their task of unlading.

Curtis thinks it quite probable that the leaks may be mended from the
interior. By far the best way of repairing the damage would be to careen
the ship, and to shift the planking, but the appliances are wanting for
such an undertaking; moreover, any bad weather which might occur while
the ship was on her flank would only too certainly be fatal to her
altogether. But the captain has very little doubt that by some device or
other he shall manage to patch up the hole in such a way as will insure
our reaching land in safety.

After two days' toil the water was entirely reduced and without further
difficulty the unlading was completed. All of us, including even Andre
Letourneur, have been taking our turn at the pumps, for the work is so
extremely fatiguing that the crew require some occasional respite; arms
and back soon become strained and weary with the incessant swing of
the handles, and I can well understand the dislike which sailors always
express to the labour.

One thing there is which is much in our favour; the ship lies on a firm
and solid bottom, and we have the satisfaction of knowing that we
are not contending with a flood that encroaches faster than it can be
resisted. Heaven grant that we may not be called to make like efforts,
and to make them hopelessly, for a foundering ship!

CHAPTER XX.

NOVEMBER 15th to 20th.--The examination of the hold has at last been
made. Amongst the first things that were found was the case of picrate,
perfectly intact; having neither been injured by the water, nor of
course reached by the flames. Why it was not at once pitched into the
sea I cannot say; but it was merely conveyed to the extremity of the
island, and there it remains.

While they were below, Curtis and Dowlas made themselves acquainted with
the full extent of the mischief that had been done by the conflagration.
They found that the deck and the cross-beams that supported it had been
much less injured than they expected, and the thick, heavy planks had
only been scorched very superficially. But the action of the fire on
the flanks of the ship had been of a much more serious character; a long
portion of the inside boarding had been burnt away, and the very ribs
of the vessel were considerably damaged; the oakum caulkings had all
started away from the butt-ends and seams; so much so that it was
little short of a miracle that the whole ship had not long since gaped
completely open.