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Updated: June 14, 2025
Jecks was inspecting the big earthen vessel with a tin baler, and I appealed to him. "How is the water?" I said. "Well, sir, yer can't say quite well thankye, 'cause it arn't right colour yet, and it's got a sort o' fishing-boat flavour in it, as puts yer in mind o' Yarmouth market at herring time, but it ain't so pea-soupy as it were, and it might be worse. Try a tot, sir?"
The tube of the life-preserver was held over the baler, and out trickled a small quantity of pure water, two thimblefuls apiece. Even that, as it passed over their swelling tongues and parched swallows was a heavenly relief. But, alas, the supply was then exhausted. Next day hunger seemed uppermost and the men gnawed and chewed their tobacco-pouches.
"Our first anxiety was, of course, as to the carpenter's repairing job; but we soon found that we needn't greatly trouble ourselves about that. There was just a draining of water that somehow worked its way through, but a few minutes' spell with the baler about once an hour was sufficient to keep the boat fairly dry and comfortable.
Meanwhile the rest of the occupants seized the baler, a bucket that somebody had been thoughtful enough to throw into the boat when preparations were being made to leave the burning Indiaman, their caps, or even their hoots the first thing, in fact, that came handy and began baling for their lives.
Dan had fallen off to sleep, and Vincent had been glad to wrap himself in the thick coat he had brought with him as a protection against the heavy dews when sleeping on the river. At times sharp rain squalls burst upon them, and Vincent had no difficulty in filling up the water-bottle again with the baler. The water was rather brackish, but not sufficiently so to be of consequence.
"Go on, then," said Aleck, and, after filling the bowl of his pipe, the sailor went to the glowing embers of the fire, one of which he picked up with his hardened thumb and finger, lit the tobacco, and began smoking away. His first act was to scoop up a little water in the boat's baler and extinguish the fire. "Too hot as it is, Master Aleck.
Their supper, as on the previous evening, consisted of roast seal and a few roots cooked in the ashes, washed down with tea boiled in an iron bowl which had served as a baler for the boat. The night as it advanced became even more tempestuous than the preceding one.
"Just look into the boat, Luis, my son, and see that the oars and baler are in her, while Miguel and I unship the gangway. Can you still see him, Senor Courtenay?" "Yes," I replied, "he is still there, but a long way off now. I think I had better keep my eye on him, and direct you by an occasional wave of the hand, as you pull down, or you will have a job to find him."
Miss Onslow's appetite was not, however, as yet quite keen enough to admit of her partaking of raw fowl; but she drank a little water out of the baler the only utensil we possessed. As she returned the baler to me she remarked: "You must not allow my squeamishness to be a bar to the satisfaction of your own appetite, if you feel hungry enough to eat raw flesh.
Bigley and I, who were now rowing, or rather dipping our oars from time to time, slowly threw them in, and the boat lay tossing up and down at the mercy of the waves; but no water dashed in over the gunwale, and Bob Chowne's hand with the baler rested helplessly by his side.
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