthy at any port at
+which we might put in.
+
+To-day, the 20th, Curtis having done all that human power could
+do to repair his ship, determined to put her to sea.
+
+Ever since the "Chancellor" had been relieved of her cargo, and
+of the water in her hold, she had been able to float in the
+little natural basin into which she had been driven.  The basin
+was enclosed on either hand by rocks that remained uncovered even
+at high water, but was sufficiently wide to allow the vessel to
+turn quite round at its broadest part, and by means of hawsers
+fastened on the reef to be brought with her bows towards the
+south; while, to prevent her being carried back on to the reef,
+she has been anchored fore and aft.
+
+To all appearance, then, it seemed as though it would be an easy
+matter to put the "Chancellor" to sea; if the wind were
+favourable the sails would be hoisted, if otherwise, she would
+have to be towed through the narrow passage.  All seemed simple.
+But unlooked-for difficulties had yet to be surmounted.
+
+The mouth of the passage is guarded by a kind of ridge of basalt,
+which at high tide we knew was barely covered with sufficient
+water to float the "Chancellor," even when entirely unfreighted.
+To be sure she had been carried over the obstacle once before,
+but then, as I have already said, she had been caught up by an
+enormous wave, and might have been said to be LIFTED over the
+barrier into her present position.  Besides, on that ever-
+memorable night, there had not only been the ordinary spring-
+tide, but an equinoctial tide, such a one as could not be
+expected to occur again for many months.  Waiting was out of the
+question; so Curtis determined to run the risk, and to take
+advantage of the spring-tide, which would occur to-day, to make
+an attempt to get the ship, lightened as she was, over the bar;
+after which, he might ballast her sufficiently to sail.
+
+The wind was blowing from the north-west, and consequently right
+in the direction of the passage.  The captain, however, after a
+consultation, preferred to tow the ship over the ridge, as he
+considered it was scarcely safe to allow a vessel of doubtful
+stability at full sail to charge an obstacle that would probably
+bring her to a dead lock.  Before the operation was commenced,
+Curtis took the precaution of having an anchor ready in the
+stern, for, in the event of the attempt being unsuccessful, it
+would be necessary to bring the ship back to her present
+moorings.  Two more anchors were next carried outside the
+passage, which was not more than two hundred feet in length.  The
+chains were attached to the windlass, the sailors worked away at
+the handspikes, and at four o'clock in the afternoon the
+"Chancellor" was in motion.
+
+High tide would be at twenty minutes past four, and at ten
+minutes before that time the ship had been hauled as far as her
+sea-range would allow; her keel grazed the ridge, and her
+progress was arrested.  When the lowest part of her stern,
+however, just cleared the obstruction, Curtis deemed that there
+was no longer any reason why the mechanical action of the wind
+should not be brought to bear and contribute its assistance.
+Without delay, all sails were unfurled and trimmed to the wind.
+The tide was exactly at its height, passengers and crew together
+were at the windlass, M. Letourneur, Andre, Falsten, and myself
+being at the starboard bar.  Curtis stood upon the poop, giving
+his chief attention to the sails; the lieutenant was on the
+forecastle; the boatswain by the helm.  The sea seemed
+propitiously calm and, as it swelled gently to and fro, lifted
+the ship several times.
+
+"Now, my boys," said Curtis in his calm clear voice, "all
+together!  Off!"
+
+Round went the windlass; click, click, clanked the chains as link
+by link they were forced through the hawse-holes.
+
+The breeze freshened, and the masts gave to the pressure of the
+sails, but round and round we went, keeping time in regular
+monotony to the sing-song tune hummed by one of the sailors.
+
+We had gained about twenty feet, and were redoubling our efforts
+when the ship grounded again.
+
+And now no effort would avail; all was in vain; the tide began to
+turn; and the "Chancellor" would not advance an inch.  Was there
+time to go back?  She would inevitably go to pieces if left
+balanced upon the ridge.  In an instant the captain has ordered
+the sails to be furled, and the anchor dropped from the stern.
+
+One moment of terrible anxiety, and all is well.
+
+The "Chancellor" tacks to stern, and glides back into the basin,
+which is once more her prison.
+
+"Well, captain," says the boatswain, "what's to be done now?"
+
+"I don't know" said Curtis, "but we shall get across somehow."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+NOVEMBER 21st to 24th.--There was assuredly no time to be lost
+before we ought to leave Ham Rock reef.  The barometer had been
+falling ever since the morning, the sea was getting rougher, and
+there was every symptom that the weather, hitherto so favourable,
+was on the point of breaking; and in the event of a gale the
+"Chancellor" must inevitably be dashed to pieces on the rocks.
+
+In the evening, when the tide was quite low, and the rocks
+uncovered, Curtis, the boatswain, and Dowlas went to examine the
+ridge which had proved so serious an obstruction, Falsten and I
+accompanied them.  We came to the conclusion that the only way of
+effecting a passage was by cutting away the rocks with pikes over
+a surface measuring ten feet by six.  An extra depth of nine or
+ten inches would give a sufficient gauge, and the channel might
+be accurately marked out by buoys; in this way it was conjectured
+the ship might be got over the ridge and so reach the deep water
+beyond.
+
+"But this basalt is as hard as granite," said the boatswain;
+"besides, we can only get at it at low water, and consequently
+could only work at it for two hours out of the twenty-four."
+
+"All the more reason why we should begin at once, boatswain,"
+said Curtis.
+
+"But if it is to take us a month, captain, perhaps by that time
+the ship may be knocked to atoms.  Couldn't we manage to blow up
+the rock?  we have got some powder on board."
+
+"Not enough for that;" said the boatswain.
+
+"You have something better than powder," said Falsten.
+
+"What's that?"  asked the captain.
+
+"Picrate of potash," was the reply.
+
+And so the explosive substance with which poor Ruby had so
+grievously imperilled the vessel was now to serve her in good
+stead, and I now saw what a lucky thing it was that the case had
+been deposited safely on the reef, instead of being thrown into
+the sea.
+
+Picric acid is a crystalline bitter product extracted from coal-
+tar, and forming, in combination with potash, a yellow salt known
+as picrate of potash.  The explosive power of this substance is
+inferior to that of gun-cotton or of dynamite, but far greater
+than that of ordinary gunpowder; one grain of picric powder
+producing an effect equal to that of thirteen grains of common
+powder.  Picrate is easily ignited by any sharp or violent shock,
+and some gun-priming which we had in our possession would answer
+the purpose of setting it alight.
+
+The sailors went off at once for their pikes, and Dowlas and his
+assistants, under the direction of Falsten, who, as an engineer,
+understood such matters, proceeded to hollow out a mine wherein
+to deposit the powder.  At first we hoped that everything would
+be ready for the blasting to take place on the following morning,
+but when daylight appeared we found that the men, although they
+had laboured with a will, had only been able to work for an hour
+at low water and that four tides must ebb before the mine had
+been sunk to the required depth.
+
+Not until eight o'clock on the morning of the 23rd was the work
+complete.  The hole was bored obliquely in the rock, and was
+large enough to contain about ten pounds of explosive matter.
+Just as the picrate was being introduced into the aperture,
+Falsten interposed:--
+
+"Stop," he said, "I think it will be best to mix the picrate with
+common powder, as that will allow us to fire the mine with a
+match instead of the gun-priming which would be necessary to
+produce a shock.  Besides, it is an understood thing that the
+addition of gunpowder renders picrate far more effective in
+blasting such rocks as this, as then the violence of the picrate
+prepares the way for the powder which, slower in its action, will
+complete the disseverment of the basalt."
+
+Falsten is not a great talker, but what he does say is always
+very much to the point. His good advice was immediately followed;
+the two substances were mixed together, and after a match had
+been introduced the compound was rammed closely into the hole.
+
+Notwithstanding that the "Chancellor" was at a distance from the
+rocks that insured her from any danger of being injured by the
+explosion, it was thought advisable that the passengers and crew
+should take refuge in the grotto at the extremity of the reef,
+and even Mr. Kear, in spite of his many objections, was forced to
+leave the ship.  Falsten, as soon as he had set fire to the
+match, joined us in our retreat.
+
+The train was to burn for ten minutes, and at the end of that
+time the explosion took place; the report, on account of the
+depth of the mine, being muffled, and much less noisy than we had
+expected.  But the operation had been perfectly successful.
+Before we reached the ridge we could see that the basalt had been
+literally reduced to powder, and that a little channel, already
+being filled by the rising tide, had been cut right through the
+obstacle.  A loud hurrah rang through the air; our prison-doors
+were opened, and we were prisoners no more!
+
+At high tide the "Chancellor" weighed anchor and floated out into
+the open sea, but she was not in a condition to sail until she
+had been ballasted; and for the next twenty-four hours the crew
+were busily employed in taking up blocks of stone, and such of
+the bales of cotton as had sustained the least amount of injury.
+
+In the course of the day, M. Letourneur, Andre, Miss Herbey, and
+I took a farewell walk round the reef, and Andre with artistic
+skill, carved on the wall of the grotto the word "Chancellor,"
+--the designation Ham Rock, which we had given to the reef,--and
+the date of our running aground.  Then we bade adieu to the scene
+of our three week's sojourn, where we had passed days that to
+some at least of our party will be reckoned as far from being the
+least happy of their lives.
+
+At high tide this morning, the 24th, with low, top, and gallant
+sails all set, the "Chancellor" started on her onward way, and
+two hours later the last peak of Ham Rock had vanished below the
+horizon.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+NOVEMBER 24th to DECEMBER 1st.--Here we were then once more at
+sea, and although on board a ship of which the stability was very
+questionable, we had hopes, if the wind continued favourable, of
+reaching the coast of Guiana in the course of a few days.
+
+Our way was south-west and consequently with the wind, and
+although Curtis would not crowd on all sail lest the extra speed
+should have a tendency to spring the leak afresh, the
+"Chancellor" made a progress that was quite satisfactory.  Life
+on board began to fall back into its former routine; the feeling
+of insecurity and the consciousness that we were merely retracing
+our path doing much, however, to destroy the animated intercourse
+that would otherwise go on between passenger and passenger.
+
+The first few days passed without any incident worth recording,
+then on the 29th, the wind shifted to the north, and it became
+necessary to brace the yards, trim the sails, and take a
+starboard tack.  This made the ship lurch very much on one side,
+and as Curtis felt that she was labouring far too heavily, he
+clued up the top-gallants, prudently reckoning that, under the
+circumstances, caution was far more important than speed.
+
+The night came on dark and foggy.  The breeze freshened
+considerably, and, unfortunately for us, hailed from the north-
+west.  Although we carried no top-sails at all, the ship seemed
+to heel over more than ever.  Most of the passengers had retired
+to their cabins, but all the crew remained on deck, whilst Curtis
+never quitted his post upon the poop.
+
+Towards two o'clock in the morning I was myself preparing to go
+to my cabin, when Burke, one of the sailors who had been down
+into the hold, came on deck with the ominous cry,--
+
+"Two feet of water below."
+
+In an instant Curtis and the boatswain had descended the ladder.
+The startling news was only too true; the sea-water was entering
+the hold, but whether the leak had sprung afresh, or whether the
+caulking in some of the seams was insufficient, it was then
+impossible to determine; all that could be done was to let the
+ship go with the wind and wait for day.
+
+At daybreak they sounded again:--"Three feet of water!"  was the
+report, I glanced at Curtis, his lips were white, but he had not
+lost his self-possession.  He quietly informed such of the
+passengers as were already on deck of the new danger that
+threatened us; it was better that they should know the worst, and
+the fact could not be long concealed.  I told M. Letourneur that
+I could not help hoping that there might yet be time to reach the
+land before the last crisis came.  Falsten was about to give vent
+to an expression of despair, but he was soon silenced by Miss
+Herbey asserting her confidence that all would yet be well.
+
+Curtis at once divided the crew into two sets, and made them work
+incessantly, turn and turn about at the pumps.  The men applied
+themselves to their task with resignation rather than with
+ardour; the labour was hard and scarcely repaid them; the pumps
+were constantly getting out of order, the valves being choked up
+by the ashes and bits of cotton that were floating about in the
+hold, while every moment that was spent in cleaning or repairing
+them was so much time lost.
+
+Slowly, but surely, the water continued to rise, and on the
+following morning the soundings gave five feet for its depth, I
+noticed that Curtis's brow contracted each time that the
+boatswain or the lieutenant brought him their report.  There was
+no doubt it was only a question of time, and not for an instant
+must the efforts for keeping down the level be relaxed.  Already
+the ship had sunk a foot lower in the water, and as her weight
+increased she no longer rose buoyantly with the waves, but
+pitched and rolled considerably.
+
+All yesterday, and last night, the pumping continued; but still
+the sea gained upon us.  The crew are weary and discouraged, but
+the second officer and the boatswain set them a fine example of
+endurance, and the passengers have now begun to take their turn
+at the pumps.
+
+But all are conscious of toiling almost against hope; we are no
+longer secured firmly to the solid soil of the Ham Rock reef, but
+we are floating over an abyss which daily, nay hourly, threatens
+to swallow us into its depths.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+DECEMBER 2nd and 3rd.--For four hours we have succeeded in
+keeping the water in the hold to one level; now, however, it is
+very evident that the time cannot be far distant when the pumps
+will be quite unequal to their task.
+
+Yesterday Curtis, who does not allow himself a minute's rest,
+made a personal inspection of the hold.  I, with the boatswain
+and carpenter, accompanied him.  After dislodging some of the
+bales of cotton we could hear a splashing, or rather gurgling
+sound; but whether the water was entering at the original
+aperture, or whether it found its way in through a general
+dislocation of the seams, we were unable to discover.  But
+whichever might be the case, Curtis determined to try a plan
+which, by cutting off communication between the interior and
+exterior of the vessel, might, if only for a few hours, render
+her hull more watertight.  For this purpose he had some strong,
+well-tarred sails drawn upwards by ropes from below the keel, as
+high as the previous leaking-place, and then fastened closely and
+securely to the side of the hull.  The scheme was dubious, and
+the operation difficult, but for a time it was effectual, and at
+the close of the day the level of the water had actually been
+reduced by several inches.  The diminution was small enough, but
+the consciousness that more water was escaping through the
+scupper-holes than was finding its way into the hold gave us
+fresh courage to persevere with our work.
+
+The night was dark, but the captain carried all the sail he
+could, eager to take every possible advantage of the wind, which
+was freshening considerably.  If he could have sighted a ship he
+would have made signals of distress, and would not have hesitated
+to transfer the passengers, and even have allowed the crew to
+follow, if they were ready to forsake him; for himself his mind
+was made up, he should remain on board the "Chancellor" until she
+foundered beneath his feet.  No sail, however, hove in sight;
+consequently escape by such means was out of our power.
+
+During the night the canvas covering yielded to the pressure of
+the waves, and this morning, after taking the sounding, the
+boatswain could not suppress an oath when be announced "Six feet
+of water in the hold!"
+
+The ship, then, was filling once again, and already had sunk
+considerably below her previous water-line.  With aching arms and
+bleeding hands we worked harder than ever at the pumps, and
+Curtis makes those who are not pumping form a line and pass
+buckets, with all the speed they can, from hand to hand.
+
+But all in vain!  At half-past eight more water is reported in
+the hold, and some of the sailors, overcome by despair, refuse to
+work one minute longer.
+
+The first to abandon his post was Owen, a man whom I have
+mentioned before, as exhibiting something of a mutinous spirit,
+He is about forty years of age, and altogether unprepossessing in
+appearance; his face is bare, with the exception of a reddish
+beard, which terminates in a point; his forehead is furrowed with
+sinister-looking wrinkles, his lips curl inwards, and his ears
+protrude, whilst his bleared and bloodshot eyes are encircled
+with thick red rings.
+
+Amongst the five or six other men who had struck work, I noticed
+Jynxtrop the cook, who evidently shared all Owen's ill feelings.
+
+Twice did Curtis order the men back to the pumps, and twice did
+Owen, acting as spokesman for the rest, refuse; and when Curtis
+made a step forward as though to approach him, he said savagely,--
+
+"I advise you not to touch me," and walked away to the
+forecastle.
+
+Curtis descended to his cabin, and almost immediately returned
+with a loaded revolver in his hand.
+
+For a moment Owen surveyed the captain with a frown of defiance;
+but at a sign from Jynxtrop he seemed to recollect himself; and,
+with the remainder of the men, he returned to his work.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+DECEMBER 4th.--The first attempt at mutiny being thus happily
+suppressed, it is to be hoped that Curtis will succeed as well in
+future.  An insubordinate crew would render us powerless indeed.
+
+Throughout the night the pumps were kept, without respite,
+steadily at work, but without producing the least sensible
+benefit.  The ship became so water-logged and heavy that she
+hardly rose at all to the waves, which consequently often washed
+over the deck and contributed their part towards aggravating our
+case.  Our situation was rapidly becoming as terrible as it had
+been when the fire was raging in the midst of us; and the
+prospect of being swallowed by the devouring billows was no less
+formidable than that of perishing in the flames.
+
+Curtis kept the men up to the mark, and, willing or unwilling,
+they had no alternative but to work on as best they might; but,
+in spite of all their efforts, the water perpetually rose, till,
+at length, the men in the hold who were passing the buckets found
+themselves immersed up to their waists and were obliged to come
+on deck.
+
+This morning, after a somewhat protracted consultation with
+Walter and the boatswain, Curtis resolved to abandon the ship.
+The only remaining boat was far too small to hold us all, and it
+would therefore be necessary to construct a raft that should
+carry those who could not find room in her.  Dowlas the
+carpenter, Mr. Falsten, and ten sailors were told off to put the
+raft in hand, the rest of the crew being ordered to continue
+their work assiduously at the pumps, until the time came and
+everything was ready for embarkation.
+
+Hatchet or saw in hand, the carpenter and his assistants made a
+beginning without delay by cutting and trimming the spare yards
+and extra spars to a proper length.  These were then lowered into
+the sea, which was propitiously calm, so as to favour the
+operation (which otherwise would have been very difficult) of
+lashing them together into a firm framework, about forty feet
+long and twenty-five feet wide, upon which the platform was to be
+supported.
+
+I kept my own place steadily at the pumps, and Andre Letourneur
+worked at my side; I often noticed his father glance at him
+sorrowfully, as though he wondered what would become of him if he
+had to struggle with waves to which even the strongest man could
+hardly fail to succumb.  But come what may, his father will never
+forsake him, and I myself shall not be wanting in rendering him
+whatever assistance I can.
+
+Mrs. Keat, who had been for some time in a state of drowsy
+unconsciousness, was not informed of the immediate danger, but
+when Miss Herbey, looking somewhat pale with fatigue, paid one of
+her flying visits to the deck, I warned her to take every
+precaution for herself and to be ready for any emergency.
+
+"Thank you, doctor, I am always ready," she cheerfully replied,
+and returned to her duties below.  I saw Andre follow the young
+girl with his eyes, and a look of melancholy interest passed over
+his countenance.
+
+Towards eight o'clock in the evening the framework for the raft.
+was almost complete, and the men were lowering empty barrels,
+which had first been securely bunged, and were lashing them to
+the wood-work to insure its floating.
+
+Two hours later and suddenly there arose the startling cry, "We
+are sinking!  we are sinking!"
+
+Up to the poop rushed Mr. Kear, followed immediately by Falsten
+and Miss Herbey, who were bearing the inanimate form of Mrs.
+Keat.  Curtis ran to his cabin, instantly returning with a chart;
+a sextant, and a compass in his hand.
+
+The scene that followed will ever be engraven in my memory; the
+cries of distress, the general confusion, the frantic rush of the
+sailors towards the raft that was not yet ready to support them,
+can never be forgotten.  The whole period of my life seemed to be
+concentrated into that terrible moment when the planks bent below
+my feet and the ocean yawned beneath me.
+
+Some of the sailors had taken their delusive refuge in the
+shrouds, and I was preparing to follow them when a hand was laid
+upon my shoulder.  Turning round I beheld M. Letourneur, with
+tears in his eyes, pointing towards his son.  "Yes, my friend," I
+said, pressing his hand, "we will save him, if possible."
