DECEMBER 6th CONTINUED.--The “Chancellor” no longer maintained her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.