“I joost slippet off the main hatch, and the smeel was quite overpowerin’, enough to choke one! so I e’en slippet the hatch on again, walking forwarts so as not to alarm the crew; and then I cam’ aft to tell your ain sel’.”
“You did right,” said the skipper. “I’ll go presently and have a look myself.”
Captain Billings’ inspection proved that the mate’s fears were but too well-founded; so he immediately had the pumps rigged by the watch on duty—“all hands” not being called yet, as the vessel was lying-to, and there was not much work to be done. But a lot of water was pumped into the hold, after which the hatches were battened down, and we hoped the fire would die out from being smothered in this way.
Meanwhile the north-westerly gale increased to almost a hurricane, the ship taking in great seas over her bows that deluged the decks, so that the waist sometimes was all awash with four feet of water on it; but this did not trouble us much, for of the two elements the sea was now the least feared, as we hoped that the one would check the spread of the other.
Next day, however, when the gale lightened a little, and the Esmeralda rode easier, still head to sea, the men complained that the fo’c’sle was getting too hot for them to live in it, although the temperature of the exterior air was nearly down to freezing point.
This looked ominous; so Captain Billings, determining to adopt more stringent measures to check the conflagration that must be raging below in the cargo, caused the hatches to be opened; but such dense thick volumes of smoke and poisonous gas rolled forth the moment the covers were taken off, that they were quickly battened down again, holes now being bored to insert the hose pipes, and another deluge of water pumped into the hold, forwards as well as amidships.
“I don’t know what to do,” said the skipper to Mr Macdougall. “If it were not for this gale I would try to run for Sandy Point, where we might get assistance, as I’ve heard of the captain of a collier once, whose ship caught fire in the cargo like mine, careening his ship ashore there, when, taking out the burning coals, he saved the rest of his freight and stowed it again, so that he was able to resume his voyage and deliver most of the cargo at its destination. But this wind is right in one’s teeth, either to get to Sandy Point or fetch any other port within easy reach.”
“We moost ae just trust to Proveedence!” replied the mate.
“Oh, yes, that’s all very well,” said the skipper, impatiently. “But, still, Providence expects us to do something to help ourselves—what do you suggest?”
“I canna thaenk o’ naught, Cap’en,” replied Mr Macdougall, in his lugubrious way.