+
+But Curtis had already caught hold of the young man, and was
+hurrying him to the main-mast shrouds, when the "Chancellor,"
+which had been scudding along rapidly with the wind, stopped
+suddenly, with a violent shock, and began to settle, The sea rose
+over my ancles and almost instinctively I clutched at the nearest
+rope.  All at once, when it seemed all over, the ship ceased to
+sink, and hung motionless in mid-ocean.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+NIGHT OF DECEMBER 4th.--Curtis caught young Letourneur again in
+his arms, and running with him across the flooded deck deposited
+him safely in the starboard shrouds, whither his father and I
+climbed up beside him.
+
+I now had time to look about me.  The night was not very dark,
+and I could see that Curtis had returned to his post upon the
+poop; whilst in the extreme aft near the taffrail, which was
+still above water, I could distinguish the forms of Mr. and Mrs.
+Kear, Miss Herbey, and Mr. Falsten The lieutenant and the
+boatswain were on the far end of the forecastle; the remainder of
+the crew in the shrouds and top-masts.
+
+By the assistance of his father, who carefully guided his feet up
+the rigging, Andre was hoisted into the main-top.  Mrs. Kear
+could not be induced to join him in his elevated position, in
+spite of being told that if the wind were to freshen she would
+inevitably be washed overboard by the waves; nothing could induce
+her to listen to remonstrance, and she insisted upon remaining on
+the poop, Miss Herbey, of course, staying by her side.
+
+As soon as the captain saw the "Chancellor" was no longer
+sinking, he set to work to take down all the sails, yards and
+all, and the top-gallants, in the hope that by removing
+everything that could compromise the equilibrium of the ship he
+might diminish the chance of her capsizing altogether.
+
+"But may she not founder at any moment?"  I said to Curtis, when
+I had joined him for a while upon the poop.
+
+"Everything depends upon the weather," he replied, in his calmest
+manner; "that, of course, may change at any hour.  One thing,
+however, is certain, the 'Chancellor' preserves her equilibrium
+for the present."
+
+"But do you mean to say," I further asked, "that she can sail
+with two feet of water over her deck?"
+
+"No, Mr. Kazallon, she can't sail, but she can drift with the
+wind, and if the wind remains in its present quarter, in the
+course of a few days we might possibly sight the coast.  Besides,
+we shall have our raft as a last resource; in a few hours it will
+be ready, and at daybreak we can embark."
+
+"You have not then," I added, "abandoned all hope even yet?"  I
+marvelled at his composure.
+
+"While there's life there's hope, you know Mr. Kazallon; out of a
+hundred chances, ninety-nine may be against us, but perhaps the
+odd one may be in our favour.  Besides, I believe that our case
+is not without precedent.  In the year 1795 a three-master, the
+'Juno,' was precisely in the same half-sunk, water-logged
+condition as ourselves; and yet with her passengers and crew
+clinging to her top-masts she drifted for twenty days, until she
+came in sight of land, when those who had survived the
+deprivation and fatigue were saved.  So let us not despair; let
+us hold on to the hope that the survivors of the 'Chancellor' may
+be equally fortunate."
+
+I was only too conscious that there was not much to be said in
+support of Curtis's sanguine view of things, and that the force
+of reason pointed all the other way; but I said nothing, deriving
+what comfort I could from the fact that the captain did not yet
+despond of an ultimate rescue.
+
+As it was necessary to be prepared to abandon the ship almost at
+a moment's notice, Dowlas was making every exertion to hurry on
+the construction of the raft.  A little before midnight he was on
+the point of conveying some planks for this purpose, when, to his
+astonishment and horror, he found that the framework had totally
+disappeared.  The ropes that had attached it to the vessel had
+snapped as she became vertically displaced, and probably it had
+been adrift for more than an hour.
+
+The crew were frantic at this new misfortune, and shouting
+"Overboard with the masts!"  they began to cut down the rigging
+preparatory to taking possession of the masts for a new raft.
+
+But here Curtis interposed:--
+
+"Back to your places, my men; back to your places.  The ship will
+not sink yet, so don't touch a rope until I give you leave."
+
+The firmness of the captain's voice brought the men to their
+senses, and although some of them could ill disguise their
+reluctance, all returned to their posts.
+
+When daylight had sufficiently advanced Curtis mounted the mast,
+and looked around for the missing raft; but it was nowhere to be
+seen.  The sea was far too rough for the men to venture to take
+out the whaleboat in search of it, and there was no choice but to
+set to work and to construct a new raft immediately.
+
+Since the sea has become so much rougher, Mrs. Kear has been
+induced to leave the poop, and has managed to join M. Letourneur
+and his son on the main-top, where she lies in a state of
+complete prostration.  I need hardly add that Miss Herbey
+continues in her unwearied attendance.  The space to which these
+four people are limited is necessarily very small, nowhere
+measuring twelve feet across; to prevent them losing their
+balance some spars have been lashed from shroud to shroud, and
+for the convenience of the two ladies Curtis has contrived to
+make a temporary awning of a sail.  Mr. Kear has installed
+himself with Silas Huntly on the foretop.
+
+A few cases of preserved meat and biscuit and some barrels of
+water, that floated between the masts after the submersion of the
+deck, have been hoisted to the top-masts and fastened firmly to
+the stays.  These are now our only provisions.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+DECEMBER 5th.--The day was very hot.  December in latitude 16deg.
+N. is a summer month, and unless a breeze should rise to temper
+the burning sun, we might expect to suffer from an oppressive
+heat.
+
+The sea still remained very rough, and as the heavy waves broke
+over the ship as though she were a reef, the foam flew up to the
+very top-masts, and our clothes were perpetually drenched by the
+spray.
+
+The "Chancellor's" hull is three-fourths immerged; besides the
+three masts and the bowsprit, to which the 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
+practised 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 vigour
+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 towards 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' of 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 fore top.  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 afterwards I saw Huntly let himself down by the
+forestays and clamber along to the forecastle where he joined the
+group of sailors, and I lost sight of him.
+
+I attached little importance to the incident, and shortly
+afterwards 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
+afterwards I heard him hail some of the sailors on the forecastle
+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 handsomely for their
+services, two of them, Burke and Sandon, swung themselves along
+the netting into the shrouds, and were soon at his side.
+
+A long discussion ensued.  The men evidently were asking more
+than Mr. Kear was inclined to give, and at one time if seemed as
+though the negotiation would fall through altogether.  But at
+length the bargain was struck, and I saw Mr. Kear take a bundle
+of paper dollars from his waistcoat pocket, and hand a number of
+them over to one of the men, The man counted them carefully, and
+from the time it took him, I should think that he could not have
+pocketed anything less than a hundred dollars.
+
+The next business was to get Mr. Kear down from the foretop, and
+Burke and Sandon proceeded to tie a rope round his waist, which
+they afterwards fastened to the forestay; then, in a way which
+provoked shouts of laughter from their mates, they gave the
+unfortunate man a shove, and sent him rolling down like a bundle
+of dirty clothes on to the forecastle.
+
+I was quite mistaken as to his object.  Mr. Kear had no intention
+of looking after his wife, but remained by the side of Silas
+Huntly until the gathering darkness hid them both from view.
+
+As night drew on, the wind grew calmer, but the sea remained very
+rough.  The moon had been up ever since four in the afternoon,
+though she only appeared at rare intervals between the clouds.
+Some long lines of vapour on the horizon were tinged with a rosy
+glare that foreboded a strong breeze for the morrow, and all felt
+anxious to know from which quarter the breeze would come, for any
+but a north-easter would bear the frail raft on which we were to
+embark far away from land.
+
+About eight o'clock in the evening Curtis mounted to the main-top
+but he seemed preoccupied and anxious, and did not speak to any
+one.  He remained for a quarter of an hour, then after silently
+pressing my hand, he returned to his old post.
+
+I laid myself down in the narrow space at my disposal, and tried
+to sleep; but my mind was filled with strange forebodings, and
+sleep was impossible.  The very calmness of the atmosphere was
+oppressive; scarcely a breath of air vibrated through the metal
+rigging, and yet the sea rose with a heavy swell as though it
+felt the warnings of a coming tempest.
+
+All at once, at about eleven o'clock, the moon burst brightly
+forth through a rift in the clouds, and the waves sparkled again
+as if illumined by a submarine glimmer.  I start up and look
+around me.  Is it merely imagination?  or do I really see a black
+speck floating on the dazzling whiteness of the waters, a speck
+that cannot be a rock; because it rises and falls with the
+heaving motion of the billows?  But the moon once again becomes
+overclouded; the sea, is darkened, and I return to my uneasy
+couch close to the larboard shrouds.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII.
+
+DECEMBER 6th.--I must have fallen asleep for a few hours, when at
+four o'clock in the morning, I was rudely aroused by the roaring
+of the wind, and could distinguish Curtis's voice as he shouted
+in the brief intervals between the heavy gusts.
+
+I got up, and holding tightly to the purlin--for the waves made
+the masts tremble with their violence--I tried to look around and
+below me.  The sea was literally raging beneath, and great masses
+of livid-looking foam were dashing between the masts, which were
+oscillating terrifically.  It was still dark, and I could only
+faintly distinguish two figures on the stern, whom, by the sound
+of their voices, that I caught occasionally above the tumult, I
+made out to be Curtis and the boatswain.
+
+Just at that moment a sailor, who had mounted to the main-top to
+do something to the rigging, passed close behind me.
+
+"What's the matter?"  I asked,
+
+"The wind has changed," he answered, adding something which I
+could not hear distinctly, but which sounded like "dead against
+us."
+
+Dead against us!  then, thought I, the wind had shifted to the
+south-west, and my last night's forebodings had been correct.
+
+When daylight at length appeared, I found the wind although not
+blowing actually from the south-west, had veered round to the
+north-west, a change which was equally disastrous to us, inasmuch
+as it was carrying us away from land.  Moreover, the ship had
+sunk considerably during the night, and there were now five feet
+of water above deck; the side netting had completely disappeared,
+and the forecastle and the poop were now all but on a level with
+the sea, which washed over them incessantly.  With all possible
+expedition Curtis and his crew were labouring away at their raft,
+but the violence of the swell materially impeded their
+operations, and it became a matter of doubt as to whether the
+woodwork would not fall asunder before it could be properly
+fastened together.
+
+As I watched the men at their work M. Letourneur, with one arm
+supporting his son, came and stood by my side.
+
+"Don't you think this main-top will soon give way?"  he said, as
+the narrow platform on which we stood creaked and groaned with
+the swaying of the masts.
+
+Miss Herbey heard his words, and pointing towards Mrs. Kear, who
+was lying prostrate at her feet, asked what we thought ought to
+be done.
+
+"We can do nothing but stay where we are," I replied.
+
+"No;" said Andre "this is our best refuge; I hope you are not
+afraid."
+
+"Not for myself," said the young girl quietly "only for those to
+whom life is precious."
+
+At a quarter to eight we heard the boatswain calling to the
+sailors in the bows.
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," said one of the men--O'Ready, I think.
+
+"Where's the whale boat?"  shouted the boatswain.
+
+"I don't know, sir.  Not with us," was the reply.
+
+"She's gone adrift, then!"
+
+And sure enough the whale-boat was no longer hanging from the
+bowsprit; and in a moment the discovery was made that Mr. Kear,
+Silas Huntly, and three sailors,--a Scotchman and two Englishmen,
+--were missing.  Afraid that the "Chancellor" would founder
+before the completion of the raft, Kear and Huntly had plotted
+together to effect their escape, and had bribed the three sailors
+to seize the only remaining boat.
+
+This, then, was the black speck that I had seen during the night.
+The miserable husband had deserted his wife, the faithless
+captain had abandoned the ship that had once been under his
+command.
+
+"There are five saved, then," said the boatswain.
+
+"Faith, an it's five lost ye'll be maning," said O'Ready; and the
+state of the sea fully justified his opinion.
+
+The crew were furious when they heard of the surreptitious
+flight, and loaded the fugitives with all the invectives they
+could lay their tongues to.  So enraged were they at the
+dastardly trick of which they had been made the dupes, that if
+chance should bring the deserters again on board I should be
+sorry to answer for the consequences.
+
+In accordance with my advice, Mrs. Kear has not been informed of
+her husband's disappearance.  The unhappy lady is wasting away
+with a fever for which we are powerless to supply a remedy, for
+the medicine chest was lost when the ship began to sink.
+Nevertheless, I do not think we have anything to regret on that
+score, feeling as I do, that in a case like Mrs. Kear's, drugs
+would be of no avail.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII.
+
+DECEMBER 6th CONTINUED.--The "Chancellor" no longer maintained
+her equilibrium; we felt that she was gradually going down, and
+her hull was probably breaking up.  The main-top was already only
+ten feet above the water, whilst the bowsprit, with the exception
+of the extreme end, that rose obliquely from the waves, was
+entirely covered.
+
+The "Chancellor's" last day, we felt, had come.
+
+Fortunately the raft was all but finished, and unless Curtis
+preferred to wait till morning we should be able to embark in the
+evening.
+
+The raft is a very solid structure.  The spars that form the
+framework are crossed one above another and lashed together with
+stout ropes, so that the whole pile rises a couple of feet above
+the water.  The upper platform is constructed from the planks
+that were broken from the ship's sides by the violence of the
+waves, and which had not drifted away.  The afternoon has been
+employed in charging the raft with such provisions, sails, tools,
+and instruments as we have been able to save.
+
+And how can I attempt to give any idea of the feelings with
+which, one and all, we now contemplated the fate before us?  For
+my own part I was possessed rather by a benumbed indifference
+than by any sense of genuine resignation.  M. Letourneur was
+entirely absorbed in his son, who, in his turn, thought only of
+his father; at the same time exhibiting a calm Christian
+fortitude, which was shown by no one else of the party except
+Miss Herbey, who faced her danger with the same brave composure.
+Incredible as it may seem, Falsten remained the same as ever,
+occupying himself with writing down figures and memoranda in his
+pocket-book.  Mrs. Kear, in spite of all that Miss Herbey could
+do for her, was evidently dying.
+
+With regard to the sailors, two or three of them were calm
+enough, but the rest had well-nigh lost their wits.  Some of the
+more ill-disposed amongst them seemed inclined to run into
+excesses; and their conduct, under the bad influence of Owen and
+Jynxtrop, made it doubtful whether they would submit to control
+when once we were limited to the narrow dimensions of the raft.
+Lieutenant Walter, although his courage never failed him, was
+worn out with bodily fatigue, and obliged to give up all active
+labour; but Curtis and the boatswain were resolute, energetic and
+firm as ever.  To borrow an expression from the language of
+metallurgic art, they were men "at the highest degree of
+hardness."
+
+At five o'clock one of our companions in misfortune was released
+from her sufferings.  Mrs. Kear, after a most distressing
+illness, through which her young companion tended her with the
+most devoted care, has breathed her last.  A few deep sighs and
+all was over, and I doubt whether the sufferer was ever conscious
+of the peril of, her situation.
+
+The night passed on without further incident.  Towards morning I
+touched the dead woman's hand, and it was cold and stiff.  The
+corpse could not remain any longer on the main-top, and after
+Miss Herbey and I had carefully wrapped the garments about it,
+with a few short prayers the body of the first victim of our
+miseries was committed to the deep.
+
+As the sea closed over the body I heard one of the men in the
+shrouds say,--
+
+"There goes a carcase that we shall be sorry we have thrown
+away!"
+
+I looked round sharply.  It was Owen who had spoken, But horrible
+as were his words, the conviction was forced upon my mind that
+the day could not be far distant when we must want for food.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIX.
+
+DECEMBER 7th.--The ship was sinking rapidly; the water had risen
+to the fore-top; the poop and forecastle were completely
+submerged; the top of the bowsprit had disappeared, and only the
+three mast-tops projected from the waves.
+
+But all was ready on the raft; an erection had been made on the
+fore to hold a mast, which was supported by shrouds fastened to
+the sides of the platform; this mast carried a large royal.
+
+Perhaps, after all, these few frail planks will carry us to the
+shore which the "Chancellor" has failed to reach; at any rate, we
+cannot yet resign all hope.
+
+We were just on the point of embarking at 7 a.m. when the
+"Chancellor" all at once began to sink so rapidly that the
+carpenter and men who were on the raft were obliged with all
+speed to cut the ropes that secured it to the vessel to prevent
+it from being swallowed up in the eddying waters.  Anxiety, the
+most intense, took possession of us all.  At the very moment when
+the ship was descending into the fathomless abyss, the raft, our
+only hope of safety, was drifting off before our eyes.  Two of
+the sailors and an apprentice, beside themselves with terror,
+threw themselves headlong into the sea; but it was evident from
+the very first that they were quite powerless to combat the winds
+and waves.  Escape was impossible; they could neither reach the
+raft, nor return to the ship.  Curtis tied a rope round his waist
+and tried to swim to their assistance; but long before he could
+reach them the unfortunate men, after a vain struggle for life,
+sank below the waves and were seen no more.  Curtis, bruised and
+beaten with the surf that raged about the mast-heads, was hauled
+back to the ship.
+
+Meantime, Dowlas and his men, by means of some spars which they
+used as oars, were exerting themselves to bring back the raft,
+which had drifted about two cables-lengths away; but, in spite of
+all their efforts, it was fully an hour,--an hour which seemed to
+us, waiting as we were with the water up to the level of the top-
+masts, like an eternity--before they succeeded in bringing the
+raft alongside, and lashing it once again to the "Chancellor's"
+main-mast.
+
+Not a moment was then to be lost.  The waves were eddying like a
+whirlpool around the submerged vessel, and numbers of enormous
+air-bubbles were rising to the surface of the water.
+
+The time was come.  At Curtis's word "Embark!"  we all hurried to
+the raft.  Andre who insisted upon seeing Miss Herbey go first,
+was helped safely on to the platform, where his father
+immediately joined him.  In a very few minutes all except Curtis
+and old O'Ready had left the "Chancellor."
+
+Curtis remained standing on the main-top, deeming it not only his
+duty, but his right, to be the last to leave the vessel he had
+loved so well, and the loss of which he so much deplored.
+
+"Now then, old fellow off of this!"  cried the captain to the old
+Irishman, who did not move.
+
+"And is it quite sure ye are that she's sinkin?"  he said.
+
+"Ay, ay!  sure enough, my man; and you'd better look sharp."
+
+"Faith, then, and I think I will;" and not a moment too soon (for
+the water was up to his waist) he jumped on to the raft.
+
+Having cast one last, lingering look around him, Curtis then left
+the ship; the rope was cut and we went slowly adrift.
+
+All eyes were fixed upon the spot where the "Chancellor" lay
+foundering.  The top of the mizen was the first to disappear,
+then followed the main-top; and soon, of what had been a noble
+vessel, not a vestige was to be seen.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXX.
+
+Will this frail float, forty feet by twenty, bear us in safety?
+Sink it cannot; the material of which it is composed is of a kind
+that must surmount the waves.  But it is questionable whether it
+will hold together.  The cords that bind it will have a
+tremendous strain to bear in resisting the violence of the sea.
+The most sanguine amongst us trembles to face the future; the
+most confident dares to think only of the present.  After the
+manifold perils of the last seventy-two days' voyage all are too
+agitated to look forward without dismay to what in all human
+probability must be a time of the direst distress.
+
+Vain as the task may seem, I will not pause in my work of
+registering the events of our drama, as scene after scene they
+are unfolded before our eyes.
+
+Of the twenty-eight persons who left Charleston in the
+"Chancellor," only eighteen are left to huddle together upon this
+narrow raft; this number includes the five passengers, namely M.
+Letourneur, Andre, Miss Herbey, Falsten, and myself; the ship's
+officers, Captain Curtis, Lieutenant Walter, the boatswain,
+Hobart the steward, Jynxtrop the cook, and Dowlas the carpenter;
+and seven sailors, Austin, Owen, Wilson, O'Ready, Burke, Sandon,
+and Flaypole.
