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Updated: June 12, 2025
The passengers were on deck enjoying the coolness of evening, though the shades of night quickly came down over the ocean. Suddenly there was a startling cry of "Fire, fire!" and a thin wreath of dark smoke was seen ascending up the fore-hatchway. "Strike the fire-bell!" cried the captain. "No rushing, my men! Steady! Mr Thudicumb will lead the way below. Be ready with the buckets.
Down, down the tall ship lay. It seemed as if she would never rise. The watch below rushed up on deck, looks of dismay on the countenances of many. The captain shouted to Mr Thudicumb, "Get the axes ready!" and pointed significantly to the mizzen-mast. The first officer repeated the order; and Mr Tarbox was seen coming along, axe in hand, followed by the carpenter and several of his crew.
Should I have any satisfaction in sailing away without first looking for Walter? Would our uncle consent to do this? The uncertainty took away some of the satisfaction I should otherwise have felt. The whole of the party now collected, when Mr Thudicumb announced that the launch was that morning to take place.
They had been some time absent, and we were expecting their return, when a fearful squall, such as has not occurred since the time when the brig was lost, broke over the island. Mr Thudicumb and the kind old boatswain tried to persuade me that I need not be alarmed, but I cannot help feeling most fearful anxiety. The boat is so small, and not at all calculated to contend with a heavy sea.
"Do not throw a shot away," Mr Thudicumb continued saying. "Fix on your man before you fire." I had never seen a shot fired in anger; but I own my blood quickly got up, and I no longer felt the slightest compunction in killing our enemies. Even Oliver, so gentle and tender-hearted, played his part well, and I believe every shot he fired took effect.
But help dem, help dem; no mind me. I take care of Mr Hooker; Mr Thudicumb no help himself."
Next day, we again stood in towards the coast, with a white flag flying, hoping that the savages might understand it. No canoes, however, came off. In my eagerness to try and recover Macco, I volunteered to go off in a boat; but to this Mr Thudicumb would not consent.
On returning on deck, I told the first officer that I really thought there must be land ahead. "No, Walter, no fear of that," answered Mr Thudicumb; "we are crossing the Sargasso Sea. You will observe that it is merely sea-weed and drift-wood collected in this spot from all parts of the ocean. The currents and winds bring it, but why this place is selected I do not exactly know.
We can rough it well enough on the ground." We had made some progress in our preparations, when Mr Thudicumb and Dick Tarbox arrived. With their assistance we got on still more rapidly. Roger Trew had remained on the beach to watch the movements of the supposed pirates.
We had got nearly half-way across the Indian Ocean, when, one day as I was aloft, I saw in the far distance an object which looked like a log of wood, with a tiny white sail appearing above it. I hailed the deck, and Mr Thudicumb bringing his glass, came up to look at it. After some time it was reported to the captain, and the ship was kept away towards it.
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