the mate.

"My God! what an appalling mess," ejaculated the distracted skipper.
"And all through the lubberly carelessness of those foreign fellows, who
were too lazy to sound their syren until they were aboard of us! Now,
Mr Ferris, what is the news of the boats? Hurry up and get them into
the water as smartly as possible. Back the main-yard, Mr Pryce."

This mention of the boats, added to the ill-advised candour of the
mate's loudly proclaimed statement as to the condition of the ship, took
immediate hold upon the mob of anxiously listening people who were
crowding round the two men, and galvanised them into sudden, breathless
activity; hitherto they had only vaguely realised that what had happened
_might_ possibly mean danger to them; now, in a flash, it dawned upon
them, one and all, that they were the victims of a ghastly disaster, and
that death was actually staring them in the face! And therewith a mad,
unreasoning panic took possession of them, and with one accord they made
a rush for the boats.

"Stand back, there; stand back, I say, and leave the men room to work,"
yelled the skipper. "Do you hear, there, you people from the steerage?
Stand back, as you value your lives! Do you want to drown yourselves
and everybody else? Here, Mr Pryce, lend me a hand to keep these
madmen in order. Back, every man of you; get off this poop--"

He might as well have appealed to and attempted to reason with the ocean
that was pouring in through the gash in the ship's side! It is doubtful
whether any one of those to whom he addressed himself heard him; if they
did they certainly took no notice. In a moment the ship's crew were
swept away from the davits and tackle falls, and in another the maddened
mob, with a wild yell of "We're sinking, we're sinking!" were struggling
together, striking and trampling down everybody who happened to be in
the way, and fighting desperately with each other for a place in the
boats, that had been swung out and were ready for lowering. The skipper
and the mate dashed manfully into the thick of the _melee_, no doubt
hoping that their authority, and the habit of discipline that was being
gradually cultivated among the emigrants would enable them to stem the
tide of panic that was raging, and restore order for at least the few
minutes that were needed to get the boats into the water. In vain! the
two men were visible for a moment, fighting desperately, side by side;
then they went down