+
+Such are the passengers on the raft; it is but a brief task to
+enumerate their resources.
+
+The greater part of the provisions in the store-room were
+destroyed at the time when the ship's deck was submerged, and the
+small quantity that Curtis has been able to save will be very
+inadequate to supply the wants of eighteen people, who too
+probably have many days to wait ere they sight either land or a
+passing vessel.  One cask of biscuit, another of preserved meat,
+a small keg of brandy, and two barrels of water complete our
+store, so that the utmost frugality in the distribution of our
+daily rations becomes absolutely necessary.
+
+Of spare clothes we have positively none; a few sails will serve
+for shelter by day, and covering by night.  Dowlas has his
+carpenter's tools, we have each a pocket-knife, and O'Ready an
+old tin pot; of which he takes the most tender care; in addition
+to these, we are in possession of a sextant, a compass, a chart,
+and a metal tea-kettle, everything else that was placed on deck
+in readiness for the first raft having been lost in the partial
+submersion of the vessel.
+
+Such then is our situation; critical indeed, but after all
+perhaps not desperate.  We have one great fear; some there are
+amongst us whose courage, moral as well as physical, may give
+way, and over failing spirits such as these we may have no
+control.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXI.
+
+DECEMBER 7th CONTINUED.--Our first day on the raft has passed
+without any special incident.  At eight o'clock this morning
+Curtis asked our attention for a moment.
+
+"My friends," he said, "listen to me.  Here on this raft, just as
+when we were on board the 'Chancellor,' I consider myself your
+captain; and as your captain, I expect that all of you will
+strictly obey my orders.  Let me beg of you, one and all, to
+think solely of our common welfare; let us work with one heart
+and with one soul, and may Heaven protect us!"
+
+After delivering these few words with an emotion that evidenced
+their earnestness, the captain consulted his compass, and found
+that the freshening breeze was blowing from the north.  This was
+fortunate for us, and no time was to be lost in taking advantage
+of it to speed us on our dubious way.  Dowlas was occupied in
+fixing the mast into the socket that had already been prepared
+for its reception, and in order to support it more firmly he
+placed spurs of wood, forming arched buttresses, on either side.
+While he was thus employed the boatswain and the other seamen
+were stretching the large royal sail on the yard that had been
+reserved for that purpose.
+
+By half-past nine the mast was hoisted, and held firmly in its
+place by some shrouds attached securely to the sides of the raft;
+then the sail was run up and trimmed to the wind, and the raft
+began to make a perceptible progress under the brisk breeze.
+
+As soon as we had once started, the carpenter set to work to
+contrive some sort of a rudder, that would enable us to maintain
+our desired direction.  Curtis and Falsten assisted him with some
+serviceable suggestions, and in a couple of hours' time he had
+made and fixed to the back of the raft a kind of paddle, very
+similar to those used by the Malays.
+
+At noon, after the necessary preliminary observations, Curtis
+took the altitude of the sun.  The result gave lat. 15deg. 7min.
+N. by long. 49deg. 35min. W. as our position, which, on
+consulting the chart, proved to be about 650 miles north-east of
+the coast of Paramaribo in Dutch Guiana.
+
+Now even under the most favourable circumstances, with trade-
+winds and weather always in our favour, we cannot by any chance
+hope to make more than ten or twelve miles a day, so that the
+voyage cannot possibly be performed under a period of two months.
+To be sure there is the hope to be indulged that we may fall in
+with a passing vessel, but as the part of the Atlantic into which
+we have been driven is intermediate between the tracks of the
+French and English Transatlantic steamers either from the
+Antilles or the Brazils, we cannot reckon at all upon such a
+contingency happening in our favour; whilst if a calm should set
+in, or worse still, if the wind were to blow from the east, not
+only two months, but twice, nay, three times that length of time
+will be required to accomplish the passage.
+
+At best, however, our provisions, even though used with the
+greatest care, will barely last three months.  Curtis has called
+us into consultation, and as the working of the raft does not
+require such labour as to exhaust our physical strength, all have
+agreed to submit to a regimen which, although it will suffice to
+keep us alive, will certainly not fully satisfy the cravings of
+hunger and thirst.
+
+As far as we can estimate, we have somewhere about 500 lbs.  of
+meat and about the same quantity of biscuit.  To make this last
+for three months we ought not to consume very much more than 5
+lbs. a day of each, which, when divided among eighteen people,
+will make the daily ration 5 oz. of meat and 5 oz. of biscuit for
+each person.  Of water we have certainly not more than 200
+gallons, but by reducing each person's allowance to a pint a day,
+we hope to eke out that, too, over the space of three months.
+
+It is arranged that the food shall be distributed under the
+boatswain's superintendence every morning at ten o'clock.  Each
+person will then receive his allowance of meat and biscuit, which
+may be eaten when and how he pleases.  The water will be given
+out twice a day--at ten in the morning and six in the evening;
+but as the only drinking-vessels in our possession are the tea-
+kettle and the old Irishman's tin pot, the water has to be
+consumed immediately on distribution.  As for the brandy, of
+which there are only five gallons, it will be doled out with the
+strictest limitation, and no one will be allowed to touch it
+except with the captain's express permission.
+
+I should not forget that there are two sources from which we may
+hope to increase our store.  First, any rain that may fall will
+add to our supply of water, and two empty barrels have been
+placed ready to receive it; secondly, we hope to do something in
+the way of fishing, and the sailors have already begun to prepare
+some lines.
+
+All have mutually agreed to abide by the rules that have been
+laid down, for all are fully aware that by nothing but the most
+precise regimen can we hope to avert the horrors of famine, and
+forewarned by the fate, of many who in similar circumstances have
+miserably perished, we are determined to do all that prudence can
+suggest for husbanding our stores.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXII.
+
+DECEMBER 8th to 17th.--When night came we wrapped ourselves in
+our sails.  For my own part, worn out with the fatigue of the
+long watch in the top-mast, I slept for several hours; M.
+Letourneur and Andre did the same, and Miss Herbey obtained
+sufficient rest to relieve the tired expression that her
+countenance had lately been wearing.  The night passed quietly.
+As the raft was not very heavily laden the waves did not break
+over it at all, and we were consequently able to keep ourselves
+perfectly dry.  To say the truth, it was far better for us that
+the sea should remain somewhat boisterous, for any diminution in
+the swell of the waves would indicate that; the wind had dropped,
+and it was with a feeling of regret that when the morning came I
+had to note down "weather calm" in my journal.
+
+In these low latitudes the heat in the day-time is so intense,
+and the sun burns with such an incessant glare, that the entire
+atmosphere becomes pervaded with a glowing vapour.  The wind,
+too, blows only in fitful gusts and through long intervals of
+perfect calm the sails flap idly and uselessly against the mast.
+Curtis and the boatswain, however, are of opinion that we are not
+entirely dependent on the wind.  Certain indications, which a
+sailor's eye alone could detect, make them almost sure that we
+are being carried along by a westerly current, that flows at the
+rate of three or four miles an hour.  If they are not mistaken,
+this is a circumstance that may materially assist our progress,
+and at which we can hardly fail to rejoice, for the high
+temperature often makes our scanty allowance of water quite
+inadequate to allay our thirst.
+
+But with all our hardships I must confess that our condition is
+far preferable to what it was when we were still clinging to the
+"Chancellor."  Here at least we have a comparatively solid
+platform beneath our feet, and we are relieved from the incessant
+dread of being carried down with a foundering vessel.  In the
+day-time we can move about with a certain amount of freedom,
+discuss the weather, watch the sea, and examine our fishing-
+lines; whilst at night we can rest securely under the shelter of
+our sails.
+
+"I really think, Mr. Kazallon," said Andre Letourneur to me a few
+days after we had embarked, "that our time on board the raft
+passes as pleasantly as it did upon Ham Rock; and the raft has
+one advantage even over the reef, for it is capable of motion."
+
+"Yes, Andre," replied, "as long as the wind continues favourable
+the raft has decidedly the advantage; but supposing the wind
+shifts, what then?"
+
+"Oh, we mustn't think about that," he said; "let us keep up our
+courage while we can."
+
+I felt that he was right, and that the dangers we had escaped
+should make us more hopeful for the future; and I think that
+nearly all of us are inclined to share his opinion.
+
+Whether the captain is equally sanguine I am unable to say.  He
+holds himself very much aloof, and as he evidently feels that he
+has the great responsibility of saving other lives than his own,
+we are reluctant to disturb his silent meditations.
+
+Such of the crew as are not on watch spend the greater portion of
+their time in dozing on the fore part of the raft.  The aft, by
+the captain's orders, has been reserved for the use of us
+passengers, and by erecting some uprights we have contrived to
+make a sort of tent, which affords some shelter from the burning
+sun.  On the whole our bill of health is tolerably satisfactory.
+Lieutenant Walter is the only invalid, and he, in spite of all
+our careful nursing, seems to get weaker every day.
+
+Andre Letourneur is the life of our party, and I have never
+appreciated the young man so well.  His originality of perception
+makes his conversation both lively and entertaining and as he
+talks, his wan and suffering countenance lights up with an
+intelligent animation.  His father seems to become more devoted
+to him than ever, and I have seen him sit for an hour at a time,
+with his hand resting on his son's, listening eagerly to his
+every word.
+
+Miss Herbey occasionally joins in our conversation, but although
+we all do our best to make her forget that she has lost those who
+should have been her natural protectors, M. Letourneur is the
+only one amongst us to whom she speaks without a certain reserve.
+To him, whose age gives him something of the authority of a
+father, she has told the history of her life--a life of patience
+and self-denial such as not unfrequently falls to the lot of
+orphans.  She had been, she said, two years with Mrs. Kear, and
+although now left alone in the world, homeless and without
+resources, hope for the future does not fail her.  The young
+lady's modest deportment and energy of character command the
+respect of all on board, and I do not think that even the
+coarsest of the sailors has either by word or gesture acted
+towards her in a way that she could deem offensive.
+
+The 12th, 13th, and 14th of December passed away without any
+change in our condition.  The wind continued to blow in irregular
+gusts, but always in the same direction, and the helm, or rather
+the paddle at the back of the raft has never once required
+shifting; and the watch, who are posted on the fore, under orders
+to examine the sea with the most scrupulous attention, have had
+no change of any kind to report.
+
+At the end of a week we found ourselves growing accustomed to our
+limited diet, and as we had no manual exertion, and no wear and
+tear of our physical constitution, we managed very well.  Our
+greatest deprivation was the short supply of water, for, as I
+said before, the unmitigated heat made our thirst at times very
+painful.
+
+On the 15th we held high festival.  A shoal of fish, of the
+sparus tribe, swarmed round the raft, and although our tackle
+consisted merely of long cords baited with morsels of dried meat
+stuck upon bent nails, the fish were so voracious that in the
+course of a couple of days we had caught as many as weighed
+almost 200lbs., some of which were grilled, and others boiled in
+sea-water over a fire made on the fore part of the raft.  This
+marvellous haul was doubly welcome, inasmuch as it not only
+afforded us a change of diet, but enabled us to economize our
+stores; if only some rain had fallen at the same time we should
+have been more than satisfied.
+
+Unfortunately the shoal of fish did not remain long in our
+vicinity.  On the 17th they all disappeared, and some sharks, not
+less than twelve or fifteen feet long, belonging to the species
+of spotted dog-fish, took their place.  These horrible creatures
+have black backs and fins, covered with white spots and stripes.
+Here, on our low raft, we seem almost on a level with them, and
+more than once their tails have struck the spars with terrible
+violence.  The sailors manage to keep them at a distance by means
+of handspikes, but I shall not be surprised if they persist in
+following us, instinctively intelligent that we are destined to
+become their prey.  For myself, I confess that they give me a
+feeling of uneasiness; they seem to me like monsters of ill-omen.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIII.
+
+DECEMBER 18th to 20th.--On the 18th the wind freshened a little,
+but as it blew from the same favourable quarter we did not
+complain, and only took the precaution of putting an extra
+support to the mast, so that it should not snap with the tension
+of the sail.  This done, the raft was carried along with
+something more than its ordinary speed, and left a long line of
+foam in its wake.
+
+In the afternoon the sky became slightly overclouded, and the
+heat consequently somewhat less oppressive.  The swell made it
+more difficult for the raft to keep its balance, and we shipped
+two or three heavy seas; but the carpenter managed to make with
+some planks a kind of wall about a couple of feet high, which
+protected us from the direct action of the waves.  Our casks of
+food and water were secured to the raft with double ropes, for we
+dared not run the risk of their being carried overboard, an
+accident that would at once have reduced us to the direst
+distress.
+
+In the course of the day the sailors gathered some of the marine
+plants known by the name of sargassos, very similar to those we
+saw in such profusion between the Bermudas and Ham Rock.  I
+advised my companions to chew the laminary tangles, which they
+would find contained a saccharine juice, affording considerable
+relief to their parched lips and throats.
+
+The remainder of the day passed without incident.  I should not,
+however, omit to mention that the frequent conferences held
+amongst the sailors, especially between Owen, Burke, Flaypole,
+Wilson, and Jynxtrop, the negro, aroused some uneasy suspicions
+in my mind.  What was the subject of their conversation I could
+not discover, for they became silent immediately that a passenger
+or one of the officers approached them.  When I mentioned the
+matter to Curtis I found he had already noticed these secret
+interviews, and that they had given him enough concern to make
+him determined to keep a strict eye upon Jynxtrop and Owen, who,
+rascals as they were themselves, were evidently trying to
+disaffect their mates.
+
+On the 19th the heat was again excessive.  The sky was cloudless,
+and as there was not enough wind to fill the sail the raft lay
+motionless upon the surface of the water.  Some of the sailors
+found a transient alleviation for their thirst by plunging into
+the sea, but as we were fully aware that the water all round was
+infested with sharks, none of us was rash enough to follow their
+example, though if, as seems likely, we remain long becalmed, we
+shall probably in time overcome our fears, and feel constrained
+to indulge ourselves with a bath.
+
+The health of Lieutenant Walter continues to cause us grave
+anxiety, the young man being weakened by attacks of intermittent
+fever.  Except for the loss of the medicine-chest we might have
+temporarily reduced this by quinine; but it is only too evident
+that the poor fellow is consumptive, and that that hopeless
+malady is making ravages upon him that no medicine could
+permanently arrest.  His sharp dry cough, his short breathing,
+his profuse perspirations, more especially in the morning; the
+pinched-in nose, the hollow cheeks, of which the general pallour
+is only relieved by a hectic flush, the contracted lips, the too
+brilliant eye and wasted form--all bear witness to a slow but
+sure decay.
+
+To-day, the 20th, the temperature is as high as ever, and the
+raft still motionless.  The rays of the sun penetrate even
+through the shelter of our tent, where we sit literally gasping
+with the heat.  The impatience with which we awaited the moment
+when the boatswain should dole out our meagre allowance of water,
+and the eagerness with which those lukewarm drops were swallowed,
+can only be realized by those who for themselves have endured the
+agonies of thirst.
+
+Lieutenant Walter suffers more than any of us from the scarcity
+of water, and I noticed that Miss Herbey reserved almost the
+whole of her own share for his use.  Kind and compassionate as
+ever, the young girl does all that lies in her power to relieve
+the poor fellow's sufferings.
+
+"Mr. Kazallon," she said to me this morning, "that young man gets
+manifestly weaker every day."
+
+"Yes, Miss Herbey," I replied, "and how sorrowful it is that we
+can do nothing for him, absolutely nothing."
+
+"Hush!"  she said, with her wonted consideration, "perhaps he
+will hear what we are saying."
+
+And then she sat down near the edge of the raft, where, with her
+head resting on her hands, she remained lost in thought.
+
+An incident sufficiently unpleasant occurred to-day.  For nearly
+an hour Owen, Flaypole, Burke, and Jynxtrop had been engaged in
+close conversation and, although their voices were low, their
+gestures had betrayed that they were animated by some strong
+excitement.  At the conclusion of the colloquy Owen got up and
+walked deliberately to the quarter of the raft that has been
+reserved for the use of the passengers.
+
+"Where are you off to now, Owen?"  said the boatswain.
+
+"That's my business," said the man insolently, and pursued his
+course.
+
+The boatswain was about to stop him, but before he could
+interfere Curtis was standing and looking Owen steadily in the
+face.
+
+"Ah, captain, I've got a word from my mates to say to you," he
+said, with all the effrontery imaginable.
+
+"Say on, then," said the captain coolly.
+
+"We should like to know about that little keg of brandy.  Is it
+being kept for the porpoises or the officers?"
+
+Finding that he obtained no reply, he went on,--
+
+"Look here, captain, what we want is to have our grog served out
+every morning as usual."
+
+"Then you certainly will not," said the captain.
+
+"What!  what!"  exclaimed Owen, "don't you mean to let us have
+our grog?"
+
+"Once and for all, no."
+
+For a moment, with a malicious grin upon his lips, Owen stood
+confronting the captain; then, as though thinking better of
+himself, he turned round and rejoined his companions, who were
+still talking together in an undertone.
+
+When I was afterwards discussing the matter with Curtis I asked
+him whether he was sure he had done right in refusing the brandy.
+
+"Right!"  he cried, "to be sure I have.  Allow those men to have
+brandy!  I would throw it all overboard first."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIV.
+
+DECEMBER 21st.--No further disturbance has taken place amongst
+the men.  For a few hours the fish appeared again, and we caught
+a great many of them, and stored them away in an empty barrel.
+This addition to our stock of provisions makes us hope that food,
+at least, will not fail us.
+
+Usually the nights in the tropics are cool, but to-day, as
+evening drew on, the wonted freshness did not return, but the,
+air remained stifling and oppressive, whilst heavy masses of
+vapour hung over the water.
+
+There was no moonlight; there would be a new moon at half-past
+one in the morning, but the night was singularly dark, except for
+dazzling flashes of summer lightning that from time to time
+illumined the horizon far and wide.  There was, however, no
+answering roll of thunder, and the silence of the atmosphere
+seemed almost awful, For a couple of hours, in the vain hope of
+catching a breath of air, Miss Herbey, Andre Letourneur, and I,
+sat watching the imposing struggle of the electric vapours.  The
+clouds appeared like embattled turrets crested with flame, and
+the very sailors, coarse-minded men as they were, seemed struck
+with the grandeur of the spectacle, and regarded attentively,
+though with an anxious eye, the preliminary tokens of a coming
+storm.  Until midnight we kept our seats upon the stern of the
+raft, whilst the lightning ever and again shed around us a livid
+glare similar to that produced by adding salt to lighted alcohol.
+
+"Are you afraid of a storm, Miss Herbey?"  said Andre to the
+girl.
+
+"No, Mr. Andre, my feelings are always rather those of awe than
+of fear," she replied.  "I consider a storm one of the sublimest
+phenomena that we can behold--don't you think so too?"
+
+"Yes, and especially when the thunder is pealing," he said; "that
+majestic rolling, far different to the sharp crash of artillery,
+rises and falls like the long-drawn notes of the grandest music,
+and I can safely say that the tones of the most accomplished
+ARTISTE have never moved me like that incomparable voice of
+nature."
+
+"Rather a deep bass, though," I said, laughing.
+
+"That may be," he answered; "but I wish we might hear it now, for
+this silent lightning is somewhat unexpressive"
+
+"Never mind that, Andre" I said; "enjoy a storm when it comes, if
+you like, but pray don't wish for it."
+
+"And why not?"  said he; "a storm will bring us wind, you know."
+
+"And water, too," added Miss Herbey, "the water of which we are
+so seriously in need."
+
+The young people evidently wished to regard the storm from their
+own point of view, and although I could have opposed plenty of
+common sense to their poetical sentiments, I said no more, but
+let them talk on as they pleased for fully an hour.
+
+Meantime the sky was becoming quite overclouded, and after the
+zodiacal constellations had disappeared in the mists that hung
+round the horizon, one by one the stars above our heads were
+veiled in dark rolling masses of vapour, from which every instant
+there issued forth sheets of electricity that formed a vivid
+background to the dark grey fragments of cloud that floated
+beneath.
