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Ship-boys were discovering the delicate wines and fine liquors, which a wise foresight had placed in reserve. Soldiers and sailors were penetrating even into the spirit-room, broaching casks, staving others and drinking till they fell exhausted. Soon the tumult of the inebriated made us forget the roaring of the sea which threatened to engulf us.
Such had been the vigilance of Philip, who had requested Captain Barentz to stand over the spirit-room hatch, with pistols, until the smoke on the main-deck rendered the precaution unnecessary, that not a single person was intoxicated, and to this might be ascribed the order and regularity which had prevailed during this trying scene.
If your spirit-room enjoys the same sort of engine to replenish it, as you pump out your rum, Congress will sail this frigate cheaply." The other officers helped themselves with still greater moderation, Griffith barely moistening his lips, and the pilot rejecting the offered glass altogether.
Some with hatchets are cutting away at the bulwarks and companion hatch to form rafts, others run shrieking below to the spirit-room, or rush bewildered here and there; not one do I see on bended knees imploring aid from heaven. The vessel now labours more heavily than ever; a huge sea rolls towards her, she gives a fearful plunge.
We looked out for the Eleanor, but she was nowhere to be seen. Some of the men declared that she must have gone down. "We're afloat and why shouldn't she be?" said Brown, who was ready to cheer every one up. Some of the hands stole below, and I believe if they could have got into the spirit-room they would have made themselves drunk in order to forget their fears.
We were not quite so particular about uniform as we are now." "Then I think the service was all the better for it. Now-a-days, in your crack ships, a mate has to go down in the hold or spirit-room, and after whipping up fifty empty casks, and breaking out twenty full ones, he is expected to come on quarter-deck as clean as if he was just come out of a band-box."
Spoker, the situation of man," said the Captain, smiling, and shaking his head. "I am much more engaged in considering the position of the ship," said Mr. Spoker. "Spoken like a good officer," replied the Captain, laying his hand on the lieutenant's shoulder. On deck they found the men had broken into the spirit-room, and were fast getting drunk.
Still, the bee-hunter had his doubts; and most sincerely did he wish that all in Castle Meal, Blossom in particular, were safe within the limits of civilized settlements. On reaching the "garrison," all was safe. Whiskey Centre watched the gate a sober man, now, perforce, if not by inclination; for being in the Openings, in this respect, is like being at sea with an empty spirit-room.
But although for a time the men obeyed the orders of Philip, they were soon seen talking earnestly with the one-eyed pilot, and after a consultation of a quarter of an hour, they all left the deck, with the exception of the two at the helm. Their reasons for so doing were soon apparent several returned with cans full of liquor, which they had obtained by forcing the hatches of the spirit-room.
At the same time the funnel was carried away, and such a deluge of water got down to the engine-room that the fires were drowned. This brought the engineers on deck and the coal-passers with them; and the coal-passers "a beach-combin' lot," he called them led in breaking into the spirit-room, and before long pretty much all the men of the crew were as drunk as lords.
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