“Yes, sir, we’re steering right for it, and I make no doubt it’s a boat.”
The brig was making good way through the water, and soon approached the object, which proved to be a boat with her keel up. She was then hove-to, a boat was lowered to tow the swamped boat alongside. When this was done, a rope was passed under her stern, she was lifted till the tackle fall could be hooked on to the ring-bolt in it, when she was easily turned over, and as she was hoisted up the water was baled out. Every one was eager to learn what boat she was.
It was soon perceived that she had been much shattered and damaged, for the gunnel on one side had been almost knocked away, and the bows had been stove in; but the injury had been repaired by one or more coats of tarred canvas, nailed over her bow and bottom, in a very rough way. The captain at once pronounced her to be an English-built boat, but she had no name by which it could be discovered to what vessel she belonged.
“Some poor fellows have been cast away on the rocks, and tried to make their escape in her,” remarked Linton. “They must have encountered another squall in that ricketty craft, and she must have capsized and drowned them all.”
“It looks too like it,” said Saltwell. “But if they had got on any rocks they would have taken a longer time to put her to rights. What think you of her being launched from the deck of a sinking vessel?”
“The same idea struck me,” observed Mr Norton, the master. “I suspect, if we had the means of ascertaining, that she will be found to be one of the boats of the lost Zodiac.”
“I fear it; and if so, all must have perished,” said Saltwell. “It would be cruel to suggest it to the captain.”
“He already has thought of that,” observed the master.
“What shall we do with the boat, sir?” inquired the first lieutenant of the captain. “Shall we cast her adrift?”
“No—get her in on deck, and overhaul her more thoroughly,” was the answer.