etermining to adopt more
stringent measures to check the conflagration that must be raging below
in the cargo, caused the hatches to be opened; but such dense thick
volumes of smoke and poisonous gas rolled forth the moment the covers
were taken off, that they were quickly battened down again, holes now
being bored to insert the hose pipes, and another deluge of water pumped
into the hold, forwards as well as amidships.

"I don't know what to do," said the skipper to Mr Macdougall. "If it
were not for this gale I would try to run for Sandy Point, where we
might get assistance, as I've heard of the captain of a collier once,
whose ship caught fire in the cargo like mine, careening his ship ashore
there, when, taking out the burning coals, he saved the rest of his
freight and stowed it again, so that he was able to resume his voyage
and deliver most of the cargo at its destination. But this wind is
right in one's teeth, either to get to Sandy Point or fetch any other
port within easy reach."

"We moost ae just trust to Proveedence!" replied the mate.

"Oh, yes, that's all very well," said the skipper, impatiently. "But,
still, Providence expects us to do something to help ourselves--what do
you suggest?"

"I canna thaenk o' naught, Cap'en," replied Mr Macdougall, in his
lugubrious way.

"Hang it, neither can I!" returned the skipper, as if angry with himself
because of no timely expedient coming to his mind; but just at that
moment the gale suggested something to him--at all events in the way of
finding occupation!

All at once, the wind, which had been blowing furiously from the
northwards, shifted round without a moment's warning to the south-west,
catching the ship on her quarter, and heeling her over so to leeward
that her yard-arms dipped in the heavy rolling sea.

For a second, it seemed as if we were going over; for the _Esmeralda_
remained on her beam ends without righting again, the waves breaking
clean over her from windward, and sweeping everything movable from her
decks fore and aft; but then, as the force of the blast passed away, she
slowly laboured up once more, the masts swaying to and fro as if they
were going by the board, for they groaned and creaked like living things
in agony.

"Put the helm up--hard up!" shouted the skipper to the man at the wheel;
but, as the poor fellow tried to carry out the command, the tiller "took
charge," as sailors say, hurling him right over the wheel against th