With this repeated warning he again left me, and soon afterwards I heard the tramp of many feet on deck, mingled with hoarse orders that were faintly borne to my ears.
The Golden Hope was under way.
CHAPTER X
In the Hold
Mindful of 'Enery's warning, I gave the two massive hempen ropes a wide berth, and, leaning against a stout rib, resumed my vigil, till the heat of the confined space caused me to doff the oilskins and sea boots.
Presently the brig gave a distinct heel, which gradually increased till my position was turned into a standing one. Sail had been made, and the vessel was lying over to the breeze, though, owing to being still within a landlocked expanse of water, she scarce lifted as she cut through the waves. I could distinctly hear the lapping of the water against her sides as she moved with increasing pace in response to the pressure on the additional canvas.
Presently, in apparent obedience to a hoarse order, the Golden Hope recovered her upright position, then gradually settled down in the other direction, till, unable to keep my feet, I found myself flung bodily against the opposite side, the lantern being overset and extinguished at the same time.
Frantic with the fall, I struggled violently to regain my feet, my head coming into contact with one of the coils of cable. For a moment I imagined that the vessel had capsized, till, finding that she rolled no farther, I came to the conclusion that she had turned on her course.
Such, in truth, was the case. The brig had tacked, or, to use a nautical expression, had "gone about", the direction of the wind and the narrowness of the channel making the operation necessary. But I knew nothing of this at the time.
Groping with my hand, I managed to find the lantern, but being without flint and steel I was unable to relight it; so in the almost pitch darkness I remained, my eyes fixed longingly on a faint white light that filtered through a badly-fitting hatch cover.