afternoon he was
ordered to accompany a shore party. All hands had been on duty since
seven that morning, and when Eric went ashore the sailors were keeping
regular shifts with shovels, clearing the decks, while four streams of
water from the fire mains were playing incessantly in an effort to clear
the ship of its horrible burden.

More than once, when the rain of volcanic debris grew especially heavy,
the men fell behind, work as hard as they might. Herein lay real danger,
for if the deck-load of ashes grew too heavy the _Bear_ might turn
turtle. Then all hope of rescue would be lost.

The captain of the _Bear_ summoned a meeting of the principal citizens.
He sent to the two saloons in the village and finding that they were
crowded, requested the proprietors to close. This they did without
demur, realizing that at a time of such peculiar danger, when no one
knew what had happened, what was happening, or where the next outbreak
might come, it was necessary for everybody to be on the alert.

Through the afternoon the darkness increased into a horrid gloom far
worse than the darkest night. Men collided with each other working about
the decks, for the feeble glow of electric lights and lanterns was
deadened by the yellowish compost so that they could not be seen five
feet away. When nightfall came, no one knew, it had been scarcely less
dark at three o'clock in the afternoon than at midnight. All night long
men worked steadily in shifts, clearing away the ash. Ashore the
conditions were equally terrifying and all night long the bell of the
Russian Church boomed out in the blackness. There were few of its
followers who did not grope their way to the building at some time
during that awful night.

Sunrise and the coming of daylight passed unseen and unnoticed. Only
chronometers and watches served to tell the change from night to day.
The three pilots of the place were summoned to discuss the possibility
of getting the _Bear_ safely out to sea, with all the population of the
village on board. As every landmark was obliterated, and as the ship's
bow could not be seen from the bridge, not one of the pilots would
undertake to con the ship through the narrow channel.

Somewhere the sun was shining, but not a glint of light passed the
impenetrable veil overhead. Still the sailors worked steadily, shoveling
off the ash over the vessel's side, still the pumps worked, though now
the water brought up from the harbor was like gr