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Updated: May 12, 2025
It was under the action of this cylinder, charged with some explosive substance, nitro-glycerine, picrate, or some other material of the same nature, that the water of the channel had been raised like a dome, the bottom of the brig crushed in, and she had sunk instantly, the damage done to her hull being so considerable that it was impossible to refloat her.
The examination of the hold has at last been made. Amongst the first things that were found was the case of picrate, perfectly intact; having neither been injured by the water, nor of course reached by the flames. Why it was not at once pitched into the sea I cannot say; but it was merely conveyed to the extremity of the island, and there it remains.
Fortunately, in addition to the picrate compounds that Quick called "azure stinging bees," we had brought with us a few cases of dynamite, of which we now made use for blasting purposes. A hole was drilled in the face of the tunnel, and the charge inserted.
But where, all this time, was the picrate? perhaps, after all, Ruby had deceived us and there was no volcano, such as we dreaded, below our feet. At half-past eleven, when the tempest seems at its very height there is heard a peculiar roar distinguishable even above the crash of the elements. The sailors in an instant recognize its import. "Breakers to starboard!" is the cry.
After considerable pause, Mr. Falsten, as calmly as though he were delivering some philosophic dogma, quietly observed: "The explosion, if I may use the formula of science, is not necessary, but contingent." "But tell me, Mr. Falsten," I asked, "is it possible for picrate of potash to ignite without concussion?" "Certainly it is," replied the engineer.
To what could the engineer be alluding? Evidently he had not the remotest suspicion that the cargo was already on fire. In another moment the words "picrate of potash" brought me to my feet? and with an involuntary impulse I rushed up to Ruby, and seized him by the shoulder. "Is there picrate of potash on board?" I almost shrieked. "Yes," said Falsten, "a case containing thirty pounds."
"The picrate! the picrate!" shrieks the madman; "we shall all be blown up! the picrate will blow us all up." And in an instant, before we can get near him, he has hurled himself, through the open hatchway, down into the fiery furnace below. OCTOBER 29th: NIGHT. The scene, as night came on, was terrible indeed.
Just as the picrate was being introduced into the aperture, Falsten interposed: "Stop," he said, "I think it will be best to mix the picrate with common powder, as that will allow us to fire the mine with a match instead of the gun-priming which would be necessary to produce a shock.
Meanwhile Curtis prepares to do all that common sense demands. He proposes, when the fire is quite extinguished, to throw overboard the whole, or the greater portion of the cargo, including of course, the picrate; he will next plug up the leak, and then, with a lightened ship, he will take advantage of the first high tide to quit the reef as speedily as possible. OCTOBER 30th.
As for the picrate, for the time we have quite for- gotten its existence; indeed it might almost seem as though its explosion would come as a relief, for no catastrophe, how- ever terrible, could far exceed the torture of our suspense.
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