I carried the rod below, to dry it, and covered the lower
part with ashes. I could not have been busy in drying the rod more than
ten or fifteen minutes, when it was lowered again. The water had risen
several inches in that short period!
All this looked very serious; and I began to think a third raft was to
founder under me. After a short consultation it was determined to lighten
the ship. The foresail was hauled up, the men got into the rigging to keep
clear of the seas, and the vessel was rounded-to. We then knocked away the
wash-boards in the wake of the two hatches, and began to tumble the
barrels of turpentine on deck. I never felt so strong in my life, nor did
so much work in so short a time. During the labour I went below to splice
the main-brace, and, after putting a second-mate's nip of brandy into my
glass, filled it, as I supposed, with water, drinking it all down without
stopping to breathe. It turned out that my water was high-proof gin; yet
this draught had no more effect on me than if it had been so much cold
water. In ordinary times, it would have made me roaring drunk.
We tumbled up all the cargo from betwixt decks, landing it on deck, where
it rolled into the sea of itself, and were about to begin upon the lower
hold, when the captain called out avast, as the pumps gained fast. Half an
hour later, they sucked. This was joyful news, indeed, for I had begun to
think we should be driven to the boats.
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