_Pandora_. They were the
"long-boat," the "pinnace," and the "captain's gig." These would have
been enough to have carried the whole crew--indeed the long-boat herself
would have contained all hands, or nearly.

Thirty was reckoned her full complement, though, in a case of distress,
forty persons might have found room in her, and she would have floated
with that number, though not in a rough sea. She had been a good boat
in her time, but was now old and worn, and there was a rotten plank or
two among her timbers. She was not the boat originally made for the
_Pandora_. This had been lost in a gale; and the one now aboard was an
old weather and water-worn veteran, hurriedly obtained for the voyage.
The pinnace would have carried some fifteen men, had she been fit to go
into the water, which she was not. She had met with an accident while
in the river, and had not yet been repaired. She was not slung at that
moment, but lying in the scuppers along the main-deck, where the
carpenter had for days past been repairing her. The repairs, however,
were not completed, and the boat could not go to sea. The long-boat and
gig then must take the whole crew; and it was agreed that twenty eight
should get into the former, while the remaining twelve could be stowed
in the gig.

Of course this agreement was made by a kind of rambling general
consent--for there was no deliberation about anything, the whole crew
being now half-mad with haste and excitement.

A large number of the men had rushed at once towards the long-boat, and
there I followed them. They soon swarmed up to the bulwarks, and set to
work to poise the davits outward, and get the rigging in order for
lowering the boats. I did not see Brace among them; and, fancying he
might have gone with a party towards the gig, I started aft to find
him--as it was my intention to go in whatever boat carried him. The gig
was suspended at the stern, just under the taffrail; and to reach this
point I had to pass through the smoke that enveloped the cabin. But
although the atmosphere seemed perfectly stagnant, the cloud of smoke
leant a little towards the larboard side, and on the opposite, or
starboard side, the way was partially clear. I had observed one or more
persons glide through towards the stern, and I followed them.

On arriving upon the poop, I saw that there were five or six persons
there, engaged in launching the gig. They were working with all their
might, and ap