It was a ticklish job, the long-boat especially being very heavy, and there being no means, now they had lost their masts, of rigging a tackle aloft to hoist it off the chocks amidships.
Still, necessity teaches men alternatives in moments of great peril; so, now, knocking away the under fastenings of the boat by main force, the crew managed at last to get it free. Then, improvising rollers out of pieces of the broken topmast, they contrived by pulling and hauling and shoving, all working with a will together, to launch it over the side through the hole in the bulwarks.
The jolly-boat followed suit, an easier task; and then, the two being deemed sufficient to accommodate all on board, just sixty-one in number including the two passengers, Captain Lennard gave the order to provision them, telling the steward to bring out all the cabin stores for this purpose, there being now no further use for them on board the ship, and officers and men being entitled to share alike without distinction.
The captain himself, while this was being done, saw to the ship’s log and other papers, taking also out of the cabin his best chronometer and a chart or two, as well as a sextant and some mathematical instruments.
These preparations for departure, though, were abruptly cut short by a warning cry from Bill Summers, the boatswain.
“We’d better look sharp, sir,” he called out to Uncle Jack, who was busily engaged superintending the stowage of the provisions in the two boats. “The water is arising rapidly, and is now nearly up to the ’tween-decks!”
Uncle Jack passed on the word to the captain, who instantly came up the companion.
Seeing the truth of the boatswain’s statement from the deeper immersion of the ship since he had gone below, he at once ordered the men down into the boats, the passengers going first; then the foremast hands; and, lastly, the officers.
“Mr Althorp,” said the captain, “you will take charge of the jolly-boat and shove off as soon as she’s got her complement. I will command the long-boat myself.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” responded Uncle Jack, descending into the boat when she had as many in her as she could safely hold; when, shoving off from the ship’s side and rowing a few strokes, the men lay on their oars, remaining some twenty yards off so as to be out of the whirlpool or eddy that would be formed when the vessel presently foundered.