"Then the sooner we begin to knock some sort of rafts together, to float
a few of these poor people, the better," he observed. "I'll just hint
the same to Mr Bell."
I saw him go up to Mr Bell, and, touching his hat, speak earnestly to
him.
"You are right, Derrick," remarked the second mate as he passed me. "We
must keep the passengers working at the pumps though, to the last, while
the crew build the rafts."
As soon as the plan was conceived, all hands set to work to collect
spars, and to knock away the fittings of the lower deck, the bulkheads,
and the bulwarks. We thus very soon formed three small rafts, each
capable of supporting thirty or forty people in calm weather--a very
small portion of the poor wretches on board.
Mr Bell urged the crew to continue their exertions, and not to launch
the rafts till the last moment. "We do not know where the rafts may
drive to; and as we are now in the usual track of ships bound to
America, our signal of distress may be seen, and we may be saved without
more risk," he observed, addressing several who seemed about to launch
one of the rafts. His words, however, had not much effect; for a few
minutes afterwards their fears overpowered their better judgment, and
one of the rafts was launched overboard. It was with some difficulty
that it could be kept alongside. They fitted it with a mast and sail,
and a few casks of provisions, but no water was to be found, except in a
small keg.
While some of the people who intended to embark on it were looking for
more, a fresh puff of smoke forced its way up near the mainmast; and
this so frightened the emigrants, that a general rush was made to get on
the raft. About thirty were already on it, and so alarmed were they
lest the number crowding on it might capsize it, that, ill-provisioned
as they were, they cut it adrift. What became of them I know not; for
the night coming on, they were soon lost sight of, and we never saw them
again. That night was far more dreadful than the first; for, though the
terror of the people was not so loud, their despair was more pitiable.
The remainder of the crew still worked, spell and spell, at the pumps,
but the fire gained upon us. At length some of the steerage passengers
broke into the cabins, which they rifled of everything on which they
could lay their hands, and unfortunately discovered several cases of
brandy and wine.
Now began the most horrible orgies imaginable. Men, women, and even
children, became speedily intoxicated, and entirely forgetful of their
fears and awful position. They were, in fact, like the fiercest
savages, and, like them, danced and shouted and sang, till some of them
fell down in fits on the deck. In the cabins they found several
muskets, and, taking it into their heads that the crew had been the
cause of the disaster, they set upon Mr Bell and those of us who
remained, and, had we not struggled desperately, would have thrown us
overboard. They could, fortunately, find no powder and shot, or they
would certainly have killed some of the people in the boats. We
retreated before them forward and then, aided by Flint, and some of the
more reputable English who had kept sober, we made a rush at them and
wrenched their arms from their grasp. So infuriated had they become,
that while some of us worked at the pumps and rafts, the rest had to
stand guard and keep them at bay. Fortunately the wind fell, and the
sea went down with the sun, or it would have been still worse for us.
In one respect the calm was bad, as no ship was likely to come to our
rescue. One might have passed within a very short distance of us, and
would not have discovered us, as we had no guns on board, nor any
blue-lights or rockets, to make signals. We had four old rusty muskets,
it is true, but there was scarcely powder enough found to fire them a
dozen times. For the best part of the night we were employed in
defending our lives from the attacks of the drunken emigrants. After
being defeated they would return to the cabin to search for more liquor;
and, not finding any, they would again make a rush upon us, declaring
that we knew where it was hid, and that they would have it. I must do
the crew justice to say, that, with few exceptions, they all kept
sober,--and those under Mr Bell behaved very well. The second mate's
conduct was above all praise; for, though repeatedly invited by those in
the larboard-quarter boat to come off and to take command of her, he
refused to quit the ship.
At length, when the maddening effects of the spirits had worn off, the
emigrants sank down exhausted on the deck, and, had the fire then
reached where they lay, they would have been burnt, unconscious of their
fate. We were now left to consider what was next to be done. Gradually
the fire continued creeping aft, as we could tell by the increasing heat
of the lower deck; and I can scarcely describe the feelings I
experienced as, putting my hand down on the planks, I found them growing
hotter and hotter. The hatches over the hold were, however, wisely kept
closed, to prevent the flames from bursting forth. The ship was already
so full of water, that it would have exposed us to the danger of
drowning if we had pumped more into her. A second day dawned on the
same scene.
We anxiously scanned the horizon in the hopes that a ship might appear
to rescue us, but not a sail was in sight to relieve our anxiety. As
the people woke up from their slumbers, the general cry was for water;
but no water was to be procured. They had uselessly squandered what
might have preserved them. "Water! water!" was repeated by parched
mouths, which were fated never to taste that fluid again. Some stood
aft, and shouted to the captain, who sat comfortably in the boat astern,
and made gestures at him for water. Some, in their madness, broke open
the surgeon's dispensary, and rifled it of its contents, swallowing the
drugs indiscriminately. The effects on them were various, according to
the nature of the drugs. Some, overcome with opium, fell down speedily
in a state of stupor; others were paralysed, and others died in dreadful
agonies.
Burning thirst drove some mad, and several leaped overboard in their
delirium. Many died where they lay, on the deck; women and several poor
children quickly sunk for want of water. No sooner had the breath
departed from the body, than we were obliged to throw them overboard, as
the corpses lay in our way as we hurried about the decks. I forgot to
mention that there was a Romish priest on board, Father Slattery by
name. He was a coarse, uneducated man, but the influence he exercised
over the poor people was very great; and I must do him the justice to
say, that in this instance he exercised it for a good purpose, in
endeavouring to calm the fears of his followers, and in affording them
the offices of their religion. From the moment the danger became
apparent, he went among them confessing them and absolving them from
their sins, and giving them such other consolation as he had to offer;
but this did not seem to have any great effect, for the moment he left
them, they began to howl and shriek as loud as ever. As to attempting
to help themselves, that seemed far from their thoughts. Few of them
could be induced to work at the pumps, or to assist in building the
rafts. Yet, miserable as was their condition, the love of life appeared
stronger in them than in the English.
When the captain dropped astern in the long-boat, there was a general
rush to follow him; and I remember seeing two girls lower themselves
down by ropes over the taffrail, where they hung, their feet in the
water, entreating to be taken in. "Oh, captain, dear, sure you won't
let us be drowned now!" they exclaimed in piteous accents. For some
time those in the long-boat were deaf to their entreaties, and I thought
the girls would have lost their hold and have been drowned, for they had
no strength left to haul themselves on board again. Feeling that their
destruction was inevitable if they were not rescued, I slipped a running
bowline knot over the rope to which one of them was hanging, and then
gliding down, I passed it over her shoulders. I was up on deck again in
a moment, and hauled her up, though I must own she did not like my
interference. The other girl let go her hold, and would have been
drowned, had she not been caught as she floated past the boat, when she
was taken in.
But I could scarcely have believed that human nature could become so
depraved, as an instance I witnessed with my own eyes convinced me it
might be. I saw two Irishmen, who had their wives and families on
board, slip over the ship's side, and drop down towards the boat, with
ropes in their hands. Little as they deserved it, they were not
prevented from climbing on board; and there they remained, in spite of
the bitter cries of those they had so basely deserted.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 1. I regret to say that the whole account of the burning ship is
perfectly true. Incredible as it may seem, the fire continued
smouldering for nearly a week before the flames burst forth.