grave. Two or
three others, I heard, died in the same manner, when I was not present.
The gun-room had become uninhabitable from the water washing through it.
We had to move up to the ward-room. The deck below us was fast
sinking. The carpenter reported that some of the beams of the orlop
deck had fallen into the hold, though they must have done so gradually,
for we had heard no sound to account for what had taken place. Indeed,
the loud noise of the seas beating against the ship, and the water
washing about in the hold, prevented any noises except the loudest from
being heard. We all now knew that the ship was sinking. Only by the
greatest exertions could she be kept afloat to prolong our lives for a
few hours. Still no one talked of giving in.

Captain Bouchier, wounded as he was, got up and went about, encouraging
both officers and men. The spirit he and Captain Drury displayed
encouraged us all. For three days we had none of us tasted a drop of
water or spirits. We could judge by our own sufferings the fearful
agonies the sick and wounded must be enduring. Not one would have
survived, had not the surgeon discovered a few bottles of claret, which
the captain insisted should be reserved for them, and though he required
it as much as any one, he would not touch a drop himself.

The third day since the water had been exhausted came to an end, and few
of us expected to see another sunrise. That night was a dreadful one.
The loud lashing of the sea against the side, the creaking of the
bulkheads, the ominous sounds which came from the depths of the ship,
the groans and cries of the sick and dying, heard at intervals, the
ceaseless clanging of the pumps, rang in our ears as we lay, during our
watch below, on our damp beds extended on the ward-room deck. The
night, however, did come to an end, and we found ourselves still alive,
though the ship had evidently sunk lower since the previous day. I
joined Nettleship on deck, for we naturally kept together as much as we
could. I found that the wind was still blowing strongly, and the sea
running high, although it had lately somewhat gone down. Nothing could
be seen around but the leaden-coloured foaming seas rising and sinking
between us and the horizon. On comparing notes, my two messmates and I
agreed that we didn't suffer nearly so much from thirst as we had done
in the boat. Such provisions as could be got at were served out, but
none of us cared much for