+
+As the reservoir of electricity was confined to the higher strata
+of the atmosphere, the lightning was still unaccompanied by
+thunder; but the dryness of the air made it a weak conductor.
+Evidently the fluid could only escape by terrible shocks, and the
+storm must ere long burst forth with fearful violence.
+
+This was the opinion of Curtis and the boatswain.  The boatswain
+is only weather-wise from his experience as a sailor; but Curtis,
+in addition to his experience, has some scientific knowledge, and
+he pointed out to me an appearance in the sky known to
+meteorologists as a "cloud-ring," and scarcely ever seen beyond
+the regions of the torrid zone, which are impregnated by damp
+vapours brought from all quarters of the ocean by the action of
+the trade-winds.
+
+"Yes, Mr. Kazallon," said Curtis, "our raft has been driven into
+the region of storms, of which it has been justly remarked that
+any one endowed with very sensitive organs can at any moment
+distinguish the growlings of thunder."
+
+"Hark!"  I said, as I strained my ears to listen, "I think I can
+hear it now."
+
+"You can," he answered; "yet what you hear is but the first
+warning of the storm which, in a couple of hours, will burst upon
+us with all its fury.  But never mind, we must be ready for it."
+
+Sleep, even if we wished it, would have been impossible in that
+stifling temperature.  The lightning increased in brilliancy, and
+appeared from all quarters of the horizon, each flash covering
+large arcs, varying from 100deg. to 150deg., leaving the
+atmosphere pervaded by one incessant phosphorescent glow.
+
+The thunder became at length more and more distinct, the reports,
+if I may use the expression, being "round," rather than rolling.
+It seemed almost as though the sky were padded with heavy clouds
+of which the elasticity muffled the sound of the electric bursts.
+
+Hitherto, the sea had been calm, almost stagnant as a pond.  Now,
+however, long undulations took place, which the sailors
+recognized, all too well, as being the rebound produced by a
+distant tempest.  A ship, in such a case, would have been
+instantly brought ahull, but no manoeuvring could be applied to
+our raft, which could only drift before the blast.
+
+At one o'clock in the morning one vivid flash, followed, after
+the interval of a few seconds, by a loud report of thunder,
+announced that the storm was rapidly approaching.  Suddenly the
+horizon was enveloped in a vapourous fog, and seemed to contract
+until it was close around us.  At the same instant the voice of
+one of the sailors was heard shouting,--
+
+"A squall!  a squall!"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXV.
+
+DECEMBER 21st, NIGHT.--The boatswain rushed to the halliards that
+supported the sail, and instantly lowered the yard; and not a
+moment too soon, for with the speed of an arrow the squall was
+upon us, and if it had not been for the sailor's timely warning
+we must all have been knocked down and probably precipitated into
+the sea; as it was, our tent on the back of the raft was carried
+away.
+
+The raft itself, however, being so nearly level with the water,
+had little peril to encounter from the actual wind; but from the
+mighty waves now raised by the hurricane we had everything to
+dread.  At first the waves had been crushed and flattened as it
+were by the pressure of the air, but now, as though strengthened
+by the reaction, they rose with the utmost fury.  The raft
+followed the motions of the increasing swell, and was tossed up
+and down, to and fro, and from side to side with the most violent
+oscillations "Lash yourselves tight," cried the boatswain, as he
+threw us some ropes; and in a few moments, with Curtis's
+assistance, M. Letourneur, Andre, Falsten, and myself were
+fastened so firmly to the raft, that nothing but its total
+disruption could carry us away.  Miss Herbey was bound by a rope
+passed round her waist to one of the uprights that had supported
+our tent, and by the glare of the lightning I could see that her
+countenance was as serene and composed as ever.
+
+Then the storm began to rage indeed.  Flash followed flash, peal
+followed peal in quick succession.  Our eyes were blinded, our
+ears deafened, with the roar and glare.  The clouds above, the
+ocean beneath, seemed verily to have taken fire, and several
+times I saw forked lightnings dart upwards from the crest of the
+waves, and mingle with those that radiated from the fiery vault
+above.  A strong odour of sulphur pervaded the air, but though
+thunderbolts fell thick around us, not one had touched our raft.
+
+By two o'clock the storm had reached its height.  The hurricane
+had increased, and the heavy waves, heated to a strange heat by
+the general temperature, dashed over us until we were drenched to
+the skin.  Curtis, Dowlas, the boatswain, and the sailors did
+what they could to strengthen the raft with additional ropes.  M.
+Letourneur placed himself in front of Andre to shelter him from
+the waves.  Miss Herbey stood upright and motionless as a statue.
+
+Soon dense masses of lurid clouds came rolling up, and a
+crackling, like the rattle of musketry, resounded through the
+air.  This was produced by a series of electrical concussions, in
+which volleys of hailstones were discharged from the cloud-
+batteries above.  In fact, as the storm-sheet came in contact
+with a current of cold air, hail was formed with great rapidity,
+and hailstones, large as nuts, came pelting down, making the
+platform of the raft re-echo with a metallic ring.
+
+For about half an hour the meteoric shower continued to descend,
+and during that time the wind slightly abated in violence; but
+after having shifted from quarter to quarter, it once more blew
+with all its former fury.  The shrouds were broken, but happily
+the mast, already bending almost double, was removed by the men
+from its socket before it should be snapped short off.  One gust
+caught away the tiller, which went adrift beyond all power of
+recovery, and the same blast blew down several of the planks that
+formed the low parapet on the larboard side, so that the waves
+dashed in without hindrance through the breach.
+
+The carpenter and his mates tried to repair the damage, but,
+tossed from wave to wave, the raft was inclined to an angle of
+more than forty-five degrees, making it impossible for them to
+keep their footing, and rolling one over another, they were
+thrown down by the violent shocks.  Why they were not altogether
+carried away, why we were not all hurled into the sea, was to me
+a mystery.  Even if the cords that bound us should retain their
+hold, it seemed perfectly incredible that the raft itself should
+not be overturned, so that we should be carried down and stifled
+in the seething waters.
+
+At last, towards three in the morning, when the hurricane seemed
+to be raging more fiercely than ever, the raft, caught up on the
+crest of an enormous wave, stood literally perpendicularly on its
+edge.  For an instant, by the illumination of the lightning, we
+beheld ourselves raised to an incomprehensible height above the
+foaming breakers.  Cries of terror escaped our lips.  All must be
+over now!  But no; another moment, and the raft had resumed its
+horizontal position.  Safe, indeed, we were, but the tremendous
+upheaval was not without its melancholy consequences.  The cords
+that secured the cases of provisions had burst asunder.  One case
+rolled overboard, and the side of one of the water-barrels was
+staved in, so that the water which it contained was rapidly
+escaping.  Two of the sailors rushed forward to rescue the case
+of preserved meat; but one of them caught his foot between the
+planks of the platform, and, unable to disengage it, the poor
+fellow stood uttering-cries of distress.
+
+I tried to go to his assistance, and had already untied the cord
+that was round me; but I was too late.  Another heavy sea dashed
+over us, and by the light of a dazzling flash I saw the unhappy
+man, although he had managed without assistance to disengage his
+foot, washed overboard before it was in my power to get near him.
+His companion had also disappeared.
+
+The same ponderous wave laid me prostrate on the platform, and as
+my head came in collision with the corner of a spar, for a time I
+lost all consciousness.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVI.
+
+DECEMBER 22nd.--Daylight came at length, and the sun broke
+through and dispersed the clouds that the storm had left behind.
+The struggle of the elements, while it lasted, had been terrific,
+but the swoon into which I was thrown by my fall, prevented me
+from observing the final incidents of the visitation.  All that I
+know is, that shortly after we had shipped the heavy sea that I
+have mentioned, a shower of rain had the effect of calming the
+severity of the hurricane, and tended to diminish the electric
+tension of the atmosphere.
+
+Thanks to the kind care of M. Letourneur and Miss Herbey, I
+recovered consciousness, but I believe that it is to Robert
+Curtis that I owe my real deliverance, for he it was that
+prevented me from being carried away by a second heavy wave.
+
+The tempest, fierce as it was, did not last more than a few
+hours; but even in that short space of time what an irreparable
+loss we have sustained, and what a load of misery seems stored up
+for us in the future!
+
+Of the two sailors who perished in the storm, one was Austin, a
+fine active young man of about eight-and-twenty; the other was
+old O'Ready, the survivor of so many ship wrecks.  Our party is
+thus reduced to sixteen souls, leaving a total barely exceeding
+half the number of those who embarked on board the "Chancellor"
+at Charleston.
+
+Curtis's first care had been to take a strict account of the
+remnant of our provisions.  Of all the torrents of rain that fell
+in the night we were unhappily unable to catch a single drop; but
+water will not fail us yet, for about fourteen gallons still
+remain in the bottom of the broken barrel, whilst the second
+barrel has not yet been touched.  But of food we have next to
+nothing.  The cases containing the dried meat, and the fish that
+we had preserved, have both been washed away, and all that now
+remains to us is about sixty pounds of biscuit.  Sixty pounds of
+biscuit between sixteen persons!  Eight days, with half a pound a
+day apiece, will consume it all.
+
+The day has passed away in silence.  A general depression has
+fallen upon all:  the spectre of famine has appeared amongst us,
+and each has remained wrapped in his own gloomy meditations,
+though each has doubtless but one idea dominant in his mind.
+
+Once, as I passed near the group of sailors lying on the fore
+part of the raft, I heard Flaypole say with a sneer,--
+
+"Those who are going to die had better make haste about it."
+
+"Yes," said Owen, "leave their share of food to others."
+
+At the regular hour each person received his half-pound of
+biscuit.  Some, I noticed, swallowed it ravenously, others
+reserved it for another time.  Falsten divided his ration into
+several portions, corresponding, I believe, to the number of
+meals to which he was ordinarily accustomed.  What prudence he
+shows!  If any one survives this misery, I think it will be he.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVII.
+
+DECEMBER 23rd to 30th--After the storm the wind settled back into
+its old quarter, blowing pretty briskly from the north-east.  As
+the breeze was all in our favour it was important to make the
+most of it, and after Dowlas had carefully readjusted the mast,
+the sail was once more hoisted, and we were carried along at the
+rate of two or two and a half knots an hour.  A new rudder,
+formed of a spar and a good-sized plank, has been fitted in the
+place of the one we lost, but with the wind in its present
+quarter it is in little requisition.  The platform of the raft
+has been repaired, the disjointed planks have been closed by
+means of ropes and wedges, and that portion of the parapet that
+was washed away has been replaced, so that we are no longer
+wetted by the waves.  In fact, nothing has been left undone to
+insure the solidity of our raft, and to render it capable of
+resisting the wear and tear of the wind and waves.  But the
+dangers of wind and waves are not those which we have most to
+dread.
+
+Together with the unclouded sky came a return of the tropical
+heat, which during the preceding days had caused us such serious
+inconvenience; fortunately on the 23rd the excessive warmth was
+somewhat tempered by the breeze, and as the tent was once again
+put up, we were able to find shelter under it by turns.
+
+But the want of food was beginning to tell upon us sadly, and our
+sunken cheeks and wasted forms were visible tokens of what we
+were enduring.  With most of us hunger seemed to attack the
+entire nervous system, and the constriction of the stomach
+produced an acute sensation of pain.  A narcotic, such as opium
+or tobacco, might have availed to soothe, if not to cure, the
+gnawing agony; but of sedatives we had none, so the pain must be
+endured.
+
+One alone there was amongst us who did not feel the pangs of
+hunger.  Lieutenant Walter seemed as it were to feed upon the
+fever that raged within him; but then he was the victim of the
+most torturing thirst, Miss Herbey, besides reserving for him a
+portion of her own insufficient allowance, obtained from the
+captain a small extra supply of water, with which every quarter
+of an hour she moistened the parched lips of the young man, who
+almost too weak to speak, could only express his thanks by a
+grateful smile.  Poor fellow! all our care cannot avail to save
+him now; he is doomed, most surely doomed to die.
+
+On the 23rd he seemed to be conscious of his condition, for he
+made a sign to me to sit down by his side, and then summoning up
+all his strength to speak, he asked me in a few broken words how
+long I thought he had to live?  Slight as my hesitation was,
+Walter noticed it immediately.
+
+"The truth," he said; "tell me the plain truth."
+
+"My dear fellow, I am not a doctor, you know," I began, "and I
+can scarcely judge--"
+
+"Never mind," he interrupted, "tell me just what you think."
+
+I looked at him attentively for some moments, then laid my ear
+against his chest.  In the last few days his malady had made
+fearfully rapid strides, and it was only too evident that one
+lung had already ceased to act, whilst the other was scarcely
+capable of performing the work of respiration.  The young man was
+now suffering from the fever which is the sure symptom of the
+approaching end in all tuberculous complaints.
+
+The lieutenant kept his eye fixed upon me with a look of eager
+inquiry.  I knew not what to say, and sought to evade his
+question.
+
+"My dear,boy," I said, "in our present circumstances not one of
+us can tell how long he has to live.  Not one of us knows what
+may happen in the course of the next eight days."
+
+"The next eight days," he murmured, as he looked eagerly into my
+face.
+
+And then, turning away his head, he seemed to fall into a sort of
+doze.
+
+The 24th, 25th, and 26th passed without any alteration in our
+circumstances, and strange, nay, incredible as it may sound, we
+began to get accustomed to our condition of starvation.  Often,
+when reading the histories of shipwrecks, I have suspected the
+accounts to be greatly exaggerated; but now I fully realize their
+truth, and marvel when I find on how little nutriment it is
+possible to exist for so long a time.  To our daily half-pound of
+biscuit the captain has thought to add a few drops of brandy, and
+the stimulant helps considerably to sustain our strength.  If we
+had the same provisions for two months, or even for one, there
+might be room for hope; but our supplies diminish rapidly, and
+the time is fast approaching when of food and drink there will be
+none.
+
+The sea had furnished us with food once, and, difficult as the
+task of fishing had now become, at all hazards the attempt must
+be made again.  Accordingly the carpenter and the boatswain set
+to work and made lines out of some untwisted hemp, to which they
+fixed some nails that they pulled out of the flooring of the
+raft, and bent into proper shape.  The boatswain regarded his
+device with evident satisfaction.
+
+"I don't mean to say," said he to me, "that these nails are
+first-rate fish-hooks; but one thing I do know, and that is, with
+proper bait they will act as well as the best.  But this biscuit
+is no good at all.  Let me but just get hold of one fish, and I
+shall know fast enough how to use it to catch some more."
+
+And the true difficulty was how to catch the first fish.  It was
+evident that fish were not abundant in these waters, nevertheless
+the lines were cast.  But the biscuit with which they were baited
+dissolved at once in the water, and we did not get a single bite.
+For two days the attempt was made in vain, and as it only
+involved what seemed a lavish waste of our only means of
+subsistence, it was given up in despair.
+
+To-day, the 30th, as a last resource, the boatswain tried what a
+piece of coloured rag might do by way of attracting some
+voracious fish, and having obtained from Miss Herbey a little
+piece of the red shawl she wears, he fastened it to his hook.
+But still no success; for when, after several hours, he examined
+his lines, the crimson shred was still hanging intact as he had
+fixed it.  The man was quite discouraged at his failure.
+
+"But there will be plenty of bait before long," he said to me in
+a solemn undertone.
+
+"What do you mean?"  said I, struck by his significant manner.
+
+"You'll know soon enough," he answered.
+
+What did he insinuate?  The words, coming from a man usually so
+reserved, have haunted me all night.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXVIII.
+
+JANUARY 1st to 5th.--More than three months had elapsed since we
+left Charleston in the "Chancellor," and for no less than twenty
+days had we now been borne along on our raft at the mercy of the
+wind and waves.  Whether we were approaching the American coast,
+or whether we were drifting farther and farther to sea, it was
+now impossible to determine, for, in addition to the other
+disasters caused by the hurricane, the captain's instruments had
+been hopelessly smashed, and Curtis had no longer any compass by
+which to direct his course, nor a sextant by which he might make
+an observation.
+
+Desperate, however, as our condition might be judged, hope did
+not entirely abandon our hearts, and day after day, hour after
+hour were our eyes strained towards the horizon, and many and
+many a time did our imagination shape out the distant land.  But
+ever and again the illusion vanished; a cloud, a mist, perhaps
+even a wave, was all that had deceived us; no land, no sail ever
+broke the grey line that united sea and sky, and our raft
+remained the centre of the wide and dreary waste.
+
+On the 1st of January we swallowed our last morsel of biscuit.
+The 1st of January!  New Year's Day!  What a rush of sorrowful
+recollections overwhelmed our minds!  Had we not always
+associated the opening of another year with new hopes, new plans,
+and coming joys?  And now, where were we?  Could we dare to look
+at one another, and breathe a new year's greeting?
+
+The boatswain approached me with a peculiar look on his
+countenance.
+
+"You are surely not going to wish me a happy new year?"  I said.
+
+"No indeed, sir," he replied, "I was only going to wish you well
+through the first day of it; and that is pretty good assurance on
+my part, for we have not another crumb to eat."
+
+True as it was, we scarcely realized the fact of there being
+actually nothing until on the following morning the hour came
+round for the distribution of the scanty ration, and then,
+indeed, the truth was forced upon us in a new and startling
+light.  Towards evening I was seized with violent pains in the
+stomach, accompanied by a constant desire to yawn and gape that
+was most distressing; but in a couple of hours the extreme agony
+passed away, and on the 3rd I was surprised to find that I did
+not suffer more.  I felt, it is true, that there was some great
+void within myself, but the sensation was quite as much moral as
+physical.  My head was so heavy that I could not hold it up; it
+was swimming with giddiness, as though I were looking over a
+precipice.
+
+My symptoms were not shared by all my companions, some of whom
+endured the most frightful tortures.  Dowlas and the boatswain
+especially, who were naturally large eaters, uttered involuntary
+cries of agony, and were obliged to gird themselves tightly with
+ropes to subdue the excruciating pain that was gnawing their
+very vitals.
+
+And this was only the second day of our misery!  what would we
+not have given for half, nay, for a quarter of the meagre ration
+which a few days back we had deemed so inadequate to supply our
+wants, and which now, eked out crumb by crumb, might, perhaps,
+serve for several days?  In the streets of a besieged city, dire
+as the distress may be, some gutter, some rubbish-heap, some
+corner may yet be found that will furnish a dry bone or a scrap
+of refuse that may for a moment allay the pangs of hunger; but
+these bare planks, so many times washed clean by the relentless
+waves, offer nothing to our eager search, and after every
+fragment of food that the wind carried into their interstices has
+been scraped out devoured, our resources are literary at an end.
+
+The nights seem even longer than the days.  Sleep, when it comes,
+brings no relief; it is rather a feverish stupour, broken and
+disturbed by frightful nightmares.  Last night, however, overcome
+by fatigue, I managed to rest for several hours.
+
+At six o'clock this morning I was roused by the sound of angry
+voices, and, starting up, I saw Owen and Jynxtrop, with Flaypole,
+Wilson, Burke, and Sandon, standing in a threatening attitude.
+They had taken possession of the carpenter's tools, and now,
+armed with hatchets, chisels, and hammers, they were preparing to
+attack the captain, the boatswain, and Dowlas.  I attached myself
+in a moment to Curtis's party.  Falsten followed my example, and
+although our knives were the only weapons at our disposal, we
+were ready to defend ourselves to the very last extremity.
+
+Owen and his men advanced towards us.  The miserable wretches
+were all drunk, for during the night they had knocked a hole in
+the brandy-barrel, and had recklessly swallowed its contents.
+What they wanted they scarcely seemed to know, but Owen and
+Jynxtrop, not quite so much intoxicated as the rest; seemed to be
+urging them on to massacre the captain and the officers.
+
+"Down with the captain!  Overboard with Curtis!  Owen shall take
+the command!"  they shouted from time to time in their drunken
+fury; and, armed as they were, they appeared completely masters
+of the situation.
+
+"Now, then, down with your arms!"  said Curtis sternly, as he
+advanced to meet them.
