After the first grating, grinding shock of going ashore, the ship did
not bump again; but, listing over to port, she settled down quietly,
soon working a sort of cradle bed for herself in the sand at the spot
where she stranded.
This, at least, was our conclusion, from the absence of any subsequent
motion or movement on board, the deck being as steady now as any
platform on dry land, although rather downhill on one side, from the
vessel heeling as she took the ground.
However, it was all guess work, as we could see nothing, not even our
own faces, save when brought immediately under the light of the galley
lantern, around which all the hands forward were closely huddled
together, like a drove of frightened sheep; for, the darkness could be
almost felt, as it hung over the ill-fated _Denver City_, a thick,
impenetrable, black pall, that seemed ominous of evil and further
disaster.
This continued for nearly an hour; the men near me only speaking in
hushed whispers, as if afraid of hearing their own voices.
The fact of not being able to see any fresh peril or danger that might
be impending over us, and so face it manfully, in the manner customary
with sailor-folk with any grit in them, took away the last lingering
remnant of courage even of the bravest amongst us; and I'm confident
there was not a single foremast hand there of the lot grouped by the
galley and under the break of the fo'c's'le, not excepting either Tom
Bullover or the American sailor, Hiram, plucky as both were in ordinary
circumstances, but was as panic-stricken, could their inmost feelings be
disclosed and the truth out-told, as myself--although I was too dazed
with terror to think of this then.
And so we remained, awaiting we knew not what, coming from we knew not
where, in terrible uncertainty and dread expectancy.
Anything might happen now, we thought, still more awful than what had
already occurred; for the gloomy stillness and mysterious mantle of
darkness that had descended on us increased our fears and suggested
every weird possibility, until the prolonged suspense became well-nigh
maddening.
"I'm durned if I ken stand this much longer," I heard Hiram whisper
hoarsely, as if uttering his thoughts aloud, for he addressed no one in
particular. "Guess I'll jump overboard an' drown myself, fur the
devil's in the shep, an' thaar's a cuss hangin' over her!"
A shuffling sound of feet moving on the deck followed, as if the poor,
distraught fellow was about to carry his senseless and wicked design
into execution; and then I caught the tones of Tom Bullover's voice also
coming out from amidst the surrounding gloom.
"Hush, avast there!" cried the latter solemnly. "Is this a time for
running in the face of your Maker, when in another minute or two we may
all be mustered afore Him in eternity? Besides, bo, what's the use o'
jumping overboard, when you couldn't get drownded? for the ship's hard
and fast ashore!"
Before Hiram could reply to this, or make any further movement, a shout
rang out from the poop aft, where previously all had been as still as
with us forwards, wrapped in the same impenetrable darkness and deathly
silence.