re, it was found that men could not be
induced to risk working in the holds until the rats were
expelled. It was decisively arranged to have the vessel
scuttled. This was done, and the situation became more
perplexing than ever. As soon as the water began to flow
into the vessel, the rats took to the rigging, and every
available space of it became occupied. Never had such a
sight been witnessed before. It was decided to shoot at
them. The panic at once grew into pandemonium, both amongst
the rats and the public. The fear of large numbers of the
rats making their escape seized the imagination, and took
some subduing. Methods were adopted, however, which soon put
an end to mere contemplation, and the rats were speedily put
out of harm's way. The story comes from America, and is an
answer to those who cling to the silly notion that rats have
the faculty of prevision and always leave a ship that is to
be sunk or is sinking. _These_ rats would not leave even
after the vessel was sunk.

Many years ago, long before sailing vessels succumbed to
steam, I was serving as cabin boy aboard a brig laden with
salt, which had been taken on board at St. Ubes, Portugal.
We were in the Bay of Biscay, and had encountered a
succession of gales from the time of leaving St. Ubes. The
vessel had a private leak, that is, a leak which was not
occasioned by constructive weakness, but by some omission of
caulking, bolting, trinnelling, &c. This alone only called
for one pump to be set going every two hours, but the heavy
buffeting made her strain and leak so badly that it
ultimately necessitated the continuous use of both pumps.
The sea was running cross and heavy, which caused the cargo
to shift, and the water to come on the ceiling, that is, the
inner planking of the hull. A portion of the crew that could
be spared from the pumps was ordered to take some forecastle
bulkhead planks down, and make their way into the hold for
the purpose of trimming the cargo over. The work was carried
on vigorously, amid a continuous flow of adjectives. The
captain and owner, both of whom were much-respected men,
were consigned by the sailors many times to perdition and
other more or less sulphurous places. Indeed, the father of
evil was freely invoked against them; but as both captain
and owner are very much alive at the present time, the
former controlling a vast business in conjunction with his
sons, and the captain for many years having been living a
pe