+
+"Overboard with the captain!"  howled Owen, as by word and
+gesture he urged on his accomplices.
+
+Curtis' pushed aside the excited rascals, and, walking straight
+up to Owen, asked him what he wanted.
+
+"What do we want?  Why, we want no more captains; we are all
+equals now."
+
+Poor stupid fool!  as though misery and privation had not already
+reduced us all to the same level.
+
+"Owen," said the captain once, again, "down with your arms!"
+
+"Come on, all,of you," shouted Owen to his companions, without
+giving the slightest heed to Curtis's words.
+
+A regular struggle ensued.  Owen and Wilson attacked Curtis, who
+defended himself with a piece of a spar; Burke and Flaypole
+rushed upon Falsten and the boatswain, whilst I was left to
+confront the negro Jynxtrop, who attempted to strike me with the
+hammer which he brandished in his hand.  I endeavoured to
+paralyze his movements by pinioning his arms, but the rascal was
+my superior in muscular strength.  After wrestling for a few
+moments, I felt that he was getting the mastery over me when all
+of a sudden he rolled over on to the platform, dragging me with
+him.  Andre Letourneur had caught hold of one of his legs, and
+thus saved my life.  Jynxtrop dropped his weapon in his fall; I
+seized it instantly, and was about to cleave the fellow's skull,
+when I was myself arrested by Andre's hand upon my arm.
+
+By this time the mutineers had been driven back to the forepart
+of the raft, and Curtis, who had managed to parry the blows which
+had been aimed at him, had caught hold of a hatchet, with which
+he was preparing to strike at Owen.  But Owen made a sidelong
+movement to avoid the blow, and the weapon caught Wilson full in
+the chest.  The unfortunate man rolled over the side of the raft
+and instantly disappeared.
+
+"Save him!  save him!"  shouted the boatswain.
+
+"It's too late; he's dead!"  said Dowlas.
+
+"Ah, well!  he'll do for--" began the boatswain; but he did not
+finish his sentence.
+
+Wilson's death, however, put an end to the fray.  Flaypole and
+Burke were lying prostrate in a drunken stupour, and Jynxtrop was
+soon overpowered, and lashed tightly to the foot of the mast.
+The carpenter and the boatswain seized hold of Owen.
+
+"Now then," said Curtis, as he raised his blood-stained hatchet,
+"make your peace with God, for you have not a moment to live."
+
+"Oh, you want to eat me, do you?"  sneered Owen, with the most
+hardened effrontery.
+
+But the audacious reply saved his life; Curtis turned as pale as
+death, the hatchet dropped from his hand, and he went and seated
+himself moodily on the farthest corner of the raft.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXXIX.
+
+JANUARY 5th and 6th.--The whole scene made a deep impression on
+our minds, and Owen's speech coming as a sort of climax, brought
+before us our misery with a force that was well-nigh
+overwhelming.
+
+As soon as I recovered my composure, I did not forget to thank
+Andre Letourneur for the act of intervention that had saved my
+life.
+
+"Do you thank me for that; Mr. Kazallon?"  he said; "it has only
+served to prolong your misery."
+
+"Never mind, M. Letourneur," said Miss Herbey; "you did your
+duty."
+
+Enfeebled and emaciated as the young girl is, her sense of duty
+never deserts her, and although her torn and bedraggled garments
+float dejectedly about her body, she never utters a word of
+complaint, and never loses courage.
+
+"Mr. Kazallon," she said to me, "do you think we are fated to die
+of hunger?"
+
+"Yes; Miss Herbey, I do," I replied in a hard, cold tone.
+
+"How long do you suppose we have to live?"  she asked again.
+
+"I cannot say; perhaps we shall linger on longer than we
+imagine."
+
+"The strongest constitutions suffer the most, do they not?"  she
+said.
+
+"Yes; but they have one consolation; they die the soonest;" I
+replied coldly.
+
+Had every spark of humanity died out of my breast that I thus
+brought the girl face to face with the terrible truth without a
+word of hope or comfort?  The eyes of Andre and his father,
+dilated with hunger, were fixed upon me, and I saw reproach and
+astonishment written in their faces.
+
+Afterwards, when we were quite alone, Miss Herbey asked me if I
+would grant her a favour.
+
+"Certainly, Miss Herbey; anything you like to ask," I replied;
+and this time my manner was kinder and more genial.
+
+"Mr. Kazallon," she said, "I am weaker than you, and shall
+probably die first.  Promise me that, if I do, you will throw my
+body into the sea."
+
+"Oh, Miss Herbey," I began, "it was very wrong of me to speak to
+you as I did!"
+
+"No, no," she replied, half smiling; "you were quite right.  But
+it is a weakness of mine; I don't mind what they do with me as
+long as I am alive, but when I am dead--" she stopped and
+shuddered.  "Oh, promise me that you will throw me into, the
+sea!"
+
+I gave her the melancholy promise, which she acknowledged by
+pressing my hand feebly with her emaciated fingers.
+
+Another night passed away.  At times my sufferings were so
+intense that cries of agony involuntarily escaped my lips; then I
+became calmer, and sank into a kind of lethargy.  When I awoke, I
+was surprised to find my; companions still alive.
+
+The one of our party who seems to bear his privations the best is
+Hobart the steward, a man with whom hitherto I have had very
+little to do.  He is small, with a fawning expression remarkable
+for its indecision, and has a smile which is incessantly playing
+round his lips; he goes about with his eyes half-closed, as
+though he wished to conceal his thoughts, and there is something
+altogether false and hypocritical about his whole demeanour.  I
+cannot say that he bears his privations without a murmur, for he
+sighs and moans incessantly; but, with it all, I cannot but think
+that there is a want of genuineness in his manner, and that the
+privation has not really told upon him as much as it has upon the
+rest of us.  I have my suspicions about the man, and intend to
+watch him carefully.  To-day, the 6th, M. Letourneur drew me
+aside to the stern of the raft, saying that he had a secret to
+communicate, but that he wished neither to be seen nor heard
+speaking to me.  I withdrew with him to the larboard corner of
+the raft; and, as it was growing dusk, nobody observed what we
+were doing.
+
+"Mr. Kazallon," M. Letourneur began in a low voice, "Andre is
+dying of hunger:  he is growing weaker and weaker, and oh!  I
+cannot, will not see him die!"
+
+He spoke passionately, almost fiercely, and I fully understood
+his feelings.  Taking his hand, I tried to reassure him.
+
+"We will not despair yet," I said, "perhaps some passing ship--"
+
+"Ship!"  he cried impatiently, "don't try to console me with
+empty commonplaces; you know as well as I do that there is no
+chance of falling in with a passing ship."  Then, breaking off
+suddenly, he asked,--"How long is it since my son and all of you
+have had anything to eat?"
+
+Astonished at his question, I replied that it was now four days
+since the biscuit had failed.
+
+"Four days," he repeated; "well, then, it is eight since I have
+tasted anything.  I have been saving my share for my son."
+
+Tears rushed to my eyes; for a few moments I was unable to speak,
+and could only once more grasp his hand in silence.
+
+"What do you want me to do?"  I asked at length.
+
+"Hush!  not so loud; some one will hear us," he said, Towering
+his voice, "I want you to offer it to Andre as though it came
+from yourself.  He would not accept it from me; he would think I
+had been depriving myself for him.  Let me implore you to do me
+this service and for your trouble," and here he gently stroked my
+hand, "for your trouble you shall have a morsel for yourself."
+
+I trembled like a child as I listened to the poor father's words,
+and my heart was ready to burst when I felt a tiny piece of
+biscuit slipped into my hand.
+
+"Give it him," M. Letourneur went on under his breath, "give it
+him; but do not let any one see you; the monsters would murder
+you if they knew it.  This is only for to-day; I will give you
+some more to-morrow."
+
+The poor fellow did not trust me, and well he might not, for I
+had the greatest difficulty to withstand the temptation to carry
+the biscuit to my mouth, But I resisted the impulse, and those
+alone who have suffered like me can know what the effort was.
+
+Night came on with the rapidity peculiar to these low latitudes,
+and I glided gently up to Andre and slipped the piece of biscuit
+into his hand as "a present from myself."  The young man clutched
+at it eagerly.
+
+"But my father?"  he said inquiringly.
+
+I assured him that his father and I had each had our share, and
+that he must eat this now, and, perhaps, I should be able to
+bring him some more another time.  Andre asked no more questions,
+and eagerly devoured the morsel of food.
+
+So this evening at least, notwithstanding M. Letourneur's offer,
+I have tasted nothing.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XL.
+
+JANUARY 7th.--During the last few days since the wind has
+freshened, the salt water constantly dashing over the raft has
+terribly punished the feet and legs of some of the sailors.
+Owen, whom the boatswain ever since the revolt kept bound to the
+mast, is in a deplorable state, and at our request has been
+released from his restraint.  Sandon and Burke are also suffering
+from the severe smarting caused in this way, and it is only owing
+to our more sheltered position on the aft-part of the raft, that
+we have not; all shared the same inconvenience.
+
+Today the boatswain, maddened by starvation, laid hands upon
+everything that met his voracious eyes, and I could hear the
+grating of his teeth as he gnawed at fragments of sails and bits
+of wood, instinctively endeavouring to fill his stomach by
+putting the mucus' into circulation at length, by dint of an
+eager search, he came upon a piece of leather hanging to one of
+the spars that supported the platform.  He snatched it off and
+devoured it greedily, and as it was animal matter, it really
+seemed as though the absorption of the substance afforded him
+some temporary relief.  Instantly we all followed his example; a
+leather hat, the rims of caps, in short, anything that contained
+any animal matter at all, were gnawed and sucked with the utmost
+avidity.  Never shall I forget the scene.  We were no longer
+human, the impulses and instincts of brute beasts seemed to
+actuate our every movement.
+
+For a moment the pangs of hunger were somewhat allayed; but some
+of us revolted against the loathsome food, and were seized either
+with violent nausea or absolute sickness.  I must be pardoned for
+giving these distressing details, but how otherwise can I depict
+the misery, moral and physical, which we are enduring?  And with
+it all, I dare not venture to hope that we have reached the
+climax of our sufferings.
+
+The conduct of Hobart during the scene that I have just described
+has only served to confirm my previous suspicions of him.  He
+took no part in the almost fiendish energy with which we gnawed
+at our scraps of leather, and although by his conduct and
+perpetual groanings, he might be considered to be dying of
+inanition, yet to me he has the appearance of being singularly
+exempt from the tortures which we are all enduring.  But whether
+the hypocrite is being sustained, by some secret store of food, I
+have been unable to discover.
+
+Whenever the breeze drops the heat is overpowering; but although
+our allowance of water is very meagre, at present the pangs of
+hunger far exceed the pain of thirst.  It has often been remarked
+that extreme thirst is far less endurable than extreme hunger.
+Is it possible that still greater agonies are in store for us?  I
+cannot, dare not, believe it.  Fortunately, the broken barrel
+still contains a few pints of water, and the other one has not
+yet been opened.  But I am glad to say that notwithstanding our
+diminished numbers, and in spite of some opposition, the captain
+has thought right to reduce the daily allowance to half a pint
+for each person.  As for the brandy, of which there is only a
+quart now left, it has been stowed away safely in the stern of
+the raft.
+
+This evening has ended the sufferings of another of our
+companions, making our number now only fourteen.  My attentions
+and Miss Herbey's nursing could do nothing for Lieutenant Walter,
+and about half-past seven he expired in my arms.
+
+Before he died, in a few broken words he thanked Miss Herbey and
+myself for the kindness we had shown him.  A crumpled letter fell
+from his hand, and in a voice that was scarcely audible from
+weakness, he said,--
+
+"It is my mother's letter:  the last I had from her--she was
+expecting me home; but she will never see me more.  Oh, put it to
+my lips--let me kiss it before I die.  Mother!  mother!  Oh my
+God!"
+
+I placed the letter in his cold hand, and raised it to his lips;
+his eye lighted for a moment; we heard the faint sound of a kiss,
+and all was over!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLI.
+
+JANUARY 8th.--All night I remained by the side of the poor
+fellow's corpse, and several times Miss Herbey joined me in my
+mournful watch.
+
+Before daylight dawned the body was quite cold, and as I knew
+there must be no delay in throwing it overboard, I asked Curtis
+to assist me in the sad office.  The body was frightfully
+emaciated, and I had every hope that it would not float.
+
+As soon as it was quite light, taking every precaution that no
+one should see what we were about, Curtis and I proceeded to our
+melancholy task.  We took a few articles from the lieutenant's
+pockets, which we purposed, if either of us should survive, to
+remit to his mother.  But as we wrapped him in his tattered
+garments that would have to suffice for his winding-sheet, I
+started back with a thrill of horror.  The right foot had gone,
+leaving the leg a bleeding stump!
+
+No doubt that, overcome by fatigue, I must have fallen asleep for
+an interval during the night, and some one had taken advantage of
+my slumber to mutilate the corpse.  But who could have been
+guilty of so fowl a deed!  Curtis looked around with anger
+flashing In his eye; but all seemed as usual, and the silence was
+only broken by a few groans of agony.
+
+But there was no time to be lost; perhaps we were already
+observed, and more horrible scenes might be likely to occur.
+Curtis said a few short prayers, and we cast the body into the
+sea.  It sank immediately.
+
+"They are feeding the sharks well, and no mistake," said a voice
+behind me.
+
+I turned round quickly, and found that it was Jynxtrop who had
+spoken.
+
+As the boatswain now approached, I asked him whether he thought
+it possible that any of the wretched men could have taken the
+dead man's foot.
+
+"Oh yes, I dare say," he replied, in a significant tone "and
+perhaps they thought they were right."
+
+"Right!  what do you mean?"  I exclaimed.
+
+"Well, sir," he said coldly, "isn't it better to eat a dead man
+than a living one?"
+
+I was at a loss to comprehend him, and, turning away, laid myself
+down at the end of the raft.
+
+Towards eleven o'clock, a most suspicious incident occurred.  The
+boatswain, who had cast his lines early in the morning, caught
+three large cod, each more than thirty inches long, of the
+species which, when dried, is known by the name of stock-fish.
+Scarcely had he hauled them on board, when the sailors made a
+dash at them, and it was with the utmost difficulty that Curtis,
+Falsten, and myself could restore order, so that we might divide
+the fish into equal portions.  Three cod were not much amongst
+fourteen starving persons, but, small as the quantity was, it was
+allotted in strictly equal shares.  Most of us devoured the food
+raw, almost I might say, alive; only Curtis, Andre and Miss
+Herbey having the patience to wait until their allowance had been
+boiled at a fire which they made with a few scraps of wood.  For
+myself, I confess that I swallowed my portion of fish just as it
+was,--raw and bleeding.  M. Letourneur followed my example; the
+poor man devoured his food like a famished wolf, and it is only a
+wonder to me how, after his lengthened fast, he came to be alive
+at all.
+
+The boatswain's delight at his success was, excessive, and
+amounted almost to delirium.  I went up to him, and encouraged
+him to repeat his attempt.
+
+"Oh, yes," he said; "I'll try again.  I'll try again."
+
+"And why not try at once," I asked.
+
+"Not now," he said evasively; "the night is the best time for
+catching large fish.  Besides, I must manage to get some bait,
+for we have been improvident enough not to save a single scrap."
+
+"But you have succeeded once without bait; why may you not
+succeed again?"
+
+"Oh!  I had some very good bait last night," he said.  I stared
+at him in amazement.  He steadily returned my gaze, but said
+nothing.
+
+"Have you none left?"  at last I asked.
+
+"Yes!"  he almost whispered and left me without another word.
+
+Our meal, meagre as it had been, served to rally our shattered
+energies; our hopes were slightly raised; there was no reason why
+the boatswain should not have the same good luck again.
+
+One evidence of the degree to which our spirits were revived was
+that our minds were no longer fixed upon the miserable present
+and hopeless future, but we began to recall and discuss the past;
+and M. Letourneur, Andre Mr. Falsten, and I held a long
+conversation with the captain about the various incidents of our
+eventful voyage, speaking of our lost companions, of the fire, of
+the stranding of the ship, of our sojourn on Ham Rock, of the
+springing of the leak, of our terrible voyage in the top-masts,
+of the construction of the raft, and of the storm.  All these
+things seemed to have happened so long ago, and yet we were
+living still.  Living, did I say?  Ay, if such an existence as
+ours could be called a life, fourteen of us were living still.
+Who would be the next to go?  We should then be thirteen.
+
+"An unlucky number!"  said Andre with a mournful smile.
+
+During the night the boatswain cast his lines from the stern of
+the raft, and, unwilling to trust them to any one else, remained
+watching them himself.  In the morning I went to ascertain what
+success had attended his patience.  It was scarcely light, and
+with eager eyes he was peering down into the water.  He had
+neither seen nor heard me coming.
+
+"Well, boatswain!"  I said, touching him on the shoulder.
+
+He turned round quickly.
+
+"Those villainous sharks have eaten every morsel of my bait," he
+said, in a desponding voice.
+
+"And you have no more left?"  I asked.
+
+"No more," he said.  Then grasping my arm he added, "and that
+only shows me that it is no good doing things by halves."
+
+The truth flashed upon me at once, and I laid my hand upon his
+mouth.  Poor Walter!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLII.
+
+JANUARY 9th and 10th.--On the 9th the wind dropped, and there was
+a dead calm; not a ripple disturbed the surface of the long
+undulations as they rose and fell beneath us; and if it were not
+for the slight current which is carrying us we know not whither,
+the raft would be absolutely stationary.
+
+The heat was intolerable; our thirst more intolerable still; and
+now it was that for the first time I fully realized how the
+insufficiency of drink could cause torture more unendurable than
+the pangs of hunger.  Mouth, throat, pharynx, all alike were
+parched and dry, every gland becoming hard as horn under the
+action of the hot air we breathed.  At my urgent solicitation the
+captain was for once induced to double our allowance of water;
+and this relaxation of the ordinary rule enabled us to attempt to
+slake our thirst four times in the day, instead of only twice.  I
+use the word "attempt" advisedly; for the water at the bottom of
+the barrel, though kept covered by a sail, became so warm that it
+was perfectly flat and unrefreshing.
+
+It was a most trying day, and the sailors relapsed into a
+condition of deep despondency.  The moon was nearly full, but
+when she rose the breeze did not return.  Continuance of high
+temperature in daytime is a sure proof that we have been carried
+far to the south, and here, on this illimitable ocean, we have
+long ceased even to look for land; it might almost seem as though
+this globe of ours had veritably become a liquid sphere!
+
+To-day we are still becalmed, and the temperature is as high as
+ever.  The air is heated like a furnace, and the sun scorches
+like fire.  The torments of famine are all forgotten:  our
+thoughts are concentrated with fevered expectation upon the
+longed-for moment when Curtis shall dole out the scanty measure
+of lukewarm water that makes up our ration.  O for one good
+draught, even if it should exhaust the whole supply!  At least,
+it seems as if we then could die in peace!
+
+About noon we were startled by sharp cries of agony, and looking
+round I saw Owen writhing in the most horrible convulsions.  I
+went towards him, for, detestable as his conduct had been, common
+humanity prompted me to see whether I could afford him any
+relief.  But before I reached him, a shout from Flaypole arrested
+my attention.
+
+The man was up in the mast, and with great excitement pointing to
+the east.
+
+"A ship!  A ship!"  he cried.
+
+In an instant all were on their feet.  Even Owen stopped his
+cries and stood erect.  It was quite true that in the direction
+indicated by Flaypole there was a white speck visible upon the
+horizon.  But did it move?  Would the sailors with their keen
+vision pronounce it to be a sail?  A silence the most profound
+fell upon us all.  I glanced at Curtis as he stood with folded
+arms intently gazing at the distant point.  His brow was
+furrowed, and he contracted every feature, as with half-closed
+eyes, he concentrated his power of vision upon that one faint
+spot in the far-off horizon.
+
+But at length he dropped his arms and shook his head.  I looked
+again, but the spot was no longer there.  If it were a ship, that
+ship had disappeared; but probably it had been a mere reflection,
+or, more likely still, only the crest of some curling wave.
