The Boats of the Glen Carrig Read Free Page B

IT—for that is how I designated it in my mind—might come
upon us to our destruction.
    Now after breakfast, at which we had each a portion of salt pork, besides
rum and biscuit (for by now the fire in the caboose had been set going),
we turned-to at various matters, under the directing of the bo'sun. Josh
and two of the men made examination of the water casks, and the rest of
us lifted the main hatch-covers, to make inspection of her cargo; but lo!
we found nothing, save some three feet of water in her hold.
    By this time, Josh had drawn some water off from the casks; but it was
most unsuitable for drinking, being vile of smell and taste. Yet the
bo'sun bade him draw some into buckets, so that the air might haply
purify it; but though this was done, and the water allowed to stand
through the morning, it was but little better.
    At this, as might be imagined, we were exercised in our minds as to the
manner in which we should come upon suitable water; for by now we were
beginning to be in need of it. Yet though one said one thing, and another
said another, no one had wit enough to call to mind any method by which
our need should be satisfied. Then, when we had made an end of dining,
the bo'sun sent Josh, with four of the men, up stream, perchance after a
mile or two the water should prove of sufficient freshness to meet our
purpose. Yet they returned a little before sundown having no water; for
everywhere it was salt.
    Now the bo'sun, foreseeing that it might be impossible to come upon
water, had set the man whom he had ordained to be our cook, to boiling
the creek water in three great kettles. This he had ordered to be done
soon after the boat left; and over the spout of each, he had hung a
great pot of iron, filled with cold water from the hold—this being
cooler than that from the creek—so that the steam from each kettle
impinged upon the cold surface of the iron pots, and being by this means
condensed, was caught in three buckets placed beneath them upon the floor
of the caboose. In this way, enough water was collected to supply us for
the evening and the following morning; yet it was but a slow method, and
we had sore need of a speedier, were we to leave the hulk so soon as I,
for one, desired.
    We made our supper before sunset, so as to be free of the crying which we
had reason to expect. After that, the bo'sun shut the scuttle, and we
went every one of us into the captain's cabin, after which we barred the
door, as on the previous night; and well was it for us that we acted with
this prudence.
    By the time that we had come into the captain's cabin, and secured the
door, it was upon sunsetting, and as the dusk came on, so did the
melancholy wailing pass over the land; yet, being by now somewhat inured
to so much strangeness, we lit our pipes, and smoked; though I observed
that none talked; for the crying without was not to be forgotten.
    Now, as I have said, we kept silence; but this was only for a time, and
our reason for breaking it was a discovery made by George, the younger
apprentice. This lad, being no smoker, was fain to do something to
while away the time, and with this intent, he had raked out the
contents of a small box, which had lain upon the deck at the side of
the forrard bulkhead.
    The box had appeared filled with odd small lumber of which a part was a
dozen or so grey paper wrappers, such as are used, I believe, for
carrying samples of corn; though I have seen them put to other purposes,
as, indeed, was now the case. At first George had tossed these aside; but
it growing darker the bo'sun lit one of the candles which we had found
in the lazarette. Thus, George, who was proceeding to tidy back the
rubbish which was cumbering the place, discovered something which caused
him to cry out to us his astonishment.
    Now, upon hearing George call out, the bo'sun bade him keep silence,
thinking it was but a piece of boyish restlessness; but George drew the
candle to him, and bade us to listen; for the wrappers