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Updated: May 26, 2025
They were already on the point of dashing aft to execute their threats; when thick smoke was seen ascending from the fore-hatchway, a bright flame shooting up directly afterwards in the midst of it. "Fire! fire! fire!" shouted both parties of the crew. "My lads, we must try and put it out, if we don't want to be burned alive," exclaimed the surgeon, addressing those about him.
All day long they worked away, and at night also. No fire could be lighted in the caboose, for the seas broke so heavily over the bows of the ship that they dashed in upon the fore-hatchway. Such provisions as could be eaten without cooking were their only fare.
Looking forward, I saw another head rising from the fore-hatchway; it was that of old Popples, the boatswain. "What! are they all gone?" he shouted; "then I'm captain. Lend a hand, Mr D'Arcy, and we'll try and get the ship before the wind." "Captain of a sinking ship you may be, Mr Popples," I answered, amused, even in that moment of horror, at the old man's extraordinary ambition.
Meantime, however, the wind falling light, the frigate made but slow progress, though she still kept the enemy in sight. When Bill really awoke, the light was streaming down through the fore-hatchway. He roused up Jack, as there was no one below to call them, and on going on deck they discovered the crew at their quarters, and the French frigate almost within range of their guns.
The British were, however, encountered on the gangways by some twenty-five or thirty Americans, who made but slight resistance, and being driven towards the forecastle, endeavoured to escape down the fore-hatchway, while others plunged overboard. The remainder threw down their arms and submitted.
"Tunder and flame!" roared the corporal, muffled up in the canvas, and trying to extricate himself; but his voice was not recognised by the lieutenant, and, before he could get clear of his envelope, the handspike had again descended; when up rose the corporal, like a buffalo out of his muddy lair, half blinded by the last blow, which had fallen on his head, ran full butt at the lieutenant, and precipitated his senior officer and commander headlong down the fore-hatchway.
"I don't care for that, sirrah; if you don't find out by dinner-time, you're food for fishes that's all; you may go." The cook walked off wringing his hands and his night-cap as well for he still held it in his right hand and disappeared down the fore-hatchway. "I have done this to pay you a deserved compliment, ladies; you have more courage than the other sex."
At last all but one man went on deck, and then he jumped up, and instantly going to the chest opened it; and then Tim saw clearly a compass, and, moreover, that the brig was steering a course considerably to the southward of east. The Frenchman then put his head up through the fore-hatchway, took a look round, and then, again diving into the forepeak, had another glance at the compass.
In the middle of the night he heard a sudden cry of "Fire," and at the same moment a volume of flame issued from the fore-hatchway; in a few seconds after another burst forth from the main hatchway; so that before he had time to collect his thoughts as to what ought to be done, the whole of the middle of the vessel was in a blaze.
I should have recorded that in the ship's head, as well as on the fore-part of the main-deck, and likewise between the guns, chiefly those abreast of the fore-hatchway, there have been groups assembled to scrape and polish themselves ever since breakfast-time, and even before it.
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