+
+A deep dejection followed this phantom ray of hope.  All returned
+to their accustomed places.  Curtis alone remained motionless,
+but his eye no longer scanned the distant view.
+
+Owen now began to shriek more wildly than ever.  He presented
+truly a most melancholy sight; he writhed with the most hideous
+contortions, and had all the appearance of suffering from
+tetanus.  His throat was contracted by repeated spasms, his
+tongue was parched, his body swollen, and his pulse, though
+feeble, was rapid and irregular.  The poor wretch's symptoms were
+precisely such as to lead us to suspect that he had taken some
+corrosive poison.  Of course it was quite out of our power to
+administer any antidote; all that we could devise was to make him
+swallow something that might act as an emetic.  I asked Curtis
+for a little of the lukewarm water.  As the contents of the
+broken barrel were now exhausted, the captain, in order to comply
+with my request, was about to tap the other barrel, when Owen
+started suddenly to his knees, and with a wild, unearthly shriek,
+exclaimed,--
+
+"No!  no!  no!  of that water I will not touch a drop."
+
+I supposed he did not understand what we were going to do, and
+endeavoured to explain; but all in vain; he persisted in refusing
+to taste the water in the second barrel.  I then tried to induce
+vomiting by tickling his uvula, and he brought off some bluish
+secretion from his stomach, the character of which confirmed our
+previous suspicions--that he had been poisoned by oxide of
+copper.  We now felt convinced that any efforts on our part to
+save him would be of no avail.  The vomiting, however, had for
+the time relieved him, and he was able to speak.
+
+Curtis and I both implored him to let us know what he had taken
+to bring about consequences so serious.  His reply fell upon us
+as a startling blow.
+
+The ill fated wretch had stolen several pints of water from the
+barrel that had been untouched, and that water had poisoned him!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIII.
+
+JANUARY 11th to 14th.--Owen's convulsions returned with increased
+violence, and in the course of the night he expired in terrible
+agony.  His body was thrown overboard almost directly; it had
+decomposed so rapidly that the flesh had not even consistency
+enough for any fragments of it to be reserved for the boatswain
+to use to bait his lines.  A plague the man had been to us in his
+life; in his death he was now of no service!
+
+And now, perhaps, still more than ever, did the horror of our
+situation stare us in the face.  There was no doubt that the
+poisoned barrel had at some time or other contained copperas; but
+what strange fatality had converted it into a water-cask, or what
+fatality, stranger still, had caused it to be brought on board
+the raft, was a problem that none could solve.  Little, however,
+did it matter now:  the fact was evident; the barrel was
+poisoned, and of water we had not a drop.
+
+One and all, we fell into the gloomiest silence.  We were too
+irritable to bear the sound of each other's voices; and it did
+not require a word, a mere look or gesture was enough, to provoke
+us to anger that was little short of madness.  How it was that we
+did not all become raving maniacs, I cannot tell.
+
+Throughout the 12th no drain of moisture crossed our lips, and
+not a cloud arose to warrant the expectation of a passing shower;
+in the shade, if shade it might be called, the thermometer would
+have registered at least 100deg., and, perhaps, considerably
+more.
+
+No change next day.  The salt water began to chafe my legs, but
+although the smarting was at times severe, it was an
+inconvenience to which I gave little heed; others who had
+suffered from the same trouble had become no worse.  Oh!  if this
+water that surrounds us could be reduced to vapour or to ice!
+its particles of salt extracted, it would be available for drink.
+But no!  we have no appliances, and we must suffer on.
+
+At the risk of being devoured by the sharks, the boatswain and
+two sailors took a morning bath, and as their plunge seemed to
+refresh them, I and three of my companions resolved to follow
+their example.  We had never learnt to swim, and had to be
+fastened to the end of a rope and lowered into the water; while
+Curtis during the half-hour of our bath, kept a sharp look-out to
+give warning of any danger from approaching sharks.  No
+recommendation, however, on our part, nor any representation of
+the benefit we felt we had derived, could induce Miss Herbey to
+allay her sufferings in the same way.
+
+At about eleven o'clock, the captain came up to me, and whispered
+in my ear,--
+
+"Don't say a word, Mr. Kazallon; I do not want to raise false
+hopes, but I think I see a ship."
+
+It was as well that the captain had warned me; otherwise, I
+should have raised an involuntary shout of joy; as it was, I had
+the greatest difficulty in restraining my expressions of delight.
+
+"Look behind to larboard," he continued in an undertone.
+
+Affecting an indifference which I was far from feeling, I cast an
+anxious glance to that quarter of the horizon of which he spoke,
+and there, although mine is not a nautical eye, I could plainly
+distinguish the outline of a ship under sail.
+
+Almost at the same moment the boatswain who happened to be
+looking in the same direction, raised the cry, "Ship ahoy!"
+
+Whether it was that no one believed it, or whether all energies
+were exhausted, certain it is that the announcement produced none
+of the effects that might have been expected.  Not a soul
+exhibited the slightest emotion, and it was only when the
+boatswain had several times sung out his tidings that all eyes
+turned to the horizon.  There, most undeniably, was the ship, and
+the question rose at once to the minds of all, and to the lips of
+many, "Would she see us?"
+
+The sailors immediately began discussing the build of the vessel,
+and made all sorts of conjectures as to the direction she was
+taking.  Curtis was far more deliberate in his judgment.  After
+examining her attentively for some time, he said, "She is a brig
+running close upon the wind, on the starboard tack, If she keeps
+her course for a couple of hours, she will come right athwart our
+track."
+
+A couple of hours!  The words sounded to our ears like a couple
+of centuries.  The ship might change her course at any moment;
+closely trimmed as she was, it was very probable that she was
+only tacking about to catch the wind, in which case, as soon as
+she felt a breeze, she would resume her larboard tack and make
+away again.  On the other hand, if she were really sailing with
+the wind, she would come nearer to us, and there would be good
+ground for hope.
+
+Meantime, no exertion must be spared, and no means left untried,
+to make our position known.  The brig was about twelve miles to
+the east of us, so that it was out of the question to think of
+any cries of ours being overheard; but Curtis gave directions
+that every possible signal should be made.  We had no fire-arms
+by which we could attract attention, and nothing else occurred to
+us beyond hoisting a flag of distress.  Miss Herbey's red shawl,
+as being of a colour most distinguishable against the background
+of sea and sky, was run up to the mast-head, and was caught by
+the light breeze that just then was ruffling the surface of the
+water.  As a drowning man clutches at a straw, so our hearts
+bounded with hope every time that our poor flag fluttered in the
+wind.
+
+For an hour our feelings alternated between hope and despair.
+The ship was evidently making her way in the direction of the
+raft, but every now and then she seemed to stop, and then our
+hearts would almost stand still with agony lest she was going to
+put about.  She carried all her canvas, even to her royals and
+stay-sails, but her hull was only partially visible above the
+horizon.
+
+How slowly she advanced!  The breeze was very, very feeble, and
+perhaps soon it would drop altogether!  We felt that we would
+give years of our life to know the result of the coming hour!
+
+At half-past twelve the captain and the boatswain considered that
+the brig was about nine miles away; she had, therefore, gained
+only three miles in an hour and a half, and it was doubtful
+whether the light breeze that had been passing over our heads had
+reached her at all.  I fancied, too, that her sails were no
+longer filled, but were hanging loose against her masts.  Turning
+to the direction of the wind I tried to make out some chance of a
+rising breeze; but no, the waves were calm and torpid, and the
+little puff of air that had aroused our hopes had died away
+across the sea.
+
+I stood aft with M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss Herbey, and our
+glances perpetually wandered from the distant ship to our
+captain's face.  Curtis stood leaning against the mast, with the
+boatswain by his side; their eyes seemed never for a moment to
+cease to watch the brig, but their countenances clearly expressed
+the varying emotions that passed through their minds.  Not a word
+was uttered, nor was the silence broken, until the carpenter
+exclaimed, in accents of despair,--
+
+"She's putting about!"
+
+All started up:  some to their knees, others to their feet, The
+boatswain dropped a frightful oath.  The ship was still nine
+miles away, and at such a distance it was impossible for our
+signal to be seen; our tiny raft, a mere speck upon the waters,
+would be lost in the intense irradiation of the sunbeams.  If
+only we could be seen, no doubt all would be well; no captain
+would have the barbarous inhumanity to leave us to our fate; but
+there had been no chance; only too well we knew that we had not
+been within the range of sight.
+
+"My friends," said Curtis, "we must make a fire; it is our last
+and only chance."
+
+Some planks were quickly loosened and thrown into a heap upon the
+fore part of the raft.  They were damp and troublesome to light;
+but the very dampness made the smoke more dense, and ere long a
+tall column of dusky fumes was rising straight upwards in the
+air.  If darkness should come on before the brig was completely
+out of view, the flames we hoped might still be visible.  But the
+hours passed on; the fire died out; and yet no signs of help.
+
+The temper of resignation now deserted me entirely; faith, hope,
+confidence--all vanished from my mind, and like the boatswain, I
+swore long and loudly.  A gentle hand was laid upon my arm, and
+turning round I saw Miss Herbey with her finger pointing to the
+sky.  I could stand it no longer, but gliding underneath the tent
+I hid my face in my hands and wept aloud.
+
+Meanwhile the brig had altered her tack, and was moving slowly to
+the east.  Three hours later and the keenest eye could not have
+discerned her top-sails above the horizon.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIV.
+
+JANUARY 15th.--After this further shattering of our excited hopes
+death alone now stares us in the face; slow and lingering as that
+death may be, sooner or later it must inevitably come.
+
+To-day some clouds that rose in the west have brought us a few
+puffs of wind; and in spite of our prostration, we appreciate the
+moderation, slight as it is, in the temperature.  To my parched
+throat the air seemed a little less trying but it is now seven
+days since the boatswain took his haul of fish, and during that
+period we have eaten nothing even Andre Letourneur finished
+yesterday the last morsel of the biscuit which his sorrowful and
+self-denying father had entrusted to my charge.
+
+Jynxtrop the negro has broken loose from his confinement, but
+Curtis has taken no measures for putting him again under
+restraint.  It is not to be apprehended that the miserable fellow
+and his accomplices, weakened as they are by their protracted
+fast, will attempt to do us any mischief now.
+
+Some huge sharks made their appearance to-day, cleaving the water
+rapidly with their great black fins.  The monsters came close up
+to the edge of the raft, and Flaypole, who was leaning over,
+narrowly escaped having his arm snapped off by one of them.  I
+could not help regarding them as living sepulchres, which ere
+long might swallow up our miserable carcases; yet, withal, I
+profess that my feelings were rather those of fascination than of
+horror.
+
+The boatswain, who stood with clenched teeth and dilated eye,
+regarded these sharks from quite another point of view.  He
+thought about devouring the sharks, not about the sharks
+devouring him; and if he could succeed in catching one, I doubt
+if one of us would reject the tough and untempting flesh.  He
+determined to make the attempt, and as he had no whirl which he
+could fasten to his rope he set to work to find something that
+might serve as a substitute.  Curtis and Dowlas were consulted,
+and after a short conversation, during which they kept throwing
+bits of rope and spars into the water in order to entice the
+sharks to remain by the raft, Dowlas went and fetched his
+carpenter's tool, which is at once a hatchet and a hammer.  Of
+this he proposed to make the whirl of which they were in need,
+under the hope that either the sharp edge of the adze or the
+pointed extremity opposite would stick firmly into the jaws of
+any shark that might swallow it.  The wooden handle of the hammer
+was secured to the rope, which, in its turn, was tightly fastened
+to the raft.
+
+With eager, almost breathless, excitement we stood watching the
+preparations, at the same time using every means in our power to
+attract the attention of the sharks.  As soon as the whirl was
+ready the boatswain began to think about bait; and, talking
+rapidly to himself, ransacked every corner of the raft, as though
+he expected to find some dead body coming opportunely to sight.
+But his search ended in nothing; and the only plan that suggested
+itself was again to have recourse to Miss Herbey's red shawl, of
+which a fragment was wrapped round the head of the hammer.  After
+testing the strength of his line, and reassuring-himself that it
+was fastened firmly both to the hammer and to the raft, the
+boatswain lowered it into the water.
+
+The sea was quite transparent, and any object was clearly visible
+to a depth of two hundred feet below the surface.  Leaning over
+the low parapet of the raft we looked on in breathless silence,
+as the scarlet rag, distinct as it was against the blue mass of
+water, made its slow descent.  But one by one the sharks seemed
+to disappear, They could not, however, have gone far away, and it
+was not likely that anything in the shape of bait dropped near
+them would long escape their keen voracity.
+
+Suddenly, without speaking, the boatswain raised his hand and
+pointed to a dark mass skimming along the surface of the water,
+and making straight in our direction.  It was a shark, certainly
+not less than twelve feet long.  As soon as the creature was
+about four fathoms from the raft, the boatswain gently drew in
+his line until the whirl was in such a position that the shark
+must cross right over it; at the same time he shook the line a
+little, that he might give the whirl the appearance, if he could,
+of being something alive and moving.  As the creature came near,
+my heart beat violently; I could see its eyes flashing above
+the waves; and its gaping jaws, as it turned half over on its
+back, exhibited long rows of pointed teeth.
+
+I know not who it was, but some one at that moment uttered an
+involuntary cry of horror.  The shark came to a standstill,
+turned about, and escaped quite out of sight.  The boatswain was
+pale with anger.
+
+"The first man who speaks," he said, "I will kill him on the
+spot."
+
+Again he applied himself to his task.  The whirl again was
+lowered, this time to the depth of twenty fathoms, but for half
+an hour or more not a shark could be distinguished; but as the
+waters far below seemed somehow to be troubled I could not help
+believing that some of the brutes at least were still there.
+
+All at once, with a violent jerk, the cord was wrested from the
+boatswain's hands; firmly attached, however, as it was to the
+raft, it was not lost.  The bait had been seized by a shark, and
+the iron had made good its hold upon the creature's flesh.
+
+"Now, then, my lads," cried the boatswain, "haul away!"
+
+Passengers and sailors, one and all, put forth what strength they
+had to drag the rope, but so violent were the creature's
+struggles that it required all our efforts (and it is needless to
+say that they were willing enough) to bring it to the surface, At
+length, after exertions that almost exhausted us, the water
+became agitated by the violent flappings of the tail and fins;
+and looking down I saw the huge carcase of the shark writhing
+convulsively amidst waves that were stained with blood.
+
+"Steady!  steady!"  said the boatswain, as the head appeared
+above.
+
+The whirl had passed right through the jaw into the middle of the
+throat; so that no struggle on the part of the animal could
+possibly release it.  Dowlas seized his hatchet, ready to
+despatch the brute the moment if should be landed on the raft.  A
+short sharp snap was heard.  The shark had closed its jaws, and
+bitten through the wooden handle of the hammer.  Another moment
+and it had turned round and was completely gone.
+
+A howl of despair burst from all our lips.  All the labour and
+the patience, all had been in vain.  Dowlas made a few more
+unsuccessful attempts, but as the whirl was lost, and they had no
+means of replacing it, there was no further room for hope.  They
+did, indeed, lower some cords twisted into running knots, but (as
+might have been expected) these only slipped over, without
+holding, the slimy bodies of the sharks.  As a last resource the
+boatswain allowed his naked leg to hang over the side of the
+raft; the monsters, however, were proof even against this
+attraction.
+
+Reduced once again to a gloomy despondency, all turned to their
+places, to await the end that cannot now be long deferred.
+
+Just as I moved away I heard the boatswain say to Curtis,--
+
+"Captain, when shall we draw lots?"
+
+The captain made no reply.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLV.
+
+JANUARY 16th.--If the crew of any passing vessel had caught sight
+of us as we lay still and inanimate upon our sail-cloth, they
+would scarcely, at first sight, have hesitated to pronounce us
+dead.
+
+My sufferings were terrible; tongue, lips, and throat were so
+parched and swollen that if food had been at hand I question
+whether I could have swallowed it.  So exasperated were the
+feelings of us all, however, that we glanced at each other with
+looks as savage as though we were about to slaughter and without
+delay eat up one another.
+
+The heat was aggravated by the atmosphere being somewhat stormy.
+Heavy vapours gathered on the horizon, and there was a look as if
+it were raining all around.  Longing eyes and gasping mouths
+turned involuntarily towards the clouds, and M. Letourneur, on
+bended knee, was raising his hands, as it might be in
+supplication to the relentless skies.
+
+It was eleven o'clock in the morning.  I listened for distant
+rumblings which might announce an approaching storm, but although
+the vapours had obstructed the sun's rays, they no longer
+presented the appearance of being charged with electricity.  Thus
+our prognostications ended in disappointment; the clouds, which
+in the early morning had been marked by the distinctness of their
+outline, had melted one into another and assumed an uniform dull
+grey tint; in fact, we were enveloped in an ordinary fog.  But
+was it not still possible that this fog might turn to rain?
+
+Happily this hope was destined to be realized; for in a very
+short time, Dowlas, with a shout of delight, declared that rain
+was actually coming; and sure enough, not half a mile from the
+raft, the dark parallel streaks against the sky testified that
+there at least the rain was falling.  I fancied I could see the
+drops rebounding from the surface of the water.  The wind was
+fresh and bringing the cloud right on towards us, yet we could
+not suppress our trepidation lest it; should exhaust itself
+before it reached us.
+
+But no:  very soon large heavy drops began to fall, and the
+storm-cloud, passing over our heads, was outpouring its contents
+upon us.  The shower, however, was very transient; already a
+bright streak of light along the horizon marked the limit of the
+cloud and warned us that we must be quick to make the most of
+what it had to give us.  Curtis had placed the broken barrel in
+the position that was most exposed, and every sail was spread out
+to the fullest extent our dimensions would allow.
+
+We all laid ourselves down flat upon our backs and kept our
+mouths wide open.  The rain splashed into my face, wetted my
+lips, and trickled down my throat.  Never can I describe the
+ecstasy with which I imbibed that renovating moisture.  The
+parched and swollen glands relaxed, I breathed afresh, and my
+whole being seemed revived with a strange and requickened life.
+
+The rain lasted about twenty minutes, when the cloud, still only
+half exhausted, passed quite away from over us.
+
+We grasped each other's hands as we rose from the platform on
+which we had been lying, and mutual congratulations, mingled with
+gratitude, poured forth from our long silent lips.  Hope, however
+evanescent it might be, for the moment had returned, and we
+yielded to the expectation that, ere long, other and more
+abundant clouds might come and replenish our store.
+
+The next consideration was how to preserve and economize what
+little had been collected by the barrel, or imbibed by the
+outspread sails.  It was found that only a few pints of rain-
+water had fallen into the barrel to this small quantity the
+sailors were about to add what they could by wringing out the
+saturated sails, when Curtis made them desist from their
+intention.
+
+"Stop, stop!"  he said, "we must wait a moment; we must see
+whether this water from the sails is drinkable."
+
+I looked at him in amazement.  Why should not this be as
+drinkable as the other?  He squeezed a few drops out of one of
+the folds of a sail into the tin pot, and put it to his lips.  To
+my surprise, he rejected it immediately, and upon tasting it for
+myself I found it not merely brackish, but briny as the sea
+itself.  The fact was that the canvas had been so long exposed to
+the action of the waves, that it had become thoroughly
+impregnated by salt, which of course was taken up again by the
+water that fell upon it.  Disappointed we were; but with several
+pints of water in our possession, we were not only contented for
+the present, but sanguine in our prospect for the future.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVI.
+
+JANUARY 17th.--As a natural consequence of the alleviation of our
+thirst, the pangs of hunger returned more violently than ever.
+Although we had no bait, and even if we had we could not use it
+for want of a whirl, we could not help asking whether no possible
+means could be devised for securing one out of the many sharks
+that were still perpetually swarming about the raft.  Armed with
+knives, like the Indians in the pearl fisheries, was it not
+practicable to attack the monsters in their own element?  Curtis
+expressed his willingness personally to make the attempt, but so
+numerous were the sharks that we would not for one moment hear of
+his risking his life in a venture of which the danger was as
+great as the success was doubtful.
