“We are aground,” said one.
“Well, what of it,” said another; “there is no sea here; all is still and calm, and shut in by the land.”
However, we were all soon snoring again, for during the last few days we had over-tasked our strength considerably, and since the late action had deprived us of the services of one half of the crew, the other half had had still harder duty to perform, and were almost exhausted. It might have been about four o’clock in the morning, when I was suddenly roused by the sound of voices in the apartment next to the cabin. I heard one person call to another, and then a cry of murder reached my ears. 123 Pretty soon Wagtail, who was sleeping on a mattrass below me, coughed loudly and hastily. A heavy splash followed, and immediately some of the men in the forecastle called out:
“The vessel is full of water––water up to our hammocks.”
“I am drunk,” roared Wagtail, who with might and main was rolling about his little bed. “Captain, I am drunk––Gelid, Bangs, we are all drunk.”
“To the pumps!” cried Tailtackle, who had hastened on deck.
“It is useless,” said I, springing out of bed, and sinking up to my knees in water. “Bring a light, Tailtackle, one of the planks must have started, and as the tide is rising, get out the boats, and put the wounded into them. Don’t be alarmed men, the vessel is aground, and as it is nearly high tide, there is no danger.”
The sailors were now quiet, and busied themselves in putting bedding and provisions into the boats belonging to the vessel, and those which, on hearing the alarm given, had come from the shore to our rescue. As there was no immediate danger, I returned to the cabin, wading through the water, which rose to my body. Bangs was sitting up in bed, busily engaged in putting on his breeches, which luckily he had put under his pillow. The rest of his own clothes, and those of his friends, were swimming about the cabin, saturated with water. Gelid, who during all the tumult had slept soundly, was now awake. He put one of his legs out of bed, with a view of rising, and plunged it into the water.
“Heavens! Wagtail,” he exclaimed, “the cabin is full of water––we are sinking! Ah! it is deuced hard to be drowned in this puddle, like potatoes in a tub.”