+
+By plunging into the sea, or by gnawing at a piece of metal, we
+could always, or at least often, do something that cheated us
+into believing that we were mitigating the pains of thirst; but
+with hunger it was different.  The prospect, too, of rain seemed
+hopeful, whilst for getting food there appeared no chance; and,
+as we knew that nothing could compensate for the lack of
+nutritive matter, we were soon all cast down again.  Shocking to
+confess, it would be untrue to deny that we surveyed each other
+with the eye of an eager longing; and I need hardly explain to
+what a degree of savageness the one idea that haunted us had
+reduced our feelings.
+
+Ever since the storm-cloud brought us the too transient shower
+the sky has been tolerably clear, and although at that time the
+wind had slightly freshened, it has since dropped, and the sail
+hangs idly against our mast.  Except for the trifling relief it
+brings by modifying the temperature we care little now for any
+breeze.  Ignorant as we are as to what quarter of the Atlantic we
+have been carried by the currents, it matters very little to us
+from what direction the wind may blow if only it would bring, in
+rain or dew, the moisture of which we are so dreadfully in need.
+
+The moon was entering her last quarter, so that it was dark till
+nearly midnight, and the stars were misty, not glowing with that
+lustre which is so often characteristic of cool nights.  Half
+frantic with that sense of hunger which invariably returns with
+redoubled vigour at the close of every day, I threw myself, in a
+kind of frenzy, upon a bundle of sails that was lying on the
+starboard of the raft, and leaning over, I tried to get some
+measure of relief by inhaling the moist coolness that rarely
+fails to circulate just above the water.  My brain was haunted by
+the most horrible nightmares; not that I suppose I was in any way
+more distressed than my companions, who were lying in their usual
+places, vainly endeavouring to forget their sufferings in sleep.
+
+After a time I fell into a restless, dreamy doze.  I was neither
+asleep nor awake.  How long I remained in that state of stupor I
+could hardly say, but at length a strange sensation half brought
+me to myself.  Was I dreaming, or was there not really some
+unaccustomed odour floating in the air?  My nostrils became
+distended, and I could scarcely suppress a cry of astonishment;
+but some instinct kept me quiet, and I laid myself down again
+with the puzzled sensation sometimes experienced when we have
+forgotten a word or name.  Only a few minutes, however, had
+elapsed before another still more savoury puff induced me to take
+several long inhalations.  Suddenly, the truth seemed to dash
+across my mind.  "Surely," I muttered to myself "this must be
+cooked meat that I can smell."
+
+Again and again I sniffed and became more convinced than ever
+that my senses were not deceiving me.  But from what part of the
+raft could the smell proceed?  I rose to my knees, and having
+satisfied myself that the odour came from the front, I crept
+stealthily as a cat under the sails and between the spars in that
+direction.  Following the promptings of my scent, rather than my
+vision, like a bloodhound in the track of his prey, I searched
+everywhere I could, now finding, now losing, the smell according
+to my change of position, or the dropping of the wind.  At length
+I got the true scent; once for all, so that I could go straight
+to the object for which I was in search.
+
+Approaching the starboard angle of the raft, I came to the
+conclusion that the smell that had thus keenly excited my
+cravings was the smell of smoked bacon; the membranes of my
+tongue almost bristled with the intenseness of my longing.
+
+Crawling along a little farther, under a thick roll of sail-
+cloth, I was not long in securing my prize.  Forcing my arm below
+the roll, I felt my hand in contact with something wrapped up in
+paper.  I clutched it up, and carried it off to a place where I
+could examine it by the help of the light of the moon that had
+now made its appearance above the horizon.  I almost shrieked for
+joy.  It was a piece of bacon.  True, it did not weigh many
+ounces, but small as it was it would suffice to alleviate the
+pangs of hunger for one day at least.  I was just on the point of
+raising it to my mouth, when a hand was laid upon my arm.  It was
+only by a most determined effort that I kept myself from
+screaming out one instant more, and I found myself face to face
+with Hobart.
+
+In a moment I understood all.  Plainly this rascal Hobart had
+saved some provision from the wreck, upon which he had been
+subsisting ever since.  The steward had provided for himself,
+whilst all around him were dying of starvation.  Detestable
+wretch!  This accounts for the inconsistency of his well-to-do
+looks and his pitiable groans.  Vile hypocrite!
+
+Yet why, it struck me, should I complain?  Was not I reaping the
+benefit of that secret store that he, for himself, had saved?
+
+But Hobart had no idea of allowing me the peaceable possession of
+what he held to be his own.  He made a dash at the fragment of
+bacon, and seemed determined to wrest it from my grasp.  We
+struggled with each other, but although our wrestling was very
+violent, it was very noiseless.  We were both of us aware that it
+was absolutely necessary that not one of those on board should
+know anything at all about the prize for which we were
+contending.  Nor was my own determination lessened by hearing him
+groan out that it was his last, his only morsel.  "His!"  I
+thought; "it shall be mine now!"
+
+And still careful that no noise of commotion should arise, I
+threw him on his back, and grasping his throat so that it gurgled
+again, I held him down until, in rapid mouthfuls, I had swallowed
+up the last scrap of the food for which we had fought so hard.
+
+I released my prisoner, and quietly crept back to my own
+quarters.
+
+And not a soul is aware that I have broken my fast!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVII.
+
+JANUARY 18th.--After this excitement I awaited the approach of
+day with a strange anxiety.  My conscience told me that Hobart
+had the right to denounce me in the presence of all my fellow-
+passengers; yet my alarm was vain.  The idea of my proceedings
+being exposed by him was quite absurd; in a moment he would
+himself be murdered without pity by the crew, if it should be
+revealed that, unknown to them, he had been living on some
+private store which, by clandestine cunning, he had reserved.
+But, in spite of my anxiety, I had a longing for day to come.
+
+The bit of food that I had thus stolen was very small; but small
+as it was it had alleviated my hunger, and I was now tortured
+with remorse, because I had not shared the meagre morsel with my
+fellow-sufferers.  Miss Herbey, Andre, his father, all had been
+forgotten, and from the bottom of my heart I repented of my cruel
+selfishness.
+
+Meantime the moon rose high in the heavens, and the first streaks
+of dawn appeared.  There is no twilight in these low latitudes,
+and the full daylight came well nigh at once.  I had not closed
+my eyes since my encounter with the steward, and ever since the
+first blush of day I had laboured under the impression that I
+could see some unusual dark mass half way up the mast.  But
+although it again and again caught my eye, it hardly roused my
+curiosity, and I did not rise from the bundle of sails on which I
+was lying to ascertain what it really was.  But no sooner did the
+rays of the sun fall full upon it than I saw at once that it was
+the body of a man, attached to a rope, and swinging to and fro
+with the motion of the raft.
+
+A horrible presentiment carried me to the foot of the mast, and,
+just as I had guessed, Hobart had hanged himself. I could not for
+a moment; doubt that it was I myself that had impelled him to the
+suicide.  A cry of horror had scarcely escaped my lips, when my
+fellow-passengers were at my side, and the rope was cut.  Then
+came the sailors.  And what was it that made the group gather so
+eagerly around the body?  Was it a humane desire to see whether
+any spark of life remained?  No, indeed; the corpse was cold, and
+the limbs were rigid; there was no chance that animation should
+be restored.  What then was it that kept them lingering so close
+around?  It was only too apparent what they were about to do.
+
+But I did not, could not, look.  I refused to take part in the
+horrible repast that was proposed.  Neither would Miss Herbey,
+Andre nor his father, consent to alleviate their pangs of hunger
+by such revolting means.  I know nothing for certain as to what
+Curtis did, and I did not venture to inquire; but of the others,
+--Falsten, Dowlas, the boatswain, and all the rest,--I know that,
+to assuage their cravings, they consented to reduce themselves to
+the level of beasts of prey; they were transformed from human
+beings into ravenous brutes.
+
+The four of us who sickened at the idea of partaking of the
+horrid meal withdrew to the seclusion of our tent; it was bad
+enough to hear; without witnessing the appalling operation.  But,
+in truth, I had the greatest difficulty in the world in
+preventing Andre from rushing out upon the cannibals, and
+snatching the odious food from their clutches.  I represented to
+him the hopelessness of his attempt, and tried to reconcile him
+by telling him that if they liked the food they had a right to
+it.  Hobart had not been murdered; he had died by his own hand;
+and, after all, as the boatswain had once remarked to me, "it was
+better to eat a dead man than a live one."
+
+Do what I would, however, I could not quiet Andre's feeling of
+abhorrence; in his disgust and loathing he seemed for the time to
+have quite forgotten his own sufferings.
+
+Meanwhile, there was no concealing the truth that we were
+ourselves dying of starvation, whilst our eight companions would
+probably, by their loathsome diet, escape that frightful destiny.
+Owing to his secret hoard of provisions Hobart had been by far
+the strongest amongst us; he had been supported, so that no
+organic disease had affected his tissues, and really might be
+said to be in good health when his chagrin drove him to his
+desperate suicide.  But what was I thinking of!  whither were my
+meditations carrying me away?  was it not coming to pass that the
+cannibals were rousing my envy instead of exciting my horror?
+
+Very shortly after this I heard Dowlas talking about the
+possibility of obtaining salt by evaporating sea-water in the
+sun; "and then," he added, "we can salt down the rest."
+
+The boatswain assented to what the carpenter had said, and
+probably the suggestion was adopted.
+
+Silence, the most profound, now reigns upon the raft.  I presume
+that nearly all have gone to sleep.  One thing I do know, that
+they are no longer hungry!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLVIII.
+
+JANUARY 19th.--All through the day the sky remained unclouded and
+the heat intense; and night came on without bringing much
+sensible moderation in the temperature.  I was unable to get any
+sleep, and, towards morning, was disturbed by hearing an angry
+clamour going on outside the tent; it aroused M. Letourneur,
+Andre and Miss Herbey, as much as myself, and we were anxious to
+ascertain the cause of the tumult.
+
+The boatswain, Dowlas, and all the sailors were storming at each
+other in frightful rage; and Curtis, who had come forward from
+the stern, was vainly endeavouring to pacify them.
+
+"But who has done it?  we must know who has done it," said
+Dowlas, scowling with vindictive passion on the group around him.
+
+"There's a thief," howled out the boatswain, "and he shall be
+found!  Let's know who has taken it."
+
+"I haven't taken it!"  "Nor I!"  "Nor I!"  cried the sailors one
+after another.
+
+And then they set to work again to ransack every quarter of the
+raft; they rolled every spar aside, they overturned everything on
+board, and only grew more and more incensed with anger as their
+search proved fruitless.
+
+"Can YOU tell us," said the boatswain, coming up to me, "who is
+the thief?"
+
+"Thief!"  I replied.  "I don't know what you mean."
+
+And while we were speaking the others all came up together, and
+told me that they had looked everywhere else, and that they were
+going now to search the tent.
+
+"Shame!"  I said.  "You ought to allow those whom you know to he
+dying of hunger at least to die in peace.  There is not one of us
+who has left the tent all night.  Why suspect us?"
+
+"Now just look here, Mr. Kazallon," said the boatswain, in a
+voice which he was endeavouring to calm down into moderation, "we
+are not accusing you of anything; we know well enough you, and
+all the rest of you, had a right to your shares as much as
+anybody; but that isn't it.  It's all gone somewhere, every bit."
+
+"Yes," said Sandon gruffly; "it's all gone somewheres, and we are
+a going to search the tent."
+
+Resistance was useless, and Miss Herbey, M. Letourneur, and Andre
+were all turned out.
+
+I confess I was very fearful.  I had a strong suspicion that for
+the sake of his son, for whom he was ready to venture anything,
+M. Letourneur had committed the theft; in that case I knew that
+nothing would have prevented the infuriated men from tearing the
+devoted father to pieces.  I beckoned to Curtis for protection,
+and he came and stood beside me.  He said nothing, but waited
+with his hands in his pockets, and I think I am not mistaken in
+my belief that there was some sort of a weapon in each.
+
+To my great relief the search was ineffectual.  There was no
+doubt that the carcase of the suicide had been thrown overboard,
+and the rage of the disappointed cannibals knew no bounds.
+
+Yet who had ventured to do the deed!  I looked at M. Letourneur
+and Miss Herbey; but their countenances at once betrayed their
+ignorance.  Andre turned his face away, and his eyes did not meet
+my own.  Probably it is he; but, if it be, I wonder whether he
+has reckoned up the consequences of so rash an act.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XLIX.
+
+JANUARY 20th to 22nd.--For the day or two after the horrible
+repast of the 18th those who had partaken of it appeared to
+suffer comparatively little either from hunger or thirst; but for
+the four of us who had tasted nothing, the agony of suffering
+grew more and more intense.  It was enough to make us repine over
+the loss of the provision that had so mysteriously gone; and if
+any one of us should die, I doubt whether the survivors would a
+second time resist the temptation to assuage their pangs by
+tasting human flesh.
+
+Before long, all the cravings of hunger began to return to the
+sailors, and I could see their eyes greedily glancing upon us,
+starved as they knew us to be, as though they were reckoning our
+hours, and already were preparing to consume us as their prey.
+
+As is always the case with shipwrecked men, we were tormented by
+thirst far more than by hunger; and if, in the height of our
+sufferings, we had been offered our choice between a few drops of
+water and a few crumbs of biscuit, I do not doubt that we should,
+without exception, have preferred to take the water.
+
+And what a mockery to our condition did it seem that all this
+while there was water, water, nothing but water, everywhere
+around us!  Again and again, incapable of comprehending how
+powerless it was to relieve me, I put a few drops within my lips,
+but only with the invariable result of bringing on a most trying
+nausea, and rendering my thirst more unendurable than before.
+
+Forty-two days had passed since we quitted the sinking
+"Chancellor." There could be no hope now; all of us must die, and
+by the most deplorable of deaths.  I was quite conscious that a
+mist was gathering over my brain; I felt my senses sinking into a
+condition of torpor; I made an effort, but all in vain, to master
+the delirium that I was aware was taking possession of my reason.
+It is out of my power to decide for how long I lost my
+consciousness; but when I came to myself I found that Miss Herbey
+had folded some wet bandages around my forehead.  I am somewhat
+better; but I am weakened, mind and body, and I am conscious that
+I have not long to live.
+
+A frightful fatality occurred to-day.  The scene was terrible.
+Jynxtrop the negro went raving mad.  Curtis and several of the
+men tried their utmost to control him, but in spite of everything
+he broke loose, and tore up and down the raft, uttering fearful
+yells.  He had gained possession of a handspike, and rushed upon
+us all with the ferocity of an infuriated tiger; how we contrived
+to escape mischief from his attacks, I know not.  All at once, by
+one of those unaccountable impulses of madness, his rage turned
+against himself.  With his teeth and nails he gnawed and tore
+away at his own flesh; dashing the blood into our faces, he
+shrieked out with a demoniacal grin, "Drink, drink!"  and
+flinging us gory morsels, kept saying "Eat, eat!"  In the midst
+of his insane shrieks he made a sudden pause, then dashing back
+again from the stern to the front, he made a bound and
+disappeared beneath the waves.
+
+Falsten, Dowlas, and the boatswain, made a rush that at least
+they might secure the body; but it was too late; all that they
+could see was a crimson circle in the water, and some huge sharks
+disporting themselves around the spot.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER L.
+
+JANUARY 23rd.--Only eleven of us now remain; and the probability
+is very great that every day must now carry off at least its one
+victim, and perhaps more.  The end of the tragedy is rapidly
+approaching, and save for the chance, which is next to an
+impossibility, of our sighting land, or being picked up by a
+passing vessel, ere another week has elapsed not a single
+survivor of the "Chancellor" will remain.
+
+The wind freshened considerably in the night, and it is now
+blowing pretty briskly from the north-east.  It has filled our
+sail, and the white foam in our wake is an indication that we are
+making some progress.  The captain reckons that we must be
+advancing at the rate of about three miles an hour.
+
+Curtis and Falsten are certainly in the best condition amongst
+us, and in spite of their extreme emaciation they bear up
+wonderfully under the protracted hardships we have all endured.
+Words cannot describe the melancholy state to which poor Miss
+Herbey bodily is reduced; her whole being seems absorbed into her
+soul, but that soul is brave and resolute as ever, living in
+heaven rather than on earth.  The boatswain, strong, energetic
+man that he was, has shrunk into a mere shadow of his former
+self, and I doubt whether any one would recognize him to be the
+same man.  He keeps perpetually to one corner of the raft, his
+head dropped upon his chest, and his long, bony hands lying upon
+knees that project sharply from his worn-out trowsers.  Unlike
+Miss Herbey, his spirit seems to have sunk into apathy, and it is
+at times difficult to believe that he is living at all, so
+motionless and statue-like does he sit.
+
+Silence continues to reign upon the raft.  Not a sound, not even
+a groan, escapes our lips.  We do not exchange ten words in the
+course of the day, and the few syllables that our parched tongue
+and swollen lips can pronounce are almost unintelligible.  Wasted
+and bloodless, we are no longer human beings; we are spectres.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LI.
+
+JANUARY 24th.--I have inquired more than once of Curtis if he has
+the faintest idea to what quarter of the Atlantic we have
+drifted, and each time he has been unable to give me a decided
+answer, though from his general observation of the direction of
+the wind and currents he imagines that we have been carried
+westwards, that is to say, towards the land.
+
+To-day the breeze has dropped entirely, but the heavy swell is
+still upon the sea, and is an unquestionable sign that a tempest
+has been raging at no great distance.  The raft labours hard
+against the waves, and Curtis, Falsten, and the boatswain, employ
+the little energy that remains to them in strengthening the
+joints.  Why do they give themselves such trouble?  Why not let
+the few frail planks part asunder, and allow the ocean to
+terminate our miserable existence?  Certain it seems that our
+sufferings must have reached their utmost limit, and nothing
+could exceed the torture that we are enduring.  The sky pours
+down upon us a heat like that of molten lead, and the sweat that
+saturates the tattered clothes that hang about our bodies goes
+far to aggravate the agonies of our thirst.  No words of mine can
+describe this dire distress; these sufferings are beyond human
+estimate.
+
+Even bathing, the only means of refreshment that we possessed,
+has now become impossible, for ever since Jynxtrop's death the
+sharks have hung about the raft in shoals.
+
+To-day I tried to gain a few drops of fresh water by evaporation,
+but even with the exercise of the greatest patience, it was with
+the utmost difficulty that I obtained enough to moisten a little
+scrap of linen; and the only kettle that we had was so old and
+battered, that it would not bear the fire, so that I was obliged
+to give up the attempt in despair.
+
+Falsten is now almost exhausted, and if he survives us at all, it
+can only be for a few days.  Whenever I raised my head I always
+failed to see him, but he was probably lying sheltered somewhere
+beneath the sails.  Curtis was the only man who remained on his
+feet, but with indomitable pluck he continued to stand on the
+front of the raft, waiting, watching, hoping.  To look at him,
+with his unflagging energy, almost tempted me to imagine that he
+did well to hope, but I dared nor entertain one sanguine thought;
+and there I lay, waiting, nay, longing for death.
+
+How many hours passed away thus I cannot tell, but after a time a
+loud peal of laughter burst upon my ear Some one else, then, was
+going mad, I thought; but the idea did not rouse me in the least.
+The laughter was repeated with greater vehemence, but I never
+raised my head.  Presently I caught a few incoherent words.
+
+"Fields, fields, gardens and trees!  Look, there's an inn under
+the trees!  Quick, quick!  brandy, gin, water!  a guinea a drop!
+I'll pay for it!  I've lots of money!  lots!  lots!"
+
+Poor deluded wretch!  I thought again; the wealth of a nation
+could not buy a drop of water here.  There was silence for a
+minute, when all of a sudden I heard the shout of "Land!  land!"
+
+The words acted upon me like an electric shock, and, with a
+frantic effort, I started to my feet.  No land, indeed, was
+visible, but Flaypole, laughing, singing, and gesticulating, was
+raging up and down the raft.  Sight, taste and hearing--all were
+gone; but the cerebral derangement supplied their place, and in
+imagination the maniac was conversing with absent friends,
+inviting them into the George Inn at Cardiff, offering them gin,
+whisky, and, above all water!  Stumbling at every step, and
+singing in a cracked, discordant voice, he staggered about
+amongst us like an intoxicated man.  With the loss of his senses
+all his sufferings had vanished, and his thirst was appeased.  It
+was hard not to wish to be a partaker of his hallucination.
+
+Dowlas, Falsten, and the boatswain, seemed to think that the
+unfortunate wretch would, like Jynxtrop, put an end to himself by
+leaping into the sea; but, determined this time to preserve the
+body, that it might serve a better purpose than merely feeding
+the sharks, they rose and followed the madman everywhere he went,
+keeping a strict eye upon his every movement.
+
+But the matter did not end as they expected.  As though he were
+really intoxicated by the stimulants of which he had been raving,
+Flaypole at last sank down in a heap in a corner of the raft,
+where he lay lost in a heavy slumber.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LII.
+
+JANUARY 25th.--Last night was very misty, and for some
+unaccountable reason, one of the hottest that can be imagined.
+The atmosphere was really so stifling, that it seemed as if it
+only required a spark to set it alight.  The raft was not only
+quite stationary, but did not even rise and fall with any motion
+of the waves.
+
+During the night I tried to count how many there were now on
+board, but I was utterly unable to collect my ideas sufficiently
+to make the enumeration.  Sometimes I counted ten, sometimes
+twelve, and although I knew that eleven, since Jynxtrop was dead,
+was the correct number, I could never bring my reckoning right.
+Of one thing I felt quite sure, and that was that the number
+would very soon be ten.  I was convinced that I could myself last
+but very little longer.  All the events and associations of my
+life passed rapidly through my brain, My country, my friends, and
+my family all appeared as it were in a vision, and seemed as
+though they had come to bid me a last farewell.
+
+Towards morning I woke from my sleep, if the languid stupour into
+which I had fallen was worthy of that name.  One fixed idea had
+taken possession of my brain; I would put an end to myself, and I
+felt a sort of pleasure as I gloated over the power that I had to
+terminate my sufferings.  I told Curtis, with the utmost
+composure, of my intention, and he received the intelligence as
+calmly as it was delivered.
+
+"Of course you will do as you please," he said; "for, my own
+part, I shall not abandon my post.  It is my duty to remain here,
+and unless death comes to carry me away, I shall stay where I am
+to the very last."
+
+The dull grey fog still hung heavily over the ocean, but the sun
+was evidently shining above the mist, and would, in course of
+time, dispel the vapour.  Towards seven o'clock I fancied I heard
+the cries of birds above my head.  The sound was repeated three
+times, and as I went up to the captain to ask him about it, I
+heard him mutter to himself,--
+
+"Birds!  why, that looks as if land were not far off."
+
+But although Curtis might still cling to the hope of reaching
+land, I knew not what it was to have one sanguine thought.  For
+me there was neither continent nor island; the world was one
+fluid sphere, uniform, monotonous, as in the most primitive
+period of its formation.  Nevertheless it must be owned that it
+was with a certain amount of impatience that I awaited the rising
+of the mist, for I was anxious to shake off the phantom fallacies
+that Curtis's words had suggested to my mind.
+
+Not till eleven o'clock did the fog begin to break, and as it
+rolled in heavy folds along the surface of the water, I could
+every now and then catch glimpses of a clear blue sky beyond.
+Fierce sunbeams pierced the cloud-rifts, scorching and burning
+our bodies like red-hot iron; but it was only above our heads
+that there was any sunlight to condense the vapour; the horizon
+was still quite invisible. There was no wind, and for half an
+hour longer the fog hung heavily round the raft; whilst Curtis,
+leaning against the side, strove to penetrate the obscurity.  At
+length the sun burst forth in full power, and, sweeping the
+surface of the ocean, dispelled the fog, and left the horizon
+opened to our eyes.
+
+There, exactly as we had seen it for the last six weeks, was the
+circle that bounded sea and sky, unbroken, definite, distinct as
+ever!  Curtis gazed with intensest scrutiny, but did not speak a
+word.  I pitied him sincerely, for he alone of us all felt that
+he had not the right to put an end to his misery.  For myself I
+had fully determined that if I lived till the following day, I
+would die by my own hand.  Whether my companions were still
+alive, I hardly cared to know; it seemed as though days had
+passed since I had seen them.
+
+Night drew on, but I could not sleep for a moment.  Towards two
+o'clock in the morning my thirst was so intense that I was unable
+to suppress loud cries of agony.  Was there nothing that would
+serve to quench the fire that was burning within me?  What if
+instead of drinking the blood of others I were to drink my own?
+It would be all unavailing, I was well aware, but scarcely had
+the thought crossed my mind, than I proceeded to put it into
+execution.  I unclasped my knife, and, stripping my arm, with a
+steady thrust I opened a small vein.  The blood oozed out slowly,
+drop by drop, and as I eagerly swallowed the source of my very
+life, I felt that for a moment my torments were relieved, But
+only for a moment; all energy had failed my pulses, and almost
+immediately the blood had ceased to flow.
+
+How long it seemed before the morning dawned!  and when that
+morning came it brought another fog, heavy as before that again
+shut out the horizon.  The fog was hot as the burning steam that
+issues from a boiler.  It was to be my last day upon earth, and I
+felt that I would like to press the hand of a friend before I
+died.  Curtis was standing near, and crawling up to him, I took
+his hand in my own.  He seemed to know that I was taking my
+farewell, and with one last lingering hope he endeavoured to
+restrain me.  But all in vain, my mind was finally made up.
+
+I should have like to speak once again to M. Letourneur, Andre
+and Miss Herbey, but my courage failed me.  I knew that the young
+girl would read my resolution in my eyes, and that she would
+speak to me of duty and of God, and of eternity, and I dared not
+meet her gaze; and I would not run the risk of being persuaded to
+wait until a lingering death should overtake me.  I returned to
+the back of the raft, and after making several efforts, I managed
+to get on to my feet.  I cast one long look at the pitiless ocean
+and the unbroken horizon; if a sail or the outline of a coast bad
+broken on my view, I believe that I should only have deemed
+myself the victim of an illusion; but nothing of the kind
+appeared, and the sea was dreary as a desert.
+
+It was ten o'clock in the morning.  The pangs of hunger and the
+torments of thirst were racking me with redoubled vigour.  All
+instinct of self-preservation had left me, and I felt that the
+hour had come when I must cease to suffer.  Just as I was on the
+point of casting myself headlong into the sea, a voice, which I
+recognized as Dowlas's; broke upon my ear.
+
+"Captain," he said, "we are going to draw lots."
+
+Involuntarily I paused; I did not take my plunge, but returned to
+my place upon the raft.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LIII.
+
+JANUARY 26th.--All heard and understood the proposition; in fact,
+it had been in contemplation for several days, but no one had
+ventured to put the idea into words.  However, it was done now;
+lots were to be drawn, and to each would be assigned his share of
+the body of the one ordained by fate to be the victim.  For my
+own part, I profess that I was quite resigned for the lot to fall
+upon myself.  I thought I heard Andre Letourneur beg for an
+exception to be made in favour of Miss Herbey, but the sailors
+raised a murmur of dissent.  As there were eleven of us on board,
+there were ten chances to one in each one's favour, a proportion
+which would be diminished if Miss Herbey were excluded, so that
+the young lady was forced to take her chance among the rest.
+
+It was then half-past ten, and the boatswain, who had been roused
+from his lethargy by what the carpenter had said, insisted that
+the drawing should take place immediately.  There was no reason
+for postponing the fatal lottery.  There was not one of us that
+clung in the least to life, and we knew that at the worst,
+whoever should be doomed to die, would only precede the rest by a
+few days, or even hours.  All that we desired was just once to
+slake our raging thirst and moderate our gnawing hunger.
+
+How all the names found their way to the bottom of a hat I cannot
+tell.  Very likely Falsten wrote them upon a leaf torn from his
+memorandum-book.  But be that as it may, the eleven names were
+there, and it was unanimously agreed that the last name drawn
+should be the victim.
+
+But who would draw the names?  There was hesitation for a moment;
+then, "I will," said a voice behind me.  Turning round, I beheld
+M. Letourneur standing with outstretched hand, and with his long
+white hair falling over his thin livid face that was almost
+sublime in its calmness.  I divined at once the reason of this
+voluntary offer; I knew that it was the father's devotion in
+self-sacrifice that led him to undertake the office.
+
+"As soon as you please," said the boatswain, and handed him the
+hat.
+
+M. Letourneur proceeded to draw out the folded strips of paper
+one by one, and after reading out aloud the name upon it, handed
+it to its owner.
+
+The first name called was that of Burke, who uttered a cry of
+delight; then followed Flaypole and the boatswain.  What his name
+really was I never could exactly learn.  Then came Falsten,
+Curtis, Sandon.  More than half had now been called, and my name
+had not yet been drawn.  I calculated my remaining chance; it was
+still four to one in my favour.
+
+M. Letourneur continued his painful task.  Since Burke's first
+exclamation of joy not a sound had escaped our lips, but all were
+listening in breathless silence.  The seventh name was Miss
+Herbey's, but the young girl heard it without a start.  Then came
+mine, yes, mine!  and the ninth was that of Letourneur.
+
+"Which one?"  asked the boatswain.
+
+"Andre," said M. Letourneur.
+
+With one cry Andre fell back senseless.  Only two names now
+remained in the hat; those of Dowlas and of M. Letourneur
+himself.
+
+"Go on," almost roared the carpenter, surveying his partner in
+peril as though he could devour him.  M. Letourneur almost had a
+smile upon his lips, as he drew forth the last paper but one, and
+with a firm, unfaltering voice, marvellous for his age, unfolded
+it slowly, and read the name of Dowlas.  The carpenter gave a
+yell of relief as he heard the word.
+
+M. Letourneur took the last bit of paper from the hat, and
+without looking at it, tore it to pieces.  But, unperceived by
+all but myself, one little fragment flew into a corner of the
+raft.  I crawled towards it and picked it up.  On one side of it
+was written Andr--; the rest of the word was torn away.  M.
+Letourneur saw what I had done, and rushing towards me, snatched
+the paper from my hands, and flung it into the sea.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LIV.
+
+JANUARY 26th.--I understood it all; the devoted father having
+nothing more to give, had given his life for his son.
+
+M. Letourneur was no longer a human being in the eyes of the
+famished creatures who were now yearning to see him sacrificed to
+their cravings.  At the very sight of the victim thus provided,
+all the tortures of hunger returned with redoubled violence.
+With lips distended, and teeth displayed, they waited like a herd
+of carnivora until they could attack their prey with brutal
+voracity; it seemed almost doubtful whether they would not fall
+upon him while he was still alive.  It seemed impossible that any
+appeal to their humanity could, at such a moment, have any
+weight; nevertheless, the appeal was made, and, incredible as it
+may seem, prevailed.
+
+Just as the boatswain was about to act the part of butcher, and
+Dowlas stood, hatchet in hand, ready to complete the barbarous
+work, Miss Herbey advanced, or rather crawled, towards them.
+
+"My friends," she pleaded, "will you not wait just one more day?
+If no land or ship is in sight to-morrow, then I suppose our poor
+companion must become your victim.  But allow him one more day;
+in the name of mercy I entreat, I implore you."
+
+My heart bounded as she made her pitiful appeal.  It seemed to me
+as though the noble girl had spoken with an inspiration on her
+lips, and I fancied that, perhaps, in super-natural vision she
+had viewed the coast or the ship of which she spoke; and one more
+day was not much to us who had already suffered so long, and
+endured so much.
+
+Curtis and Falsten agreed with me, and we all united to support
+Miss Herbey's merciful petition.  The sailors did not utter a
+murmur, and the boatswain in a smothered voice said,--
+
+"Very well, we will wait till daybreak tomorrow," and threw down
+his hatchet.
+
+To-morrow, then, unless land or a sail appear, the horrible
+sacrifice will be accomplished.  Stifling their sufferings by a
+strenuous effort, all returned to their places.  The sailors
+crouched beneath the sails, caring nothing about scanning the
+ocean.  Food was in store for them to-morrow, and that was enough
+for them.
+
+As soon as Andre Letourneur came to his senses, his first thought
+was for his father, and I saw him count the passengers on the
+raft.  He looked puzzled; when he lost consciousness there had
+been only two names left in the hat, those of his father and the
+carpenter; and yet M. Letourneur and Dowlas were both there
+still.  Miss Herbey went up to him and told him quietly that the
+drawing of the lots had not yet been finished.  Andre asked no
+further question, but took his father's hand.  M. Letourneur's
+countenance was calm and serene; he seemed to be conscious of
+nothing except that the life of his son was spared, and as the
+two sat conversing in an undertone at the back of the raft, their
+whole existence seemed bound up in each other.
+
+Meantime, I could not disabuse my mind of the impression caused
+by Miss Herbey's intervention.  Something told me that help was
+near at hand, and that we were approaching the termination of our
+suspense and misery; the chimeras that were floating through my
+brain resolved themselves into realities, so that nothing
+appeared to me more certain than that either land or sail, be
+they miles away, would be discovered somewhere to leeward.
+
+I imparted my convictions to M. Letourneur and his son.  Andre
+was as sanguine as myself; poor boy!  he little thinks what a
+loss there is in store for him tomorrow.  His father listened
+gravely to all we said, and whatever he might think in his own
+mind, he did not give us any discouragement; Heaven, he said, he
+was sure would still spare the survivors of the "Chancellor," and
+then he lavished on his son caresses which he deemed to be his
+last.
+
+Some time afterwards, when I was alone with him, M. Letourneur
+whispered in my ear,--
+
+"Mr. Kazallon, I commend my boy to your care, and mark you, he
+must never know--"
+
+His voice was choked with tears, and he could not finish his
+sentence.
+
+But I was full of hope, and, without a moment's intermission, I
+kept my eyes fixed upon the unbroken horizon, Curtis, Miss
+Herbey, Falsten, and even the boatswain, were also eagerly
+scanning the broad expanse of sea.
+
+Night has come on; but I have still a profound conviction that
+through the darkness some ship will approach, and that at
+daybreak our raft will be observed.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LV.
+
+JANUARY 27th.--I did not close my eyes all night, and was keenly
+alive to the faintest sounds, and every ripple of the water, and
+every murmur of the waves, broke distinctly on my ear.  One thing
+I noticed and accepted as a happy omen; not a single shark now
+lingered-round the raft.  The waning moon rose at a quarter to
+one, and through the feeble glimmer which she cast across the
+ocean, many and many a time I fancied I caught sight of the
+longed-for sail, lying only a few cables' lengths away.
+
+But when morning came, the sun rose once again upon a desert
+ocean, and my hopes began to fade.  Neither ship nor shore had
+appeared, and as the shocking hour of execution drew near, my
+dreams of deliverance melted away; I shuddered in my very soul as
+I was brought face to face with the stern reality.  I dared not
+look upon the victim, and whenever his eyes, so full of calmness
+and resignation, met my own, I turned away my head.  I felt
+choked with horror, and my brain reeled as though I were
+intoxicated.
+
+It was now six o'clock, and all hope had vanished from my breast;
+my heart beat rapidly, and a cold sweat of agony broke out all
+over me.  Curtis and the boatswain stood by the mast attentively
+scanning the horizon.  The boatswain's countenance was terrible
+to look upon; one could see that although he would not forestall
+the hour, he was determined not to wait a moment after it
+arrived.  As for the captain, it was impossible to tell what
+really passed within his mind; his face was livid, and his whole
+existence seemed concentrated in the exercise of his power of
+vision.  The sailors were crawling about the platform, with their
+eyes gleaming, like wild beasts ready to pounce upon their
+devoted prey.
+
+I could no longer keep my place, and glided along to the front of
+the raft.  The boatswain was still standing intent on his watch,
+but all of a sudden, in a voice that made me start he shouted,--
+
+"Now then, time's up!"  and followed by Dowlas, Burke, Flaypole,
+and Sandon, ran to the back of the raft.  As Dowlas'seized the
+hatchet convulsively, Miss Herbey could not suppress a cry of
+terror.  Andre started to his feet.
+
+"What are you going to do to my father?"  he asked in accents
+choked with emotion.
+
+"My boy," said M. Letourneur, "the lot has fallen upon me, and I
+must die!"
+
+"Never!"  shrieked Andre, throwing his arms about his father,
+"They shall kill me first.  It was I who threw Hobart's body into
+the sea, and it is I who ought to die!"
+
+But the words of the unhappy youth had no other effect than to
+increase the fury of the men who were so staunchly bent upon
+their bloody purpose.
+
+"Come, come, no more fuss," said Dowlas, as he tore the young man
+away from his father's embrace.
+
+Andre fell upon his back, in which position two of the sailors
+held him down so tightly that he could not move, whilst Burke and
+Sandon carried off their victim to the front.
+
+All this had taken place much more rapidly than I have been able
+to describe it.  I was transfixed with horror, and much as I
+wished to throw myself between M. Letourneur and his
+executioners, I seemed to be rooted to the spot where I was
+standing.
+
+Meantime the sailors had been taking off some of M. Letourneur's
+clothes, and his neck and shoulders were already bare.
+
+"Stop a moment!"  he said in a tone in which was the ring of
+indomitable courage.  "Stop!  I don't want to deprive you of your
+ration; but I suppose you will not require to eat the whole of me
+today."
+
+The sailors, taken aback by his suggestion, stared at him with
+amazement.
+
+"There are ten of you," he went on.  "My two arms will give you
+each a meal; cut them off for to-day, and to-morrow you shall
+have the rest of me."
+
+"Agreed!"  cried Dowlas; and as M. Letourneur held out his bare
+arms, quick as lightning the carpenter raised his hatchet.
+
+Curtis and I could bear this scene no longer; whilst we were
+alive to prevent it, this butchery should not be permitted, and
+we rushed forwards simultaneously to snatch the victim from his
+murderers.  A furious struggle ensued, and in the midst of the
+MELEE I was seized by one of the sailors, and hurled violently
+into the sea.
+
+Closing my lips, I tried to die of suffocation in the water; but
+in spite of myself, my mouth opened, and a few drops trickled
+down my throat.
+
+Merciful Heaven!  the water was fresh!
+
+
+
+CHAPTER LVI.
+
+JANUARY 27th CONTINUED.--A change came over me as if by miracle.
+No longer had I any wish to die, and already Curtis, who had
+heard my cries, was throwing me a rope.  I seized it eagerly, and
+was hauled up on to the raft, "Fresh water!"  were the first
+words I uttered.
+
+"Fresh water?"  cried Curtis, "why then, my friends, we are not
+far from land!"
+
+It was not too late; the blow had not been struck, and so the
+victim had not yet fallen.  Curtis and Andre (who had regained
+his liberty) had fought with the cannibals, and it was just as
+they were yielding to overpowering numbers that my voice had made
+itself heard.
+
+The struggle came to an end.  As soon as the words "Fresh water"
+had escaped my lips, I leaned over the side of the raft and
+swallowed the life-giving liquid in greedy draughts.  Miss Herbey
+was the first to follow my example, but soon Curtis, Falsten, and
+all the rest were on their knees and drinking eagerly, The rough
+sailors seemed as if by a magic touch transformed back from
+ravenous beasts to human beings, and I saw several of them raise
+their hands to heaven in silent gratitude, Andre and his father
+were the last to drink.
+
+"But where are we?"  I asked at length.
+
+"The land is there," said Curtis pointing towards 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 centre 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.
+
+JANUARY 27th 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 onwards 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 lat. 0deg. 12min. N., so that
+since we abandoned the "Chancellor" we had drifted at least
+fifteen degrees to the south-west.  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 honoured 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 be 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 so richly
+she deserves?
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg Etext of Survivors of the Chancellor, by Verne
+
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